Dr. Breitbart's current research activities include clinical investigation in pediatric heart disease as part of the multicenter Pediatric Heart Network, and translational research in the genetic basis of congenital heart disease as part of the Pediatric Cardiac Genomics Consortium, both under the auspices of the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. Dr. Breitbart is the Chair of the Publications and Presentations Committee of the Pediatric Heart Network and member of the Steering and Executive Committees.
Research Background
Dr. Breitbart received his MD from Harvard Medical School. He completed internship and residency in Pediatrics and fellowship in Pediatric Cardiology at Boston Children's Hospital. From 1996-2001 he headed the cardiovascular drug target discovery program at Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Inc., in Cambridge, MA. He returned full time to Boston Children’s in 2002 to assume a leadership role on the Cardiac Inpatient Service, supervising the care of patients with complex congenital heart disease in conjunction with teaching and research activities
Education
Undergraduate School
Haverford College
1977
Haveford
PA
Medical School
Harvard Medical School
1981
Boston
MA
Internship
Pediatrics
Boston Children's Hospital
1982
Boston
MA
Residency
Pediatrics
Boston Children's Hospital
1984
Boston
MA
Fellowship
Pediatric Cardiology
Boston Children's Hospital
1989
Boston
MA
Publications
Multiphysiologic State Computational Fluid Dynamics Modeling for Planning Fontan With Interrupted Inferior Vena Cava. JACC Adv. 2024 Jul; 3(7):101057. View Abstract
Factors associated with morbidity, mortality, and hemodynamic failure after biventricular conversion in borderline hypoplastic left hearts. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2023 09; 166(3):933-942.e3. View Abstract
Toxocara Myopericarditis and Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging in a Young Girl. Case Rep Pediatr. 2021; 2021:5526968. View Abstract
Parent and Physician Understanding of Prognosis in Hospitalized Children With Advanced Heart Disease. J Am Heart Assoc. 2021 01 19; 10(2):e018488. View Abstract
Value of Troponin Testing for Detection of Heart Disease in Previously Healthy Children. J Am Heart Assoc. 2020 02 18; 9(4):e012897. View Abstract
Delayed Presentation of Traumatic Pericardial Rupture: Diagnostic and Surgical Considerations for Treatment. Heart Surg Forum. 2018 06 14; 21(4):E254-E256. View Abstract
Staged ventricular recruitment in patients with borderline ventricles and large ventricular septal defects. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2018 07; 156(1):254-264. View Abstract
Longitudinal Outcomes of Patients With Single Ventricle After the Fontan Procedure. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2017 Jun 06; 69(22):2735-2744. View Abstract
Truncus arteriosus versus tetralogy of Fallot with pulmonary atresia. Cardiol Young. 2017 May; 27(4):801-803. View Abstract
De novo mutations in congenital heart disease with neurodevelopmental and other congenital anomalies. Science. 2015 Dec 04; 350(6265):1262-6. View Abstract
Survival data and predictors of functional outcome an average of 15?years after the Fontan procedure: the pediatric heart network Fontan cohort. Congenit Heart Dis. 2015 Jan-Feb; 10(1):E30-42. View Abstract
Transient elastography may identify Fontan patients with unfavorable hemodynamics and advanced hepatic fibrosis. Congenit Heart Dis. 2014 Sep-Oct; 9(5):438-47. View Abstract
Stented bovine jugular vein graft (Melody valve) for surgical mitral valve replacement in infants and children. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2014 Oct; 148(4):1443-9. View Abstract
The relationship of patient medical and laboratory characteristics to changes in functional health status in children and adolescents after the Fontan procedure. Pediatr Cardiol. 2014 Apr; 35(4):632-40. View Abstract
