Roberto Bolli

Roberto Bolli

Institute of Molecular Cardiology, University of Louisville

Affiliated withUniversity of Louisville

Research Area

Biography

Dr. Bolli graduated from the University of Perugia (Italy) in 1976. He completed a research Fellowship at the NHLBI (1978-80) and a clinical Fellowship in Cardiology at Baylor College of Medicine (1981-83). In 1983, he joined the Faculty at Baylor College of Medicine, where he rose to the rank of Professor with tenure. In 1994, he became Chief of the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine at the University of Louisville. He is also Director of the Institute of Molecular Cardiology, Scientific Director of the Cardiovascular Innovation Institute, Executive Vice Chairman of the Department of Medicine, a Distinguished University Scholar, and the Jewish Hospital Distinguished Chair in Cardiology. Twice at two different institutions (Baylor and University of Louisville), Dr. Bolli developed a leading research program starting from zero.

Major awards:

Physician Scientist Award, American College of Chest Physicians (1987), Pharmacia-Chiron Young Investigator Award (1988), American Society for Clinical Investigation (1991), Association of American Physicians (1999), NIH MERIT Award (2001-2010), Basic Research Prize, Am Heart Assoc (AHA) (2001), Research Achievement Award, International Society for Heart Research (ISHR) (2004), Ken Bowman Research Award, Univ. of Manitoba 2004), Louis and Artur Lucian Award, McGill University (2004), Howard Morgan Award, International Academy of Cardiovascular Sciences (IACS) (2005), Foreign Fellow, Academy of Sciences of the Royal Society of Canada , Distinguished Achievement Award of the AHA (2006), Distinguished Scientist Award of the AHA (2008), Award of Meritorious Achievement of the AHA (2010), Walter B. Cannon Award, Am Physiol Society (2011), Carl J. Wiggers Award, Am Physiol Society (2011), Rocovich Gold Medal for Excellence in Science, Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine (2012), Medal of Merit of the IACS (2013), Research Achievement Award of the AHA (2013), Peter Harris Distinguished Scientist Award of the ISHR (2015), Jay & Jeanie Schottenstein Prize in Cardiovascular Sciences, The Ohio State University (2015), “Perugian in the World” Award, Camera di Commercio of Perugia (2015), Creation of the Roberto Bolli Young Faculty Award Competition by the International Academy of Cardiovascular Sciences (2016), Honorable Maestro Award, KY Chapter of ACC (2018), Lifetime Achievement Award by the Serbia Physiological Society (2019), Gold Medal, Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Manitoba (2019), D.Sc. Honoris Causa, University of Kragujevac (2019).

Dr. Bolli has delivered 339 lectures, including:

Five plenary lectures and two State-of-the-Art Lectures at AHA Sessions, Landmark Lecture at the ISHR World Congress (2001), Keith Reimer Distinguished Lecture of the ISHR (2002), Robert Berne Distinguished Lecture of the Am Physiological Society (2005), Michel Mirowski Lecture (2006), George E. Brown Memorial Lecture of the AHA (2007), James T. Willerson Lecture (2008), Laurence H. Green Memorial Lecture (2010), Distinguished Scientist Lecture of the AHA (2011), Mikamo Lecture, Japanese Circulation Society (2013), Michael J. Sole Lecture (2013), Keynote Lecture at IACS Congress (2019).

NIH activities: Member of the CVB Study Section, NHLBI Program Project Review Committee, and NHLBI Advisory Council.

AHA activities: Chair of: Pathophysiology Review Committee, Council on Basic Cardiovascular Sciences, Distinguished Scientist Selection Committee, and Council Operations Committee; member of numerous committees; member of the Board of Directors. International Society for Heart Research: Secretary General, Treasurer, and President. International Academy of Cardiovascular Sciences: President. Editorial activities: Dr. Bolli was Associate Editor of the Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology, Guest Editor of Circulation, and Editor-in-Chief of Circulation Research (2009-2019).

Dr. Bolli is PI in two NIH grants: a P01 grant and a UM1 grant (CCTRN). He has published 465 papers, including 291 original articles. Among the original articles, 45 have appeared in Circulation Research, 12 in PNAS, 7 in JCI, and 30 in Circulation. Forty-seven of his papers have been cited more than 100 times, 21 more than 200 times, and 28 more than 300 times. Total number of citations: 35,901; Hirsch factor: 102.

