The overarching goal of my research program is to use a multi-disciplinary approach that leverages cutting-edge, non-invasive, imaging techniques to study precisely prescribed, mechanistically targeted, lifestyle interventions to prevent and ameliorate cardiovascular dysfunction and disease, with an emphasis on women. A primary focus is on cardiovascular toxicity in cancer populations, especially breast cancer.

While exercise is a key diagnostic and therapeutic tool, I take a multi-disciplinary approach in my lab to characterize, treat, and improve the health of individuals with cardiac and/or oncologic disease. Established and novel magnetic resonance and echocardiographic imaging techniques, cardiopulmonary exercise testing and venipuncture are used to investigate cardiac, vascular, and skeletal muscle mechanisms of exercise intolerance and to quantify the therapeutic benefits of targeted clinical exercise and dietary interventions on these systems. Intervention approaches of interest include acute and chronic exercise, calorie restriction, intermittent fasting (including time-restricted eating), ketogenic diet, and multi-dimensional cardiac rehabilitation.

Selected Ongoing Studies:

1. 3-arm RCT of short-term caloric restriction vs exercise vs usual care shortly before anthracycline treatment in early stage breast cancer to prevent cardiac injury
2. 2-arm RCT of short-term calorie-restricted, ketogenic diet + exercise during chemotherapy infusion vs usual care in metastatic breast cancer for improving treatment response
3. Single-arm pilot study of 16:8 time-restricted eating in older, overweight breast cancer survivors to reduce visceral, liver and intermuscular fat and improve metabolic health
4. Single-arm effectiveness trial of multi-modal cardiac rehabilitation in breast cancer survivors to improve cardiometabolic health