New Leaders Join Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Cardiovascular Institute, Advancing Pediatric Research and Cardiac Care

Andrew Landstrom, MD, PhD, Appointed Inaugural Director of Translational Research at CHOP's Cardiovascular Institute

PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 22, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) is pleased to announce the selection of Andrew Landstrom, MD, PhD, as the inaugural Director of Translational Research at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Cardiovascular Institute (CVI) and Professor of Pediatrics at the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Landstrom is set to start his tenure at CHOP in February 2026.

Dr. Landstrom will join CHOP from Duke University School of Medicine, where he currently serves as an Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Cell Biology. A renowned physician-scientist, he specializes in heritable arrhythmias, cardiomyopathies, and genetic cardiac diseases.

"I'm looking forward to working with the incredible teams at CHOP and Penn to continue pushing the boundaries of pediatric cardiovascular research and make an immediate and lasting impact on the lives of our patients and their families," said Landstrom.

The CHOP CVI seeks to drive scientific discovery and improve medical outcomes for children with cardiovascular conditions through translational research and by training the next generation of pediatric cardiovascular scientists. It is one of the only comprehensive pediatric cardiovascular research programs of its kind and is powered by the Cardiac Center at CHOP, one of the largest pediatric cardiac centers in the country.

As the CHOP CVI Director of Translational Research, Dr. Landstrom will spearhead the development of a translational research program targeting pediatric heart and vascular disease. His responsibilities will include recruiting new faculty, mentoring CVI faculty and trainees, and collaborating with CVI leadership to build a robust pediatric cardiovascular research enterprise. Additionally, he will lead the launch of a specialized clinic focused on genetically determined heart and vascular disease within the Cardiac Center at CHOP.

At Duke, Dr. Landstrom directs an NIH-funded research program integrating cellular, molecular, and genomic approaches to understand inherited cardiovascular diseases, aiming to develop genetic, genomic, and precision therapies. In his clinical role, Dr. Landstrom serves as Director of Cardiovascular Genetics and leads the Duke Cardiovascular Genetics Clinic within the Pediatric & Congenital Heart Center. He is also the Director of the R38-funded Duke Pediatric Research Scholars Program, mentoring early-career physician scientists.

Dr. Landstrom's extensive training includes a residency in pediatrics, a fellowship in pediatric cardiology, advanced fellowship in pediatric electrophysiology, and postdoctoral research at Texas Children's Hospital and Baylor College of Medicine. He earned his MD/PhD at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, focusing his research on the genetic mechanisms underlying heart failure and cardiomyopathy.

In conjunction with Dr. Landstrom's appointment, two other distinguished professionals were named to key leadership positions within the CHOP CVI:

Liming Pei, PhD: As the inaugural Director of Fundamental Discovery, Dr. Pei will advance laboratory-based research and foster collaborations across the Penn/CHOP campus including further strengthening existing links with the Penn CVI and Institute for Diabetes, Obesity, and Metabolism to address cardiometabolic disease across the lifespan. His research in cardiac endocrinology and multi-omics has led to significant discoveries in congenital heart disease.

Michael O'Byrne, MD, MSCE: Appointed as the inaugural Director of Clinical Research, Dr. O'Byrne will lead the development of a comprehensive clinical research strategy, integrating clinical science with basic and translational research. Dr. O'Byrne will also foster interactions with the clinicians and researchers in the CHOP Cardiac Center, a renowned center for the care of children with cardiovascular disease.

"These are transformative times in pediatric cardiovascular research and new treatment innovations," said Daniel P. Kelly, MD, Director of CVI. "This will be a first-of-its-kind comprehensive pediatric cardiovascular research enterprise united by a shared vision. These leaders are set to spearhead innovative approaches to research, treatment, and continuous care, and their efforts will empower our patients and their families to live their fullest and most vibrant lives."

About Children's Hospital of Philadelphia: A non-profit, charitable organization, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia was founded in 1855 as the nation's first pediatric hospital. Through its long-standing commitment to providing exceptional patient care, training new generations of pediatric healthcare professionals, and pioneering major research initiatives, the hospital has fostered many discoveries that have benefited children worldwide. Its pediatric research program is among the largest in the country. The institution has a well-established history of providing advanced pediatric care close to home through its CHOP Care Network, which includes more than 50 primary care practices, specialty care and surgical centers, urgent care centers, and community hospital alliances throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey. CHOP also operates the Middleman Family Pavilion and its dedicated pediatric emergency department in King of Prussia, the Behavioral Health and Crisis Center (including a 24/7 Crisis Response Center) and the Center for Advanced Behavioral Healthcare, a mental health outpatient facility. Its unique family-centered care and public service programs have brought Children's Hospital of Philadelphia recognition as a leading advocate for children and adolescents. For more information, visit www.chop.edu.

Contact: Natalie Solimeo
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
267-426-6246
[email protected]

SOURCE Children's Hospital of Philadelphia