Vlad Zaha, M.D., Ph.D. Associate Professor School Medical School Department Internal Medicine Graduate Programs Biomedical Engineering, Cancer Biology You have reached the Academic Profile. For more information on the doctor and patient care, please visit the clinical profile. Biography Vlad Gabriel Zaha, M.D., Ph.D., is an Associate Professor in the Department of Internal Medicine at UT Southwestern Medical Center and a member of the Division of Cardiology. He specializes in cardio-oncology and advanced cardiovascular imaging diagnostic modalities. Originally from Romania, Dr. Zaha earned his medical degree at Carol Davila University of Medicine & Pharmacy in Bucharest. He earned his doctoral degree at the University of Freiburg in Germany, where he graduated summa cum laude. He then pursued a postdoctoral fellowship in molecular biology and genetics at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, where he conducted studies to elucidate molecular and genetic connections that underlie the energetic metabolism in the heart, funded by a fellowship award from the American Heart Association. Dr. Zaha also conducted studies of molecular mechanisms for the protection of myocardial mitochondria and was recognized as a finalist at the 2014 Northwestern Young Investigator Forum. He also investigated research studies of myocardial cell biology, investigating insulin signaling and glucose-transport mechanisms in the heart. While every patient’s situation is different, it’s part of my job to help each understand how we can help keep the heart healthy during and after cancer treatment, what is expected, and what might need immediate attention Dr. Zaha completed internal medicine residency training at Indiana University in Indianapolis. He then gained advanced training through a fellowship in cardiovascular medicine, molecular, and cellular physiology at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, and advanced cardiovascular imaging at Yale School of Medicine's University College London. Certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine in cardiovascular disease, Dr. Zaha joined the UT Southwestern faculty in 2016. At UT Southwestern, Dr. Zaha is the Medical Director of the Cardio-Oncology Center for Excellence at Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, as well as the Director of the Section of Cardio-Oncology within the Division of Cardiology. Since March 2018, Dr. Zaha has served in the leadership council of the Cardio-Oncology Section of the American College of Cardiology. Other professional organizations in which he is active include the American Heart Association, the American Society of Echocardiography, the American Society of Nuclear Cardiology, the Society for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance, and the International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. Dr. Zaha is a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology. He is a member of several other professional societies, including the American Heart Association, the American Society of Echocardiography, the Society for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance, he American Society of Nuclear Cardiology, the Dallas Medical Association, the International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, the International Cardio-Oncology Society Educational Committee, the European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging, and more. Education Medical School Carol Davila University of Medicine & Pharmacy (1999) Other Post Graduate Training University of Freiburg, Germany (2003) Research Fellowship University of UTAH (2006), Molecular Genetics Internship Indiana University School of Medicine (2007), Internal Medicine Residency Indiana University School of Medicine (2009), Internal Medicine Fellowship Yale New Haven Medical Center (2015), Cardiovascular Medicine Research Interest Mitochondrial Biology Molecular Imaging Myocardial Protection Publications Featured Publications AMPK is critical for mitochondrial function during reperfusion after myocardial ischemia. Zaha VG, Qi D, Su KN, Palmeri M, Lee HY, Hu X, Wu X, Shulman GI, Rabinovitch PS, Russell RR, Young LH J. Mol. Cell. Cardiol. 2015 Dec 91 104-113 AMP-activated protein kinase regulation and biological actions in the heart. Zaha VG, Young LH Circ. Res. 2012 Aug 111 6 800-14 PGC-1? deficiency accelerates the transition to heart failure in pressure overload hypertrophy. Riehle C, Wende AR, Zaha VG, Pires KM, Wayment B, Olsen C, Bugger H, Buchanan J, Wang X, Moreira AB, Doenst T, Medina-Gomez G, Litwin SE, Lelliott CJ, Vidal-Puig A, Abel ED Circ. Res. 2011 Sep 109 7 783-93 A small molecule AMPK activator protects the heart against ischemia-reperfusion injury. Kim AS, Miller EJ, Wright TM, Li J, Qi D, Atsina K, Zaha V, Sakamoto K, Young LH J. Mol. Cell. Cardiol. 2011 Jul 51 1 24-32 Contribution of impaired myocardial insulin signaling to mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress in the heart. Boudina S, Bugger H, Sena S, O'Neill BT, Zaha VG, Ilkun O, Wright JJ, Mazumder PK, Palfreyman E, Tidwell TJ, Theobald H, Khalimonchuk O, Wayment B, Sheng X, Rodnick KJ, Centini R, Chen D, Litwin SE, Weimer BE, Abel ED Circulation 2009 Mar 119 9 1272-83 Type 1 diabetic akita mouse hearts are insulin sensitive but manifest structurally abnormal mitochondria that remain coupled despite increased uncoupling protein 3. Bugger H, Boudina S, Hu XX, Tuinei J, Zaha VG, Theobald HA, Yun UJ, McQueen AP, Wayment B, Litwin SE, Abel ED Diabetes 2008 Nov 57 11 2924-32 A conserved role for phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase but not Akt signaling in mitochondrial adaptations that accompany physiological cardiac hypertrophy. O'Neill BT, Kim J, Wende AR, Theobald HA, Tuinei J, Buchanan J, Guo A, Zaha VG, Davis DK, Schell JC, Boudina S, Wayment B, Litwin SE, Shioi T, Izumo S, Birnbaum MJ, Abel ED Cell Metab. 2007 Oct 6 4 294-306 Mitochondrial energetics in the heart in obesity-related diabetes: direct evidence for increased uncoupled respiration and activation of uncoupling proteins. Boudina S, Sena S, Theobald H, Sheng X, Wright JJ, Hu XX, Aziz S, Johnson JI, Bugger H, Zaha VG, Abel ED Diabetes 2007 Oct 56 10 2457-66 Ablation of PGC-1beta results in defective mitochondrial activity, thermogenesis, hepatic function, and cardiac performance. Lelliott CJ, Medina-Gomez G, Petrovic N, Kis A, Feldmann HM, Bjursell M, Parker N, Curtis K, Campbell M, Hu P, Zhang D, Litwin SE, Zaha VG, Fountain KT, Boudina S, Jimenez-Linan M, Blount M, Lopez M, Meirhaeghe A, Bohlooly-Y M, Storlien L, Strömstedt M, Snaith M, Oresic M, Abel ED, Cannon B, Vidal-Puig A PLoS Biol. 2006 Nov 4 11 e369 Mouse and human resistins impair glucose transport in primary mouse cardiomyocytes, and oligomerization is required for this biological action. Graveleau C, Zaha VG, Mohajer A, Banerjee RR, Dudley-Rucker N, Steppan CM, Rajala MW, Scherer PE, Ahima RS, Lazar MA, Abel ED J. Biol. Chem. 2005 Sep 280 36 31679-85 Results 1-10 of 10 1 Honors & Awards FinalistNorthwestern University Young Investigator Forum (2014) High Score AbstractEuro-Imaging, Vienna, Austria (2014) Fellowship AwardAmerican Heart Association (2005-2006) Fellowship AwardState of Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany (2000-2002) Research StipendHoffman La Roche, Germany (2000) ScholarshipTEMPUS, European Union (1998) Professional Associations/Affiliations American College of Cardiology (2011) American Heart Association (2011) American Society for Echocardiography (2015) American Society of Nuclear Cardiology (2015) European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging (2014) International Society for Magnetic Resonance (2015) Society for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance (2014)