Dr. Bolli’s research has focused on the mechanisms responsible for myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury and on the development of cardioprotective strategies. His earlier work established a fundamental role of reactive oxygen species in the pathogenesis of myocardial “stunning”, a concept that is now accepted as a proven hypothesis. Subsequently, he identified the signal transduction pathways and the cardioprotective genes responsible for the late phase of myocardial “preconditioning”, thereby elucidating the molecular basis of this adaptation of the heart to stress. His discovery that the cardioprotection afforded by preconditioning is mediated by two proteins commonly thought to be detrimental (inducible NO synthase and cyclooxygenase-2) has impelled a reassessment of current paradigms regarding these enzymes and has paved the way for developing novel pharmacologic or genetic therapeutic strategies in patients with coronary artery disease. He is currently investigating the use of cell therapy to repair injured myocardium. He was the first to show that, contrary to commonly-accepted ideas, cardiac progenitor c-kit+ cells (CPCs) do not engraft in the heart and, therefore, work via paracrine actions – a concept that has changed our understanding of cell therapy. He is currently leading a Clinical Center of the NIH-funded network, CCTRN, where he is PI in two clinical trials: CONCERT-HF (Combination Of meseNchymal and c-kit+ Cardiac stem cells as Regenerative Therapy for Heart Failure) and SENECA (StEm cell iNjEction in CAncer survivors).

Bolli R, Hare JM, March K, Pepine CJ, Willerson JT, Perin EC, Yang P, Henry TD, Traverse J, Mitrani R, Khan A, Schulman I, Taylor D, Vojvodic RW, Sayre SL, Bettencourt J, Cohen M, Ebert RF, Moye L, Simari R, for the Cardiovascular Cell Therapy Research Network (CCTRN). Rationale and design of the CONCERT-HF (Combination Of meseNchymal and c-kit+ Cardiac stEm cells as Regenerative Therapy of Heart Failure) trial. Circ Res 122:1703- 1715, 2018.

Bolli R, Hare JM, Henry TD, Lenneman CG, March K, Miller K, Pepine CJ, Perin ED, Traverse JH, Willerson JT, Yang PC, Gee AP, Lima JA, Moye L, Vojvodic RW, Sayre SL, Bettencourt J, Cohen M, Ebert RF, Simari R, for the Cardiovascular Cell Therapy Research Network (CCTRN). Rationale and design of the SENECA (StEm cell iNjECtion in cAncer survivors) trial. Am Heart J 201:54-62, 2018.

Wysoczynski M, Guo Y, Moore J IV, Muthusamy S, Li Q, Nasr M, Li H, Nong Y, Wu W, Tomlin A, Zhu X, Hunt G, Gumpert A, Book M, Khan A, Tang XL, Bolli R. A new population of cardiac mesenchymal cells isolated on the basis of adherence: Phenotype and reparative properties. J Am Coll Cardiol 69:1824-1838, 2017.

Tokita Y, Tang XL, Li Q, Wysoczynski M, Hong KU, Bolli RA Jr., Nakamura S, Wu WJ, Xie W, Li D, Hunt G, Ou Q, Stowers H, Bolli R. Repeated administrations of cardiac progenitor cells are markedly more effective than a single administration: A new paradigm in cell therapy. Circ Res 119:635-651, 2016.

Jones SP, Tang XL, Guo Y, Steenbergen C, Lefer DL, Kukreja RC, Kong M, Li Q, Bhushan S, Zhu X, Du J, Nong Y, Stowers HL, Kondo K, Hunt GN, Goodchild TT, Orr A, Chang CC, Ockaili R, Salloum FN, Bolli R. The NHLBI-sponsored Consortium for preclinicAl assESsment of cARdioprotective therapies (CAESAR): A new paradigm for rigorous, accurate, and reproducible evaluation of putative infarct-sparing interventions in mice, rabbits, and pigs. Circ Res 116:572-586, 2015.

Hong K, Guo Y, Li Q, Cao P, Al-Maqtari T, Vajravelu B, Du J, Book M, Zhu X, Nong Y, Bolli R. C-kit+ cardiac stem cells alleviate post-myocardial infarction left ventricular dysfunction despite poor engraftment and negligible retention in the recipient heart. PLOS ONE 9(5): e96725. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0096725, 2014.

Tang XL, Li Q, Rokosh DG, Sanganalmath SK, Chen N, Ou Q, Dawn B, Stowers H, Hunt G, Bolli R. Long-term outcome of administration of c-kit+ cardiac progenitor cells after acute myocardial infarction: Transplanted cells do not become cardiomyocyctes, but structural and functional improvement and proliferation of endogenous cells persist for at least one year. Circ Res 118:1091-1105, 2016.

