Los Angeles,
17
February
2022
|
08:01 AM
America/Los_Angeles

Physician-Scientist Joins Cedars-Sinai Cardiology Team

Jae Hyung Cho, MD, PhD, Brings Translational Medicine and Research Expertise to the Smidt Heart Institute

Jae Hyung Cho, MD, PhD, a physician-scientist, has joined the Department of Cardiology in the Smidt Heart Institute at Cedars-Sinai as a staff physician specializing in general cardiology, continuing the institute’s tradition of fostering lifesaving advancements by hiring translational investigators.

Cho completed his internal medicine residency training at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign and worked as a hospitalist at Cleveland Clinic before moving to Cedars-Sinai to complete his PhD in biomedical and translational science and his cardiology fellowship training.

Cho’s PhD advisor was Eduardo Marbán, MD, PhD, executive director of the Smidt Heart Institute and the Mark S. Siegel Family Foundation Distinguished Professor.

“Dr. Cho’s addition to the faculty at the Smidt Heart Institute helps further our commitment to translational medicine, which combines bench-side research with bedside care,” said Marbán.

This pairing of research and clinical care, Marbán said, creates the best possible outcomes for heart patients.

“Dr. Marbán inspired me to become a physician-scientist who can link science and medicine,” Cho said. “I am honored to have this renowned scientist in heart rhythm disorders and heart regeneration as my mentor.”

Cho is investigating the possibility of using cell therapy to regenerate healthy heart muscle cells, reduce abnormal rhythms and improve heart function in patients experiencing heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, a potentially fatal condition found in half of all heart failure patients.

Another area of particular interest is heart rhythm disorders.

“I was a drummer in a medical school rock band,” said Cho, who attended the University of Ulsan College of Medicine in Seoul, South Korea. “I grew obsessed with keeping all the rhythms perfect when I played my music and decided to pursue cardiology and treat patients suffering from heart rhythm disorders.”

Read more in Discoveries: Your Head and Your Heart: Understanding the Connection