Professor James Chong
Co-director Centre for Heart Research and Head Cardiac Regeneration Laboratory Westmead Institute for Medical Research
Cardiologist Westmead Hospital
Prof James Chong is an practicing cardiologist at Sydney’s Westmead Hospital and Co-Director of the Centre for Heart Research at the Westmead Institute for Medical Research. James’ research focuses on developing new and effective treatments for repairing and regenerating the heart. He has over 15 years of experience in developing stem cell-based therapies for cardiac regeneration, and is currently investigating methods for enhancing the regenerative capacity of pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes. James is also interested in understanding the mechanisms by which the cardiac matrix impacts heart repair after myocardial infarction (heart attack), in particular, effect of platelet derived growth factor (PDGF) and peptide mimetics on cardiac matrix composition and remodelling. James’ research has been published in top journals in the field of stem cell biology, including Nature, Nature Communications, Nature Cardiovascular Research,Cell Stem Cell, Circulation Research and Science Translational Medicine. He has secured significant grant funding as lead investigator including a current NHMRC/MRFF Investigator grant. James has won a number of accolades for his work, including the 2024 Jian Zhou medal from the Australian Academy of Health and Medial Science, a Fulbright Scholarship, and a previous Rising Stars in Cardiovascular Research by the NSW Minister for Health.
Heart regeneration
Therapeutic application of stem cells
Coronary atherosclerosis and thrombosis
Development of new therapies for heart disease
Cardiovascular disease management
Stem cells for cardiac regeneration and repair
Harnessing multi-omics strategies to investigate human heart attack and heart failure
Improving engraftment and electrical integration of pluripotent stem cell derived cardiomyocytes in the injured heart
Therapeutic effects of recombinant human platelet derived growth factor and novel peptide mimetics in the infarcted heart
2024 Jian Zhou Medal, Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences
2019 Alan Skyring Memorial Award, Australasian Society for Medical Research
2018 NSW Government, OHMR, Early-Mid Career Fellowship
2016 Metcalf Prize (National Stem Cell Foundation)
2014 Ministerial Award for Rising Stars in Cardiovascular Research (NSW Govt/Heart Foundation)
2014 Sydney Medical Foundation Chapman Fellowship
2013 Ludwig Engel Fellowship, Westmead Millennium Institute/Westmead Hospital.
2011 National Health and Medical Research Council Overseas Biomedical Training (CJ Martin) Fellowship.
2011 Australian-American Fulbright Commision Scholarship.
2009 Ralph Reader Prize (Basic Science) Finalist - Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand Annual Scientific Meeting 2009. Young Investigator Award.
2009 Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand Travelling Fellowship to American Heart Association Scientific Sessions.
2009 Network in Genes and Environment in Development, Travel Grant Award.
2009 University of New South Wales Post Graduate Support Scheme Grant.2008 National Heart Foundation Postgraduate Research Scholarship.
2007 Australian Stem Cell Centre Student Bursary.
2007 Australian Postgraduate Award (Australian Government).
2007 Mc Caughey Trust Research Scholarship Royal Australasian College of Physicians
2007 Pfizer Cardiovascular Travel Grant 2007.
Space needed for ‘2019Alan’, and ‘2018NSW’.
