Heart
Helping patients and their families manage heart disease.
Our group studies many aspects related to cardiovascular health in children. The diverse nature of these studies reflects the varied skills and knowledge of our group members. The team has world-leading expertise in the assessment of cardiovascular function, acquired both through animal studies and cells. This includes the use of invasive and non-invasive techniques, including the development of new techniques, in order to improve our understanding of congenital and acquired heart disease.
Our projects use cord blood stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells – those generated from adult cells – through collaboration with laboratory researchers at the Institute. Our epidemiology research has informed the management of paediatric cardiomyopathy and the Fontan circulation in addition to many other congenital heart conditions. The study of myocardial protection through ischemic preconditioning is a major focus of our research, in particular the changes with maturation and applicability in children with complex heart disease.
Successful management of heart disease in children has led to a large population of adults with complex heart conditions. We are actively involved in the clinical care and research in this patient group in order to understand the altered cardiac physiology and allow novel treatments to improve the quality of life.
The close working relationship between clinicians and scientists fosters rapid clinical translation in addition to identifying areas of clinical interest that would benefit from mechanistic investigation.
Our projects
Healthy Hearts @ School Study
This study aims to address the silent precursors of serious heart health problems such as high blood pressure and thickening of the arteries that begin to form in the early years.
Body size in childhood and risk of pre-menopausal breast cancer study
A study into body mass index (BMI) in childhood and risk of pre-menopausal breast cancer. There is considerable evidence that body mass index is related to the risk of pre-menopausal breast cancer but the possible reasons for this have not yet been well explored.
Fontan Registry of Australia and New Zealand
The Fontan Registry is a secure database collecting health information on Fontan patients living in Australia and New Zealand since 2009. It is hoped this will be the largest Fontan database in the world, providing researchers and doctors with information to help improve treatment options and long-term health outcomes for patients.
More studies
- National Australian Cardiomyopathy Collaborative study
- TRAGADY- Sudden death study
- Wave intensity analysis
- Exercise rehabilitation
- Brain injury in children with congenital heart disease
- Cardiac function in patients with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy
- Ischemic Preconditioning
Funding
- National Health and Medical Research Council
- The Heart Foundation
- The Royal Children's Hospital Foundation - RCH1000
- Big W
- Heart to Heart Auxiliary
- Heartkids Australia
- Heart Throb Auxiliary
- Children’s Cancer Foundation
- My Room
Featured publications
- Magnitude and significance of interarm blood pressure differences in children and adolescents.
J Hypertens. 2021 Mar 1. doi: 10.1097/HJH.0000000000002797. Clarke MM, Harrington HA, Glenning JP, Zannino D, Holmstrup ME, Jensen BT, Smolich JJ, Cheung MMH, Mynard JP. - Reducing lung liquid volume in fetal lambs decreases ventricular constraint.
Pediatr Res. 2021 Jan 27. doi: 10.1038/s41390-020-01352-y. Smolich JJ, Cheung MMH, Mynard JP. - Bone health in young adult survivors born extremely preterm or extremely low birth weight in the post surfactant era,
Bone, 143: 115648. - Management of People With a Fontan Circulation: a Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand Position statement.
Heart Lung Circ, 29: 5-39. Zentner, D., D. S. Celermajer, T. Gentles, Y. d'Udekem, J. Ayer, G. M. Blue, C. Bridgman, L. Burchill, M. Cheung, R. Cordina, E. Culnane, A. Davis, K. du Plessis, K. Eagleson, K. Finucane, B. Frank, S. Greenway, L. Grigg, W. Hardikar, T. Hornung, J. Hynson, A. J. Iyengar, P. James, R. Justo, J. Kalman, N. Kasparian, B. Le, K. Marshall, J. Mathew, D. McGiffin, M. McGuire, P. Monagle, B. Moore, J. Neilsen, B. O'Connor, C. O'Donnell, A. Pflaumer, K. Rice, G. Sholler, J. R. Skinner, S. Sood, J. Ward, R. Weintraub, T. Wilson, W. Wilson, D. Winlaw, and A. Wood. 2020. - Brief asphyxial state following immediate cord clamping accelerates onset of left-to-right shunting across the ductus arteriosus after birth in preterm lambs.
J Appl Physiol (1985), 128: 429-39. Smolich, J. J., K. R. Kenna, M. M. H. Cheung, and J. P. Mynard. 2020. '
+ Show/hide all publications
- Seaman, C. S., Y. d'Udekem, B. O. Jones, C. P. R. Brizard, and M. M. H. Cheung. 2020. 'Augmentation of Pulmonary Arterial Growth in Single Ventricle Patients by Interim Selective Shunts', Semin Thorac Cardiovasc Surg.
