Dr. Charles Antzelevitch is a world-renowned cardiac electrophysiologist and internationally recognized authority in the field of cardiac arrhythmia syndromes. He currently holds the position of Distinguished Professor Emeritus at the Lankenau Institute for Medical Research, having served as Executive Director of the Cardiovascular Research Program since joining Main Line Health in 2015. Prior to this appointment, he spent over 31 years at the Masonic Medical Research Laboratory in Utica, New York, where he served as executive director, director of research, and held the prestigious Gordon K. Moe scholar endowed chair in experimental cardiology. Dr. Antzelevitch earned his PhD in pharmacology from SUNY Upstate Medical University in 1978 and completed foundational postdoctoral training at the Masonic Medical Research Laboratory from 1977 to 1980, establishing the trajectory for his distinguished career in cardiovascular research.
Dr. Antzelevitch's pioneering research has fundamentally advanced the understanding of life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias, with his team discovering and characterizing the physiological basis for how these dangerous rhythms begin. His exceptional scholarly contributions encompass nearly 500 original articles and book chapters along with six edited reference texts, solidifying his status as a preeminent leader in cardiac electrophysiology. Expertscape ranks him among the top 0.1% of scholars worldwide writing about electrocardiography, reflecting the extraordinary impact of his scientific work. Throughout his illustrious career, he has secured more than $24 million in research funding and earned numerous prestigious accolades including the Distinguished Scientist Award from the North American Society of Pacing and Electrophysiology and the Carl J. Wiggers Award from the American Physiological Society.
As a translational research leader, Dr. Antzelevitch has dedicated his career to transforming fundamental discoveries into novel therapeutic approaches for patients with cardiac arrhythmia syndromes. He currently serves as Associate Editor for the Heart Rhythm Journal and holds a professorship in medicine and pharmacology at Sidney Kimmel Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University. His ongoing research focuses on the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of arrhythmias, particularly inherited cardiac conditions such as the J-wave syndromes including Brugada and Early Repolarization Syndromes. Additionally, Dr. Antzelevitch's team is pioneering innovative stem cell approaches to grow new hearts, research that holds significant promise for advancing cardiac transplantation and regenerative medicine therapies for patients with end-stage heart disease.