(University of Washington) Close collaborative relationship with Prof Charles (Chuck) Murry, Director of the Institute for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine. |
Project title | Research student |
---|---|
Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection: Identifying the determinants of short- and long-term outcomes, predictors of recurrence, and the effects on quality of life | Quan DANG |
Publications
Book Chapters
- Clayton, Z., Hume, R., Selvakumar, D., Chong, J. (2020). The cardiac stem cell niche during aging. In Susie Nilsson (Eds.), The Stem Cell Niche during Ageing, (pp. 197-242). United Kingdom: Academic Press. [More Information]
Journals
- Deshmukh, T., Selvakumar, D., Thavapalachandran, S., Archer, O., Figtree, G., Feneley, M., Grieve, S., Thomas, L., Pathan, F., Chong, J. (2024). Correlation of Noninvasive Cardiac MRI Measures of Left Ventricular Myocardial Function and Invasive PressureVolume Parameters in a Porcine Ischemia-Reperfusion Model. Radiology: Cardiothoracic Imaging, 6(3). [More Information]
- Kazi, S., Chong, J., Chow, C. (2024). Inflammation: the next target for secondary prevention in coronary artery disease. Medical Journal of Australia. [More Information]
- Patrick, R., Janbandhu, V., Tallapragada, V., Tan, S., McKinna, E., Contreras, O., Ghazanfar, S., Humphreys, D., Murray, N., Tran, Y., Hume, R., Chong, J., et al (2024). Integration mapping of cardiac fibroblast single-cell transcriptomes elucidates cellular principles of fibrosis in diverse pathologies. Science Advances, 10(25), eadk8501-1-eadk8501-27. [More Information]
Conferences
- Qian, P., Barry, M., Lu, J., Al Raisi, S., Mina, A., Ryan, J., Bandodkar, S., Alvarez, S., James, V., Ronquillo, J., Varikatt, W., Clayton, Z., Chong, J., Kovoor, P., Pouliopoulos, J., McEwan, A., Thiagalingam, A., Thomas, S. (2018). Development and Validation of a Novel Microwave Transcatheter Renal Denervation System and an Intraprocedural Physiological End Point for Renal Sympathetic Denervation. 66th Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand Annual Scientific Meeting, Brisbane, Australia: Elsevier Ltd. [More Information]
- Qian, P., Barry, M., Lu, J., Mina, A., Ryan, J., Bandodkar, S., Alvarez, S., James, V., Ronquillo, J., Varikatt, W., Clayton, Z., Chong, J., Al Raisi, S., Kovoor, P., Pouliopoulos, J., McEwan, A., Thiagalingam, A., Thomas, S. (2018). TRANSCATHETER MICROWAVE ABLATION CAN PRODUCE DEEP CIRCUMFERENTIAL PERIVASCULAR ABLATION AND EFFECTIVE RENAL DENERVATION WITHOUT SIGNIFICANT ARTERIAL INJURY. Meeting of the American College of Cardiology 2018 (ACC.18), Orlando, Florida, USA: Elsevier Inc. [More Information]
2024
- Deshmukh, T., Selvakumar, D., Thavapalachandran, S., Archer, O., Figtree, G., Feneley, M., Grieve, S., Thomas, L., Pathan, F., Chong, J. (2024). Correlation of Noninvasive Cardiac MRI Measures of Left Ventricular Myocardial Function and Invasive PressureVolume Parameters in a Porcine Ischemia-Reperfusion Model. Radiology: Cardiothoracic Imaging, 6(3). [More Information]
- Kazi, S., Chong, J., Chow, C. (2024). Inflammation: the next target for secondary prevention in coronary artery disease. Medical Journal of Australia. [More Information]
- Patrick, R., Janbandhu, V., Tallapragada, V., Tan, S., McKinna, E., Contreras, O., Ghazanfar, S., Humphreys, D., Murray, N., Tran, Y., Hume, R., Chong, J., et al (2024). Integration mapping of cardiac fibroblast single-cell transcriptomes elucidates cellular principles of fibrosis in diverse pathologies. Science Advances, 10(25), eadk8501-1-eadk8501-27. [More Information]
2023
- Selvakumar, D., Wilkie, E., Deshmukh, T., Ravindran, D., Kotake, Y., Lu, J., Barry, T., Tran, V., Paterson, H., Hing, A., Kizana, E., Chong, J., et al (2023). Delivery of Cardioactive Therapeutics in a Porcine Myocardial Infarction Model. Journal of Visualized Experiments, 2023 (192). [More Information]
- Murtha, L., Hardy, S., Mabotuwana, N., Bigland, M., Bailey, T., Raguram, K., Liu, S., Ngo, D., Sverdlov, A., Tomin, T., Hume, R., Chong, J., et al (2023). Fibulin-3 is necessary to prevent cardiac rupture following myocardial infarction. Scientific Reports, 13(1). [More Information]
