Faculty Profiles
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David J. Lefer, PhD
– Professor, Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Emory University School of Medicine
– Director, Cardiothoracic Research Laboratory, Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Emory University
Telephone: 404.686.1820
E-mail: dlefer@emory.edu
Year Joined Emory as a Faculty Member: 2008
While at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York, Dr. Lefer and his co-researchers showed that hydrogen sulfide could limit scarring and inflammation in the heart muscles of mice after a simulated heart attack, and that delivering hydrogen sulfide to the liver in a mouse model of liver surgery could reduce damage caused by loss and restoration of blood flow. His Emory-based studies have continued with this focus and found that low concentrations of the toxic gas can protect the hearts of mice from heart failure. In 2010, he was appointed director of Emory's Cardiothoracic Research Laboratory. In the April 2011 edition of Circulation Research, Dr. Lefer and Dr. John Calvert published a study that provided new evidence that nitric oxide generated during physical exercise is stored in the bloodstream and heart in the form of nitrite and nitrosothiols, and that these more stable nitric oxide intermediates appeared to be critical for the cardioprotection against a subsequent heart attack. In November 2011 Dr. Lefer and his Emory team presented a study that concluded that diallyl trisulfide ― a potent-smelling component of garlic oil ― may help release protective compounds to the heart after heart attack, during cardiac surgery, or as a treatment for heart failure.
Education
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PhD, 1991, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Bowman Gray School of Medicine, Wake Forest University, Major: Physiology, Minor: Pharmacology
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Postdoctoral Fellowship, 1991-1993, Division of Cardiology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
Honors and Awards
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Joint Programming Committee, American Physiological Society
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NIH National Research Service Award Grant, 1991-1993
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ASPET Young Investigators Award in Cardiovascular Pharmacology, 1994
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Merck Young Investigators Atherosclerosis Award, 1999
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Fellow, Council on Circulation, American Heart Association (AHA), 1999
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Fellow, Council on Basic Cardiovascular Sciences, AHA, 2004
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Leadership Committee, Council on Basic CV Sciences, AHA, 2004-2007
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Fellow, Cardiovascular Sciences Section, American Physiological Society, 2005
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Regular Member, NIH Myocardial Ischemia and Metabolism (MIM) Study Section, 2005
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American Diabetes Association, Grant Reviewer, 2005
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American Physiological Society (APS), CV Section Steering Committee Member, 2006-2009
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AHA Melvin Marcus Awards Committee, 2007-present
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2011 Benedict Lucchesi Award in Cardiac Pharmacology (presented to honor Dr. Lefer's scientific leadership in the field of ischemia/reperfusion and cardio-protection and his commitment to mentoring the next generation of cardiovascular scientists), American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics
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American Physiological Society Robert M. Berne Distinguished Lecture, 2012
Current Editorships and Editorial Boards
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Editorial Board, Circulation Research
- Editorial Board, Cardiovascular Drug Reviews
Current Organizational Memberships
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American Physiological Society
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American Heart Association
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American Society of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics
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American Association for the Advancement of Science
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American Diabetes Association
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American Federation for Clinical Research
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Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine
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International Society for Heart Research
Research Interests
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Protection of the heart and circulation during such cardiovascular disease states as acute myocardial infarction and congestive heart failure
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Protection of the heart during cardiac surgical procedures
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Cytoprotective actions of the gasotransmitters nitric oxide and hydrogen sulfide
