New Investigator: Yiannis Chatzizisis, M.D., Ph.D.

Yiannis Chatzizisis, M.D, Ph.D.

Yiannis Chatzizisis, M.D, Ph.D.

This profile is part of a series to highlight the researchers who will be honored at a ceremony for UNMC’s 2019 Scientist Laureate, Research Leadership, Distinguished Scientist and New Investigator Award recipients.

  • Name: Yiannis Chatzizisis, M.D, Ph.D.
  • Title: Associate professor, UNMC Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine
  • Joined UNMC: September 2015
  • Hometown: Thessaloniki, Greece

The New Investigator Award

New Investigator Awards go to outstanding UNMC scientists who in the past two years have secured their first funding from the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Defense or other national sources.
New Investigators also had to demonstrate scholarly activity such as publishing their research and/or presenting their findings at national conventions.

Research focus:

  • Computational cardiovascular simulations
  • Atherosclerosis
  • Mechanobiology

The goal of my research is:

In the Cardiovascular Biology and Biomechanics Lab, we apply a unique translational approach that integrates mathematics, computational simulations, artificial intelligence, physiology and molecular biology to understand the mechanobiology of atherosclerosis and optimize the percutaneous coronary interventions. Our multi-scale investigations extend from in-vitro cell cultures to small and large animal studies, as well as clinical trials.

My research will make a difference because: It provides a novel and fresh paradigm of how we can use 21st century technologies (i.e. artificial intelligence, simulations, mixed reality) to customize the percutaneous coronary artery interventions, improve the design of the stents and educate the physicians on coronary interventions. This paradigm can be translated to other non-coronary vascular beds (e.g. carotid, aorta, peripheral) or structural heart interventions.

The best advice I’ve ever been given is:

Go beyond your limits.

Three things you may not know about me are:

  • I love Formula 1 racing, soccer and ancient Greek literature (Aristotle is my favorite).