- Deshmukh, T., Kovoor, J., Byth, K., Chow, C., Zaman, S., Chong, J., Figtree, G., Thiagalingam, A., Kovoor, P. (2023). Influence of standard modifiable risk factors on ventricular tachycardia after myocardial infarction. Frontiers in Cardovascular Medicine, 10. [More Information]
2022
- Selvakumar, D., Reyes, L., Chong, J. (2022). Cardiac Cell Therapy with Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Cardiomyocytes: What Has Been Done and What Remains to Do? Current Cardiology Reports, 24(5), 445-461. [More Information]
- Selvakumar, D., Deshmukh, T., Foster, S., Sanaei, N., Min, A., Grieve, S., Pathan, F., Chong, J. (2022). Comparative assessment of motion averaged free-breathing or breath-held cardiac magnetic resonance imaging protocols in a porcine myocardial infarction model. Scientific Reports, 12(1), 3727. [More Information]
- Chilingaryan, Z., Deshmukh, T., Leung, H., Perdomo, J., Emerson, P., Kurup, R., Chong, B., Chong, J. (2022). Erythrocyte interaction with neutrophil extracellular traps in coronary artery thrombosis following myocardial infarction. Pathology, 54(1), 87-94. [More Information]
2021
- Deshmukh, T., Emerson, P., Anderson, P., Kizana, E., O'Connell, P., Holmes-Walker, J., Chong, J. (2021). Cardiac Autonomic Neuropathy Is Not Reversed by Euglycemia Following Islet Transplantation. Transplantation, 105(5), 1125-1129. [More Information]
- Deshmukh, T., Kumar, S., Chong, J. (2021). Cardiac Inflammation After Myocardial Infarction and its Impact on Ventricular Arrhythmias. Heart, Lung, and Circulation, 30(6), 783-785. [More Information]
- Zhang, J., Tomov, M., Chong, J., Menasché, P., Serpooshan, V. (2021). Editorial: Bioengineering and Biotechnology Approaches in Cardiovascular Sciences. Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology, 9, 746435-1-746435-1. [More Information]
2020
- Chong, J., Thompson, P. (2020). Clarifying the Role of Stem Cells in Cardiac Clinical Therapeutics. Clinical Therapeutics, 42(10), 1854-1856. [More Information]
- Farraha, M., Lu, J., Trivic, I., Barry, M., Chong, J., Kumar, S., Kizana, E. (2020). Development of a sheep model of atrioventricular block for the application of novel therapies. PloS One, 15(2), 1-17. [More Information]
- Ravindran, D., Kok, C., Farraha, M., Selvakumar, D., Clayton, Z., Kumar, S., Chong, J., Kizana, E. (2020). Gene and Cell Therapy for Cardiac Arrhythmias. Clinical Therapeutics, 42(10), 1911-1922. [More Information]
2019
- Farraha, M., Barry, M., Lu, J., Pouliopoulos, J., Le, T., Igoor, S., Rao, R., Kok, C., Chong, J., Kizana, E., Kok, C. (2019). Analysis of recombinant adeno-associated viral vector shedding in sheep following intracoronary delivery. Gene Therapy, 26(9), 399-406. [More Information]
- Chong, J., Prince, R., Thompson, P., Thavapalachandran, S., Ooi, E., Devine, A., Lim, E., Byrnes, E., Wong, G., Lim, W., Lewis, J. (2019). Association Between Plasma Neutrophil Gelatinase-Associated Lipocalin and Cardiac Disease Hospitalizations and Deaths in Older Women. Journal of the American Heart Association, 8(1), 1-13. [More Information]
- Kott, K., Vernon, S., Hansen, T., Yu, C., Bubb, K., Coffey, S., Sullivan, D., Yang, J., O'Sullivan, J., Chow, C., Patel, S., Chong, J., Celermajer, D., Kritharides, L., Grieve, S., Figtree, G. (2019). Biobanking for discovery of novel cardiovascular biomarkers using imaging-quantified disease burden: protocol for the longitudinal, prospective, BioHEART-CT cohort study. BMJ Open, 9(9), 1-9. [More Information]
2018
- Qian, P., Barry, M., Lu, J., Al Raisi, S., Mina, A., Ryan, J., Bandodkar, S., Alvarez, S., James, V., Ronquillo, J., Varikatt, W., Clayton, Z., Chong, J., Kovoor, P., Pouliopoulos, J., McEwan, A., Thiagalingam, A., Thomas, S. (2018). Development and Validation of a Novel Microwave Transcatheter Renal Denervation System and an Intraprocedural Physiological End Point for Renal Sympathetic Denervation. 66th Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand Annual Scientific Meeting, Brisbane, Australia: Elsevier Ltd. [More Information]
- Farraha, M., Kumar, S., Chong, J., Cho, H., Kizana, E. (2018). Gene Therapy Approaches to Biological Pacemakers. Journal of Cardiovascular Development and Disease, 5(4), 1-17. [More Information]
