Dr. Vinay Badhwar named to leadership position of program funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Vinay Badhwar, M.D., executive chair of the WVU Heart and Vascular Institute and Gordon F. Murray Professor and Chair of the WVU Department of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, has been named vice chair for strategic development and scientific partnerships for the Cardiothoracic Surgical Trials Network (CTSN).  

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) established the CTSN in the fall of 2007. Since its inception, the Network has developed a robust research agenda of randomized clinical trials that evaluate clinically important public health issues in cardiovascular medicine. When it was created, the CTSN was composed of seven core clinical sites and a Data and Clinical Coordinating Center (DCC) that are funded by NHLBI through cooperative agreements. Over time, it has grown to include over 100 clinical sites in the U.S., Canada, Germany, and the United Kingdom.

“Dr. Badhwar has been recognized as a leader in CTSN soon after he joined the network in 2019, not only because he has many patients who participate in trials, but more importantly for his intellectual contributions and his mentoring,” Kathleen N. Fenton, M.D., M.S., chief, Advanced Technologies and Surgery Branch, Division of Cardiovascular Sciences, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, said. “We are very excited to have him join us in this new role and grateful for his contribution.”

“It is an honor to work alongside exceptional international leading physicians and scientists to bring about meaningful advances to the science and practice of cardiovascular diseases,” Dr. Badhwar said. “With the leadership of the NIH and NHLBI, the Network aims to address the most pressing challenges facing our patients, and I feel privileged to be able to help toward this important goal.”

In his new role as vice chair for the Network, Badhwar will play a key role in strategic development by helping to optimize the inclusion of sites in Network trials. This will include site expansion nationally and internationally with a focus on ensuring that CTSN trials are representative of the diversity of the population and assist in developing a plan regarding the evolution of the organizational structure of CTSN as part of the CTSN leadership group’s renewal strategy for the Network.

The vice chair for strategic development and scientific partnerships is a pivotal role within the CTSN. The study chair and vice chairs work on behalf of and in concert with the NHLBI to ensure that there are well-documented policies and procedures in place to guide all aspects of Network activities and operations. 

“With West Virginia having the highest rate of heart disease in the United States, it’s crucial that we continue to expand access to clinical trials that help us learn how to improve patient care and produce innovative therapies and treatment solutions,” Clay Marsh, M.D., WVU Health Sciences chancellor and executive dean, said. “Dr. Badhwar’s expertise and national leadership in cardiothoracic surgery positions him to help shape the future of the Cardiothoracic Surgical Trials Network and the continuous improvement of cardiovascular treatment.”

Badhwar joined WVU Medicine in 2016. Under his leadership, the WVU Heart and Vascular Institute has grown to become the largest and most advanced cardiac program in West Virginia. Its team of board-certified and fellowship-trained specialists has performed the latest cutting-edge procedures in the state, region, country, and the world. They have collectively contributed more than 800 peer-reviewed publications to the world literature, several of these have been practice changing. Cardiologists and cardiothoracic surgeons from around the globe have come to Morgantown to train alongside Badhwar and the experts at the WVU Heart and Vascular Institute. 

“This is another in a long line of well-deserved and hard-earned accolades that Dr. Badhwar has received during his tenure at WVU Medicine,” Albert L. Wright, Jr., president and CEO of the West Virginia University Health System, said. “I have no doubt that he will represent the organization well on the Cardiothoracic Surgical Trials Network and will continue to revolutionize cardiac care for people around the world.”

For more information on the WVU Heart and Vascular Institute, visit WVUMedicine.org/Heart. 

Disclaimer: The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.