Gladstone Senior Investigator named AAAS fellow for cardiac and stem cell research

The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) has named Gladstone Senior Investigator Deepak Srivastava, MD, a Fellow for his efforts to advance science and its applications.

Dr. Srivastava directs cardiac and stem cell research at Gladstone, an independent and nonprofit biomedical-research organization whose primary research efforts are focused in the areas of cardiovascular disease, virology and neurological disease. AAAS, which will honor all newly elected Fellows on February 18 during the 2012 AAAS Annual Meeting in Vancouver, B.C., Canada, elected Dr. Srivastava in recognition of his distinguished contributions and advancements in the fields of congenital heart disease, cardiac development and stem cell biology.

"I am honored by this recognition from my peers, and humbled to be among such an esteemed group of scientists," said Dr. Srivastava, who is also a professor of pediatrics, biochemistry and biophysics at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), with which Gladstone is affiliated.

Dr. Srivastava joins five other Gladstone scientists who are already AAAS Fellows: President R. Sanders Williams, MD; President Emeritus and Senior Investigator Robert Mahley, MD, PhD; Senior Investigator Warner Greene, MD, PhD, who directs Gladstone's virology and immunology research; and Senior Investigator Eric Verdin, MD, who is the associate director for virology and immunology research.

Dr. Srivastava's studies focus on applying modern genetic and stem cell technologies to identify the causes of human heart disease. His laboratory studies the molecular events regulating early and late developmental decisions that instruct progenitor cells to become cardiac cells-and subsequently fashion a functioning heart.

Drawing on his expertise in developmental biology, Dr. Srivastava and his lab have reprogrammed connective tissue in the heart directly into beating heart cells-a process that may help regenerate damaged heart muscle. Understanding the causes of heart disease and applying knowledge of these cardiac development pathways may be useful in preventing congenital defects and devising new therapies to treat acquired heart disease, particularly with cardiac-specific differentiation of embryonic stem cells. Congenital heart disease affects nearly 1 out of every 100 babies born worldwide and is the most common cause of death from a birth defect.

"We are delighted and gratified that the AAAS has recognized Deepak's achievements in the field of cardiovascular research," said Dr. Williams. "We are optimistic that his research will contribute to finding solutions to help the millions who suffer from heart disease."