- Perrier, S. L., M. Jadhav, Y. d'Udekem, J. Brink, I. E. Konstantinov, D. Zannino, M. M. Cheung, and C. P. Brizard. 2020. 'Multiple left-sided stenotic lesions: outcomes after mitral valve surgery. Arguments for abandoning the eponym 'Shone syndrome'', Eur J Cardiothorac Surg, 58: 567-73.
- Peng, X., M. Wake, M. G. Schultz, D. P. Burgner, P. Otahal, J. P. Mynard, S. Ellul, M. Cheung, R. S. Liu, M. Juonala, and J. E. Sharman. 2020. 'Association of brachial-cuff excess pressure with carotid intima-media thickness in Australian adults: a cross-sectional study', J Hypertens, 38: 723-30.
- Peng, X., D. S. Picone, M. G. Schultz, G. Cai, M. Wake, D. P. Burgner, J. P. Mynard, S. Ellul, M. Cheung, M. Juonala, and J. E. Sharman. 2020. 'Brachial-cuff excess pressure is associated with carotid intima-media thickness among Australian children: a cross-sectional population study', Hypertens Res.
- Mynard, J. P., J. E. Sharman, J. J. Smolich, M. M. H. Cheung, and A. Avolio. 2020. 'Accuracy of central blood pressure by Mobil-O-Graph in children and adolescents', J Hypertens, 38: 1388-89.
- Mynard, J. P., A. Kondiboyina, R. Kowalski, M. M. H. Cheung, and J. J. Smolich. 2020. 'Measurement, Analysis and Interpretation of Pressure/Flow Waves in Blood Vessels', Front Physiol, 11: 1085.
- Mynard, J. P., G. Goldsmith, G. Springall, L. Eastaugh, G. K. Lane, D. Zannino, J. J. Smolich, A. Avolio, and M. M. H. Cheung. 2020. 'Central aortic blood pressure estimation in children and adolescents: results of the KidCoreBP study', J Hypertens, 38: 821-28.
- McOwan, T. N., L. A. Craig, A. Tripdayonis, K. Karavendzas, M. M. Cheung, E. R. Porrello, R. Conyers, and D. A. Elliott. 2020. 'Evaluating anthracycline cardiotoxicity associated single nucleotide polymorphisms in a paediatric cohort with early onset cardiomyopathy', Cardiooncology, 6: 5.
- Lycett, K., M. Juonala, C. G. Magnussen, D. Norrish, F. K. Mensah, R. Liu, S. A. Clifford, J. B. Carlin, T. Olds, R. Saffery, J. A. Kerr, S. Ranganathan, L. A. Baur, M. A. Sabin, M. Cheung, T. Dwyer, M. Liu, D. Burgner, and M. Wake. 2020. 'Body Mass Index From Early to Late Childhood and Cardiometabolic Measurements at 11 to 12 Years', Pediatrics, 146.
- Kondiboyina, A., J. J. Smolich, M. M. H. Cheung, B. E. Westerhof, and J. P. Mynard. 2020. 'Conduit arterial wave reflection promotes pressure transmission but impedes hydraulic energy transmission to the microvasculature', Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol, 319: H66-H75.
- Kelly, T. J., D. Zannino, J. Brink, I. E. Konstantinov, M. M. Cheung, Y. d'Udekem, and C. P. Brizard. 2020. 'A shunt decision-making protocol in the surgical palliation of hypoplastic left heart syndrome from 2004 to 2016', Eur J Cardiothorac Surg, 58: 153-62.
- Juonala, M., S. Lewis, R. McLachlan, K. Hammarberg, J. Kennedy, R. Saffery, J. McBain, L. Welsh, M. Cheung, L. W. Doyle, D. J. Amor, D. P. Burgner, and J. Halliday. 2020. 'American Heart Association ideal cardiovascular health score and subclinical atherosclerosis in 22-35-year-old adults conceived with and without assisted reproductive technologies', Hum Reprod, 35: 232-39.
- Haikerwal, A., L. W. Doyle, M. M. Cheung, J. D. Wark, G. Opie, G. Roberts, G. Patton, and J. L. Y. Cheong. 2020. 'High Blood Pressure in Young Adult Survivors Born Extremely Preterm or Extremely Low Birthweight in the Post Surfactant Era', Hypertension, 75: 211-17.
- Gupta, A., C. Gillett, P. Gerard, M. M. H. Cheung, J. P. Mynard, and E. Kung. 2020. 'Predictive Models for Pulmonary Artery Size in Fontan Patients', J Cardiovasc Transl Res.
- Cheong, J. L. Y., A. Haikerwal, J. D. Wark, L. Irving, S. M. Garland, G. C. Patton, M. M. Cheung, L. W. Doyle, and Group Victorian Infant Collaborative Study. 2020. 'Cardiovascular Health Profile at Age 25 Years in Adults Born Extremely Preterm or Extremely Low Birthweight'.