JoVE Journal Publications

ArticleTotal : 1
Year
Slicing and Culturing Pig Hearts under Physiological Conditions
Publication title

Cited by 23

2020

Other Publications

Article
Year
Detailed analysis of bone marrow from patients with ischemic heart disease and left ventricular dysfunction: BM CD34, CD11b, and clonogenic capacity as biomarkers for clinical outcomes.

Circulation research| PubMed ID: 25136078

2014
1998
Demonstration of an early and a late phase of ischemic preconditioning in mice.

The American journal of physiology| PubMed ID: 9746488

1998
The late phase of ischemic preconditioning is abrogated by targeted disruption of the inducible NO synthase gene.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America| PubMed ID: 10500207

1999
Cyclooxygenase-2 mediates the cardioprotective effects of the late phase of ischemic preconditioning in conscious rabbits.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America| PubMed ID: 10963682

2000
2000
2001
An essential role of the JAK-STAT pathway in ischemic preconditioning.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America| PubMed ID: 11481471

2001
Opposing cardioprotective actions and parallel hypertrophic effects of delta PKC and epsilon PKC.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America| PubMed ID: 11553773

2001
Oxidant species trigger late preconditioning against myocardial stunning in conscious rabbits.

American journal of physiology. Heart and circulatory physiology| PubMed ID: 11748073

2002
2002
Formation of protein kinase C(epsilon)-Lck signaling modules confers cardioprotection.

The Journal of clinical investigation| PubMed ID: 11854322

2002
2002
2002
Role of nitric oxide in myocardial preconditioning.

Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences| PubMed ID: 12076960

2002
2002
Role of Src protein tyrosine kinases in late preconditioning against myocardial infarction.

American journal of physiology. Heart and circulatory physiology| PubMed ID: 12124200

2002
2002
2002
2002
Delta-opioid receptor-induced late preconditioning is mediated by cyclooxygenase-2 in conscious rabbits.

American journal of physiology. Heart and circulatory physiology| PubMed ID: 12384473

2002
2014
Protein tyrosine kinase signaling is necessary for NO donor-induced late preconditioning against myocardial stunning.

American journal of physiology. Heart and circulatory physiology| PubMed ID: 12531734

2003
2003
2003
2003
2003
Effect of aspirin on late preconditioning against myocardial stunning in conscious rabbits.

Journal of the American College of Cardiology| PubMed ID: 12679220

2003
2003
2003
Mechanism of cyclooxygenase-2 upregulation in late preconditioning.

Journal of molecular and cellular cardiology| PubMed ID: 12738234

2003
2003
Nicorandil induces late preconditioning against myocardial infarction in conscious rabbits.

American journal of physiology. Heart and circulatory physiology| PubMed ID: 14684373

2004
Administration of a CO-releasing molecule at the time of reperfusion reduces infarct size in vivo.

American journal of physiology. Heart and circulatory physiology| PubMed ID: 14704226

2004
2004
2004
2004
2004
2004
2005
2004
2005
Cardiac stem cells delivered intravascularly traverse the vessel barrier, regenerate infarcted myocardium, and improve cardiac function.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America| PubMed ID: 15734798

2005
2005
Myocardial regeneration by activation of multipotent cardiac stem cells in ischemic heart failure.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America| PubMed ID: 15932947

2005
2005
Cardiac preconditioning during percutaneous coronary interventions.

Cardiovascular drugs and therapy| PubMed ID: 16142599

2005
Gene therapy with iNOS provides long-term protection against myocardial infarction without adverse functional consequences.

American journal of physiology. Heart and circulatory physiology| PubMed ID: 16172153

2006
2005
2005
2005
The ubiquitous role of nitric oxide in cardioprotection.

Journal of molecular and cellular cardiology| PubMed ID: 16288777

2006
Cardiac progenitor cells: the revolution continues.

Circulation research| PubMed ID: 16306449

2005
No pain, no gain: the useful function of angina.

Circulation| PubMed ID: 16330693

2005
2006
Stem cell niches in the adult mouse heart.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America| PubMed ID: 16754876

2006
Cardioprotection by postconditioning in conscious rats is limited to coronary occlusions <45 min.

American journal of physiology. Heart and circulatory physiology| PubMed ID: 16815986

2006
2006
Preconditioning: a paradigm shift in the biology of myocardial ischemia.