De novo mutations in histone-modifying genes in congenital heart disease. Nature. 2013 Jun 13; 498(7453):220-3. View Abstract
Cardiac performance and quality of life in patients who have undergone the Fontan procedure with and without prior superior cavopulmonary connection. Cardiol Young. 2013 Jun; 23(3):335-43. View Abstract
Outcome after repair of atrioventricular septal defect with tetralogy of Fallot. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2012 Feb; 143(2):338-43. View Abstract
Late status of Fontan patients with persistent surgical fenestration. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2011 Jun 14; 57(24):2437-43. View Abstract
Factors associated with serum brain natriuretic peptide levels after the Fontan procedure. Congenit Heart Dis. 2011 Jul-Aug; 6(4):313-21. View Abstract
The Fontan patient: inconsistencies in medication therapy across seven pediatric heart network centers. Pediatr Cardiol. 2010 Nov; 31(8):1219-28. View Abstract
Laboratory measures of exercise capacity and ventricular characteristics and function are weakly associated with functional health status after Fontan procedure. Circulation. 2010 Jan 05; 121(1):34-42. View Abstract
De novo copy number variants identify new genes and loci in isolated sporadic tetralogy of Fallot. Nat Genet. 2009 Aug; 41(8):931-5. View Abstract
Contemporary outcomes after the Fontan procedure: a Pediatric Heart Network multicenter study. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2008 Jul 08; 52(2):85-98. View Abstract
Functional status, heart rate, and rhythm abnormalities in 521 Fontan patients 6 to 18 years of age. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2008 Jul; 136(1):100-7, 107.e1. View Abstract
Genomics of congenital heart disease. Willard HF, Ginsburg GS, editors., Handbook of genomic medicine. 2008; In Press. View Abstract
Functional state of patients with heterotaxy syndrome following the Fontan operation. Cardiol Young. 2007 Sep; 17 Suppl 2:44-53. View Abstract
Etiology, management, and outcome of pediatric pericardial effusions. Pediatr Cardiol. 2008 Jan; 29(1):90-4. View Abstract
Altered blood pressure responses and normal cardiac phenotype in ACE2-null mice. J Clin Invest. 2006 Aug; 116(8):2218-25. View Abstract
Synthetic Oligonucleotide Multiplex Ligation-dependent Probe Amplification (MLPA) for the Detection of Novel Deletions in Candidate Genes Causing Tetralogy of Fallot. AHA. 2006; Submitted. View Abstract
CARK, a novel cacardiac specific kinase, mediates structural remodeling and contractile function following myocardial infarction. AHA. 2006; submitted. View Abstract
Tetralogy of Fallot. Keane JB, Lock, JE, Fyler DC, editors., Nadas’ Pediatric Cardiology. 2006; 559-579. View Abstract
Sarcomeric genes involved in reverse remodeling of the heart during left ventricular assist device support. J Heart Lung Transplant. 2005 Jan; 24(1):73-80. View Abstract
Right ventricular pseudoaneurysm after modified Norwood procedure. Ann Thorac Surg. 2004 Oct; 78(4):e72-3. View Abstract
Heart block, ventricular tachycardia, and sudden death in ACE2 transgenic mice with downregulated connexins. J Mol Cell Cardiol. 2003 Sep; 35(9):1043-53. View Abstract
Array transcription profiling: molecular phenotyping of rodent cardiovascular models. Hoit BD, Walsh RA, editors. Cardiovascular physiology in the genetically engineered mouse. 2002; 53-61. View Abstract
Atherosclerosis and cancer: common molecular pathways of disease development and progression. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2001 Dec; 947:271-92; discussion 292-3. View Abstract
Atherosclerosis: a cancer of the blood vessels? Am J Clin Pathol. 2001 Dec; 116 Suppl:S97-107. View Abstract
Expression of neutrophil collagenase (matrix metalloproteinase-8) in human atheroma: a novel collagenolytic pathway suggested by transcriptional profiling. Circulation. 2001 Oct 16; 104(16):1899-904. View Abstract
