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Christopher Hearon, Ph.D.

Christopher Hearon, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor

School
School of Health Professions
Department
Applied Clinical Research
  • Biography

    Dr. Hearon is an Assistant Instructor in the Department of Applied Clinical Research and the Institute for Exercise and Environmental Medicine at UT Southwestern Medical Center where he completed a postdoctoral fellowship under the mentorship of Benjamin Levine M.D. He was the recipient of a National Research Service Award (NRSA) from the National Institutes of Health (NIH, 2017-2020), and in 2020 received a Pathway to Independence Award (NIH; K99/R00) to investigate the mechanisms of vascular and autonomic dysfunction in obese and hypertensive patients. Other research interests include the regulation of oxygen transport and utilization in environmental extremes (high altitude, simulated space flight) and clinical conditions (heart failure).

  • Education
    Graduate School
    Colorado State University (2024)
  • Research Interest
    • Autonomic physiology
    • Cardiovascular ageing
    • Cardiovascular physiology
    • Environmental extremes (hypoxia, space flight)
    • Heart failure
    • Hypertension
  • Publications
    α-Adrenergic regulation of blood flow in HFpEF: too much and not enough
    Hearon CM Journal of Physiology 2024 Jul 602 3241-3242
    Impaired longitudinal systolic–diastolic coupling and cardiac response to exercise in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
    MacNamara JP, Turlington WM, Dias KA, Hearon CM, Ivey E, Delgado VA, Brazile TL, Wakeham DJ, Turer AT, Link MS, Levine BD, Sarma S Echocardiography 2024 Jun 41
    Sympathetic Neural Control at Rest and During the Cold Pressor Test in Patients With Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction
    Takeda R, Hissen SL, Akins JD, Washio T, Hearon CM, MacNamara JP, Sarma S, Levine BD, Fadel PJ, Fu Q Hypertension 2024 Apr 81 917-926
    Exercise intolerance in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction: Causes, consequences and the journey towards a cure
    Bunsawat K, Nelson MD, Hearon CM, Wray DW Experimental Physiology 2024 Apr 109 502-512
    The effect of chronic habitual exercise on oxygen carrying capacity and blood compartment volumes in older adults
    Wakeham DJ, Hearon CM, Levine BD Journal of applied physiology 2024 Apr 136 984-993
    Potential for reducing resting sympathetic nerve activity with new classes of glucose-lowering drugs in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction
    Washio T, Hissen SL, Takeda R, Akins JD, Wakeham DJ, Brazile T, Hearon CM, MacNamara JP, Sarma S, Levine BD, Fadel PJ, Fu Q Clinical Autonomic Research 2024 Feb 34 223-226
    Effects of Synchronizing Foot Strike and Cardiac Phase on Exercise Hemodynamics in Patients With Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy: A Within-Subjects Pilot Study to Fine-Tune Cardio-Locomotor Coupling for Heart Failure
    Wakeham DJ, Ivey E, Saland SA, Lewis JS, Palmer D, Morris M, Bleich JL, Weyand PG, Brazile TL, Hearon CM, Sarma S, MacNamara JP, Hieda M, Levine BD Circulation 2023 Dec 148 2008-2016
    Assessment of venous pressure by compression sonography of the internal jugular vein during 3 days of bed rest
    Hearon CM, Peters K, Dias KA, Macnamara JP, Marshall JE, Campain J, Martin D, Marshal-Goebel K, Levine BD Experimental Physiology 2023 Dec 108 1560-1568
    Excess Pericardial Fat Is Related to Adverse Cardio-Mechanical Interaction in Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction
    Zamani SK, Sarma S, Macnamara JP, Hynan LS, Haykowsky MJ, Hearon CM, Wakeham D, Brazile T, Levine BD, Zaha VG, Nelson MD Circulation 2023 Oct 148 1410-1412
    Randomized Controlled Trial of Moderate-and High-Intensity Exercise Training in Patients With Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy: Effects on Fitness and Cardiovascular Response to Exercise
    Macnamara JP, Dias KA, Hearon CM, Ivey E, Delgado VA, Saland S, Samels M, Hieda M, Turer AT, Link MS, Sarma S, Levine BD Journal of the American Heart Association 2023 Oct 12
  • Honors & Awards
    • New Investigator Award, Neural Control & Autonomic Regulation Section of the American Physiological Society
      (2024)
    • Postdoctoral Lecture, American College of Sports Medicine - Texas Chapter
      (2020)
    • Post-Doctoral Research Award, Environmental & Exercise Physiology Section American Physiological Society
      Declined in order to accept NCAR Research Recognition Award (2019)
    • Research Recognition Award, Neural Control & Autonomic Regulation Section American Physiological Society
      (2019)
    • Caroline tum Suden/Frances Hellebrandt Professional Opportunity Award American Physiological Society
      (2018)
    • NIH Clinical Loan Repayment Program, NIH (NHLBI)
      (2017-2021)
    • National Doctoral Scholar, American Kinesiology Association
      (2016)
    • National Graduate Student Writing Award, American Kinesiology Association
      (2016)
    • Pre-Doctoral Research Award, Environmental & Exercise Physiology Section American Physiological Society
      (2016)
    • Caroline tum Suden/Frances Hellebrandt Professional Opportunity Award American Physiological Society
      (2015)
    • Outstanding Poster Award, Annual Meeting of the Microcirculatory Society
      (2013)
    • Robert W. Gotshall Graduate Scholarship, College of Health and Human Sciences Colorado State University
      (2013)
    • Mortar Board Member, Texas Tech University
      (2010)
    • Undergraduate Scholar of the Year, Texas Chapter of ACSM
      (2009)
  • Professional Associations/Affiliations
    • American College of Sports Medicine
    • American Heart Association
    • American Physiological Society
    • Wilderness Medical Society