- Le, T., Pickett, H., Dos Remedios, C., Barbaro, P., Kizana, E., Chong, J. (2018). Platelet-Derived Growth Factor Receptor-Alpha expressing cardiac progenitor cells can be derived from previously cryopreserved human heart samples. Stem Cells and Development, 27(3), 184-198. [More Information]
2017
- Le, T., Thavapalachandran, S., Kizana, E., Chong, J. (2017). New Developments in Cardiac Regeneration. Heart, Lung, and Circulation, 26(4), 316-322. [More Information]
2016
- Le, T., Chong, J. (2016). Cardiac progenitor cells for heart repair. Cell Death Discovery, 2, 1-4. [More Information]
- Zheng, S., Chong, J., Chong, B. (2016). Pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics and clinical efficacy of apixaban in the treatment of thrombosis. Expert Opinion on Drug Metabolism and Toxicology, 12(5), 575-580. [More Information]
- Farraha, M., Chong, J., Kizana, E. (2016). Therapeutic Prospects of Gene Therapy for Atrial Fibrillation. Heart, Lung, and Circulation, 25(8), 808-813. [More Information]
2015
- Ge, Z., Lal, S., Le, T., Dos Remedios, C., Chong, J. (2015). Cardiac stem cells: translation to human studies. Biophysical Reviews, 7(1), 127-139. [More Information]
- Fernandes, S., Chong, J., Paige, S., Iwata, M., Torok-Storb, B., Keller, G., Reinecke, H., Murry, C. (2015). Comparison of Human Embryonic Stem Cell-Derived Cardiomyocytes, Cardiovascular Progenitors, and Bone Marrow Mononuclear Cells for Cardiac Repair. Stem Cell Reports, 5(5), 753-762. [More Information]
2014
- Chong, J., Murry, C. (2014). Cardiac regeneration using pluripotent stem cells-Progression to large animal models. Stem Cell Research, 13(3), 654-665. [More Information]
- Chong, J., Forte, E., Harvey, R. (2014). Developmental origins and lineage descendants of endogenous adult cardiac progenitor cells. Stem Cell Research, 13(3), 592-614. [More Information]
- Al Raisi, S., Pouliopoulos, J., Barry, M., Swinnen, J., Thiagalingam, A., Thomas, S., Sivagangabalan, G., Chow, C., Chong, J., Kizana, E., Kovoor, P. (2014). Evaluation of lesion and thermodynamic characteristics of Symplicity and EnligHTN renal denervation systems in a phantom renal artery model. EuroIntervention, 10(2), 277-284. [More Information]
2013
- Chong, J., Chong, B. (2013). HIT: nucleic acid masquerading as heparin. Blood, 122(2), 156-158. [More Information]
- Chong, J., Reinecke, H., Iwata, M., Torok-Storb, B., Stempien-Otero, A., Murry, C. (2013). Progenitor Cells Identi�ed by PDGFR-Alpha Expression in the Developing and Diseased Human Heart. Stem Cells and Development, 22(13), 1932-1943. [More Information]
2012
- Chong, J. (2012). Cell therapy for left ventricular dysfunction: an overview for cardiac clinicians. Heart, Lung, and Circulation, 21(9), 532-542. [More Information]
2011
- Chong, J., Chandrakanthan, V., Xaymardan, M., Asli, N., Li, J., Ahmed, I., Heffernan, C., Menon, M., Scarlett, C., Rashidianfar, A., Zoellner, H., et al (2011). Adult Cardiac-Resident MSC-like Stem Cells with a Proepicardial Origin. Cell Stem Cell, 9(6), 527-540. [More Information]
2010
- Chong, B., Chong, J. (2010). IVIg immune inhibitory activity: APC is key. Blood, 115(9), 1663-1164. [More Information]
2008
- Chong, J., Ganesan, A., Eipper, V., Kovoor, P. (2008). Comparison of left ventricular ejection fraction and inducible ventricular tachycardia in ST-elevation myocardial infarction treated by primary angioplasty versus thrombolysis. American Journal of Cardiology, 101(2), 153-157. [More Information]
- Chong, J., Chard, R., McKay, T., Thomas, L. (2008). Two-dimensional and three-dimensional transthoracic echocardiography in surgical planning for right atrial metastatic melanoma. European Journal of Echocardiography, 9(2), 286-288. [More Information]
Selected Grants
2025
- Harnessing regenerative therapies and spatial biology to advance cardiovascular disease prevention and treatment, Chong J, National Heart Foundation of Australia/Future Leader Fellowship
2024
- New technologies to dissect immune system roles in cardiac fibrosis and myocardial infarction., Chong J, NSW Health/Early Mid-Career Researcher Grant
In the media
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-01-02/silent-heart-attack-scar-tissue-pig-study/11836366
https://twitter.com/7newssydney/status/1212808893547479040?s=21
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bE3m-cyCyHA&feature=youtu.be
https://www.dailytelegraph.