Highlighted Researcher: Kasra Moazzami

What is your professional background? 
I obtained my MD and MPH from Tehran University of Medical Sciences. I then continued my scientific and clinical training at Massachusetts General Hospital and Rutgers University respectively, where I studied brain correlates of atrial fibrillation and performed population-based outcome research. I joined Emory University as a cardiology fellow in July 2018 and I am currently pursuing a master’s degree in Science and Clinical Research.

In what division do you work, and who is your mentor? 
Because of the extremely collaborative atmosphere at Emory, I am fortunate to work with world-renowned experts from both Cardiology and Epidemiology Departments. As my projects span across multiple disciplines, I truly appreciate the expertise and guidance from my mentors: Dr. Vaccarino (an expert in cardiovascular reactivity to stress), Dr. Quyyumi (a leader in cardiovascular and vascular biology) and Dr. Bremner (a leader in neurobiology of stress and stress related disorders).

Briefly describe your research. Why is it important? 
My main area of interest is to understand the connection between the heart and brain. As a cardiologist, I want to understand how the heart in both health and disease states can affect the brain; in particular, cognitive function. This line of research would potentially help develop new treatment options for patients at risk of cognitive impairment, which is an important and growing public health problem.

I am also interested to understand how the brain affects the heart. We have recently found that there are areas of the brain that when activated with stress can increase the risk of future cardiovascular events. These novel findings show how the brain can directly affect the health of the heart. This opens novel possibilities for treatment of cardiovascular diseases by manipulating the activity of specific brain regions.

What do you like most about Emory? 
To succeed as a physician-scientist, one needs to work in a collaborative environment. At Emory, we are blessed with a great team of excited, brilliant and supportive scientists.

What is your favorite movie or TV show?
I enjoy movies and series that raise new questions in my head, with West World probably being one of the most prominent ones in the past few years.

What do you like to do in your spare time? 
I spend most of my free time with my wife and two wonderful daughters. I can tell you anything you ever wanted to know and even more about Georgia Aquarium, Atlanta Zoo and Children’s Museum.

What is a fun fact about you? 
At some point, my friends and family started shortening my name to Kasi, which in Farsi means “somebody/anybody.” It was fun to hear them calling me sometimes: ”Kasi-Kasi” (“somebody-somebody”)! I eventually got used to it…