Farouc Jaffer, MD, PhD

Our experimental laboratory is developing bench-to-bedside approaches to image and understand in vivo inflammation and thrombogenesis in vascular disease, including atherosclerosis, venous thrombosis, and arteriovenous fistula. Via close collaborations with molecular imaging chemistry, we have developed an array of molecular imaging agents to report on macrophages, fibrin, cathepsin K, VCAM-1, thrombin, and activated factor XIII. Using intravital microscopy, FMT, MRI, or PET-CT we have imaged and quantified these molecular targets in murine models of vascular disease, which have led to new insights into how atheroma, thrombi, and AVF evolve and resolve.

Our major translational focus is the development of intravascular near-infrared fluorescence molecular imaging catheter technology to image inflammation in human coronary arteries and coronary stents, using large animal models. In conjunction with leading engineering groups, we have developed intravascular NIRF-OCT and NIRF-IVUS catheters and systems. The ability to image inflammation at high-resolution could provide new approaches to identify high-risk plaques and high-risk stents.

Clinical research efforts are focused in improving percutaneous coronary intervention success for chronic total occlusions, radial artery catheterization, and improving the treatment of microvascular coronary disease / microvascular angina.

Dr. Jaffer graduated from Stanford University (1990, BS with distinction in Mathematical and Computational Sciences) and received his MD and PhD in Biophysics from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine in 1996. He was a Howard Hughes Medical Institute-NIH Research Scholar from 1993-1995. Dr. Jaffer completed a residency in internal medicine at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital (1999) and went on to a fellowship in Cardiovascular Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital (1999-2001). Dr. Jaffer completed a postdoctoral research fellowship in the Center for Molecular Imaging Research at MGH, directed by Professor Ralph Weissleder, MD PhD followed by a fellowship year in Interventional Cardiology. In 2003, Dr. Jaffer joined the MGH Cardiology Division as a faculty member. In 2006, he was promoted to Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. In 2007, Dr. Jaffer was appointed as a Principal Investigator in the Cardiovascular Research Center at MGH. In 2011, he became an affiliated Faculty Member in the MGH Wellman Center for Photomedicine. In 2012, he was promoted to Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. In 2013, he was elected to the American Society for Clinical Investigation.

MGH Cardiology Profile
Harvard Catalyst Profile

Research Areas
Cardiac Physiology and Disease
Vascular Biology and Metabolism

Publications
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