American journal of physiology. Heart and circulatory physiology| PubMed ID: 16963615

2007
2007
2007
2007
2007
2007
2007
2007
2007
2007
Human cardiac stem cells.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America| PubMed ID: 17709737

2007
2007
2007
Bone marrow cells adopt the cardiomyogenic fate in vivo.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America| PubMed ID: 17965233

2007
2014
Formation of large coronary arteries by cardiac progenitor cells.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America| PubMed ID: 18216245

2008
2008
2008
2008
2008
2008
2008
2008
2008
2008
2008
Notch1 regulates the fate of cardiac progenitor cells.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America| PubMed ID: 18832173

2008
2008
2008
2009
2009
2009
2010
Cardiac progenitor cells and bone marrow-derived very small embryonic-like stem cells for cardiac repair after myocardial infarction.

Circulation journal : official journal of the Japanese Circulation Society| PubMed ID: 20081317

2010
2010
2010
Circulation Research and human genetic studies.

Circulation research| PubMed ID: 20616334

2010
2011
2010
2011
2011
2011
2011
2011
2011
2011
2011
2012
2011
2012
2012
2012
2012
2012
2012
2012
2013
Stem cell therapy: promising treatment in heart failure?

Current heart failure reports| PubMed ID: 23354783

2013
2013
2013
2013
Vascular endothelial growth factor in heart failure.

Nature reviews. Cardiology| PubMed ID: 23856679

2013
The impact factor of circulation research rises 25%.

Circulation research| PubMed ID: 23948653

2013
2013
2013
Reaching out to young investigators.

Circulation research| PubMed ID: 24625720

2014
2014
2014
2014
Cardiac stem cell therapy for cardiac repair.

Current treatment options in cardiovascular medicine| PubMed ID: 24903489

2014
2014
2015
2014
2015
2015
2015
2015
2015
2015
2015
2015
2015
2015
2015
Cell Therapy Needs Rigorous Translational Studies in Large Animal Models.

Journal of the American College of Cardiology| PubMed ID: 26516003

2015
2015
2016
2016
2016
2016
Type 2 Diabetes Dysregulates Glucose Metabolism in Cardiac Progenitor Cells.

The Journal of biological chemistry| PubMed ID: 27151219

2016
2016
2016
2016
A New Method to Stabilize C-Kit Expression in Reparative Cardiac Mesenchymal Cells.

Frontiers in cell and developmental biology| PubMed ID: 27536657

2016
TNF receptor signaling inhibits cardiomyogenic differentiation of cardiac stem cells and promotes a neuroadrenergic-like fate.

American journal of physiology. Heart and circulatory physiology| PubMed ID: 27591224

2016
2016
2019
2017
2016
2017
Repeated Cell Therapy: A Paradigm Shift Whose Time Has Come.

Circulation research| PubMed ID: 28179431

2017
2017
2017
2017
2017
2017
2017
Global position paper on cardiovascular regenerative medicine.

European heart journal| PubMed ID: 28575280

2017
2016
2017
2017
2017
The Impact Factor of Reaches a New High.

Circulation research| PubMed ID: 28729447

2017
Overcoming the Roadblocks to Cardiac Cell Therapy Using Tissue Engineering.

Journal of the American College of Cardiology| PubMed ID: 28774384

2017
2017
Short and Long Noncoding RNAs Regulate the Epigenetic Status of Cells.

Antioxidants & redox signaling| PubMed ID: 28847161

2018
Cell therapy for heart disease: current status and future directions.

Minerva cardioangiologica| PubMed ID: 29327894

2018
2018
2018
Guidelines for experimental models of myocardial ischemia and infarction.

American journal of physiology. Heart and circulatory physiology| PubMed ID: 29351451

2018
2018
2018
2018
2018
2018
Introduction to a Compendium on Regenerative Cardiology.

Circulation research| PubMed ID: 29976682

2018
2018
2018
2012
Effect of Molecular Weight on Sonoporation-Mediated Uptake in Human Cells.

Ultrasound in medicine & biology| PubMed ID: 30274682

2018
2018
Introduction to Cardiovascular Aging Compendium.

Circulation research| PubMed ID: 30355084

2018
2018
2018
2019
TRPA1 channel contributes to myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury.

American journal of physiology. Heart and circulatory physiology| PubMed ID: 30735434

2019
2019
2019
2019
Human Embryonic Stem Cell-Derived Cardiomyocytes.

Circulation research| PubMed ID: 30973816

2019
2019
2018
2019
2019
Ten Years at the Helm of Circulation Research.

Circulation research| PubMed ID: 31170048

2019
2019
2019
2019
2020
Time to end the war on cell therapy.

European journal of heart failure| PubMed ID: 32100951

2020