A novel angiotensin-converting enzyme-related carboxypeptidase (ACE2) converts angiotensin I to angiotensin 1-9. Circ Res. 2000 Sep 01; 87(5):E1-9. View Abstract
Conservation of sequence and expression of Xenopus and zebrafish dHAND during cardiac, branchial arch and lateral mesoderm development. Mech Dev. 2000 Jul; 95(1-2):231-7. View Abstract
Differential rescue of visceral and cardiac defects in Drosophila by vertebrate tinman-related genes. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1998 Aug 04; 95(16):9366-71. View Abstract
Zebrafish: genetic and embryological methods in a transparent vertebrate embryo. Methods Cell Biol. 1997; 52:67-82. View Abstract
A new tinman-related gene, nkx2.7, anticipates the expression of nkx2.5 and nkx2.3 in zebrafish heart and pharyngeal endoderm. Dev Biol. 1996 Dec 15; 180(2):722-31. View Abstract
Three zebrafish MEF2 genes delineate somitic and cardiac muscle development in wild-type and mutant embryos. Mech Dev. 1996 Oct; 59(2):205-18. View Abstract
Evidence that the diabetes gene encodes the leptin receptor: identification of a mutation in the leptin receptor gene in db/db mice. Cell. 1996 Feb 09; 84(3):491-5. View Abstract
Recent advances in the Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology. Ann Thorac Surg. 1995 Dec; 60(6 Suppl):S509-12. View Abstract
A fourth human MEF2 transcription factor, hMEF2D, is an early marker of the myogenic lineage. Development. 1993 Aug; 118(4):1095-106. View Abstract
MEF2C, a MADS/MEF2-family transcription factor expressed in a laminar distribution in cerebral cortex. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1993 Feb 15; 90(4):1546-50. View Abstract
Human myocyte-specific enhancer factor 2 comprises a group of tissue-restricted MADS box transcription factors. Genes Dev. 1992 Sep; 6(9):1783-98. View Abstract
Alternative splicing is an efficient mechanism for the generation of protein diversity: contractile protein genes as a model system. Adv Enzyme Regul. 1991; 31:261-86. View Abstract
Tissue specific alternative splicing in the troponin T multigene family. Renkawitz R, editor. Tissue Specific Gene Expression. 1989; 199-215. View Abstract
Alternative splicing of contractile protein minigene constructs is directed by cis and trans mechanisms. Mechanisms of control of gene expression. 1988; 67:265-77. View Abstract
Developmentally induced, muscle-specific trans factors control the differential splicing of alternative and constitutive troponin T exons. Cell. 1987 Jun 19; 49(6):793-803. View Abstract
Alternative splicing: a ubiquitous mechanism for the generation of multiple protein isoforms from single genes. Annu Rev Biochem. 1987; 56:467-95. View Abstract
Promoter selection and alternative pre-mRNA splicing are used to generate complex contractile protein phenotypes. Norman AW, Vanaman TC, Means AR, editors. Calcium-binding Proteins in Health and Disease. 1987; 518-532. View Abstract
Complete nucleotide sequence of the fast skeletal troponin T gene. Alternatively spliced exons exhibit unusual interspecies divergence. J Mol Biol. 1986 Apr 05; 188(3):313-24. View Abstract
Alternative splicing: a common mechanism for the generation of contractile protein diversity from single genes. Molecular biology of muscle development. 1986; 29:387-410. View Abstract
Intricate combinatorial patterns of exon splicing generate multiple regulated troponin T isoforms from a single gene. Cell. 1985 May; 41(1):67-82. View Abstract
Conversion of thyroxine to triiodothyronine in the anterior pituitary gland and the influence of this process on thyroid status. Horm Metab Res Suppl. 1984; 14:79-85. View Abstract
Comparison of thyroxine and 3,3',5'-triiodothyronine metabolism in rat kidney and liver homogenates. Metabolism. 1979 Nov; 28(11):1139-46. View Abstract