OMB No. 0925-0001/0002 (Rev.

08/12 Approved Through 8/31/2015)

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH
Provide the following information for the Senior/key personnel and other significant contributors.
Follow this format for each person. DO NOT EXCEED FIVE PAGES.

NAME: Deng, Mario C.

eRA COMMONS USER NAME: MARIODENG
POSITION TITLE: Professor of Medicine

EDUCATION/TRAINING (Begin with baccalaureate or other initial professional education, such as nursing,
include postdoctoral training and residency training if applicable. Add/delete rows as necessary.)
Completion
DEGREE
Date FIELD OF STUDY
INSTITUTION AND LOCATION (if applicable)
MM/YYYY

Berlin University, Germany M.D. 06/81 Medicine

Bottrop Hospital, Germany Specialty Board 08/88 Internal Medicine
Duisburg Heart Institute, Germany Subspecialty Board 08/90 Cardiology
Stanford University, CA, USA Postdoctoral 11/92 Heart Transplantation
Fellowship Molecular Cardiology

A. Personal Statement
As a postdoctoral fellow at Stanford University (1992/1993), I carried out gene expression studies of
proinflammatory cytokines in the rat heart transplantation model. As the Medical Director of the Interdisciplinary
Heart Failure & Transplantation Program at Muenster University (1992-2000), subsequently as Director of
Cardiac Transplantation Research at Columbia University (2000-2011), as past Medical Director of the
Mechanical Circulatory Support Device Database of the International Society for Heart and Lung
Transplantation (2001-2006) and Medical Director of the UCLA Advanced Heart Failure/Mechanical Support/
Heart Transplant program (2011-2016), I maintain a core position at the intersection between clinical cardiology
and bench-to-bedside translational research.
As PI/ Co-PI of continuously since >20 years federally, philanthropy- and industry- funded grants, I co-
developed the first diagnostic leukocyte gene expression profiling (GEP) test in transplantation medicine that
gained US-FDA-regulatory clearance to rule out rejection without tissue biopsies (AlloMapTM). Based on this
success, my lab was invited by the NIH/US-Critical Illness and Injury Trials Group (USCIITG) to develop a
GEP-test for improved outcomes in patients with organ dysfunction related to advanced heart failure. In my
Columbia University lab, we demonstrated the feasibility of using leukocyte GEP to monitor patients after
cardiac surgery for the multiorgan dysfunction syndrome. Following the transition to UCLA, we are now
expanding on this work to develop a genomic blood test to better predict outcomes in patients with various
forms of heart failure (MyLeukoMAPTM). Linking systems biology back into the clinical framework of a
humanistically sound high tech modern medicine encounter is reflected in my most recent research
collaboration with Prof. Federica Raia (UCLA DGSOM and GSEIS) in the Relational MedicineTM project.
I have successfully demonstrated the ability to pull together diverse constituencies to create large
collaborative research networks, administered these research projects (e.g. staffing, research protection,
budget), and produced several peer-reviewed publications from each research project.
With regard to research training and mentoring, I have mentored numerous post-doctoral students,
graduate students, undergraduate students, and high school students, several of whom have been successful
in academia and have become independent investigators in their chosen field.
In summary, I have a documented record of successful and productive research in an area of high
relevance for our heart failure and heart transplant population.

B. Positions and Honors

Positions and Employment
1992-1995 Assistant Professor of Medicine, Muenster University, Germany
1996-1999 Associate Professor of Medicine, Muenster University, Germany
2000 Professor of Medicine, Muenster University, Germany
2000-2010 Associate Professor of Medicine, Columbia University, New York, USA
2011-present Professor of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, USA

Other Experience and Professional Memberships

1992-2000 Medical Director, Heart Failure & Heart Transplant Program, Muenster University, Germany
1996-present Expert Reviewer for >20 peer-review journals
1996-1999 Secretary, Heart Committee, German Transplantation Society
1997-1999 Chairman, Working Group on Heart Transplantation, German Cardiac Society
1997-present Editorial Board, Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation
1998-1999 Chairman, German Physicians Assoc. Committee on Heart Transplantation Allocation Rules
1998-1999 Founding Chairman, Study Group on Advanced Heart Failure, European Soc. of Cardiology
2000-present Director of Cardiac Transplantation Research, Columbia University
2003 US-Government Centers for Medicare and Services Public Hearing Expert Testimony on
Destination-MCSD-Therapy
2005 NIH-Bioengineering Research Partnership (NIH-BRP) Review Committee
2006 NIH-Bioengineering Research Partnership (NIH-BRP) Special Emphasis Panel
2006-present NSF SBIR/STTR Phase I Review Panel Member on Disease Diagnostics and Prognostics
2007 US-Government Centers for Medicare and Services Public Hearing Expert Testimony on Gene
Expression Profiling in Heart Transplantation
2010 US-Government Centers for Medicare and Services Public Hearing Expert Testimony on Gene
Expression Profiling in Heart Transplantation
2011-2016 Medical Director, Advanced Heart Failure/Mechanical Support/Heart Transplant, David Geffen
School of Medicine at UCLA

Honors
1998-present Fellow of the European Society of Cardiology (FESC)
1999-present Fellow of the American College of Cardiology (FACC)
2001-2005 International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation (ISHLT) Board of Directors
2001-2005 First Medical Director of the ISHLT-Mechanical Circulatory Support Device (MCSD)

C. Contribution to Science
1) My research lab has a longstanding interest, in the context of the expanding global epidemy of heart failure,
in translational systems biology and personalized medicine. Our labs focus within translational systems
biology is positioned at the intersection of the immune and cardiovascular systems. Heart failure affects >6
million people in the United States. For selected patients with advanced heart failure for whom optimal medical
management does not provide a good enough longevity & quality of life outlook, we consider the option of
longterm mechanical circulatory support, sometimes for lifetime, sometimes as a bridge to recovery,
sometimes as a bridge to heart transplantation. For patients who are neither candidates for heart
transplantation nor lifelong mechanical circulatory support and are very ill, based on advance care planning,
less aggressive therapy focusing on quality of life and alleviation of suffering may be an alternative. The
guiding clinical-translational research question in my lab has been: How can we better understand the
mechanisms of heart failure progression and cardiac allograft rejection to ultimately better predict outcomes
and better treat these complex patients in the context of a good clinical encounter? My early publications
focused on organization of multidisciplinary care and clinical outcomes in advanced heart failure, mechanical
support and heart transplantation.
Deng MC, Breithardt G, Scheld HH. Interdisciplinary Heart Failure and Transplant Program Mnster: A
5-year experience. Int J Cardiol 1995;50:7-17
Deng MC, De Meester JMJ, Smits JMA, Heinecke J, Scheld HH, on behalf of COCPIT Study Group.
The impact of heart failure severity on outcome in cardiac transplant candidates. Br Med J
2000;321:540-545
Deng MC, Loebe M, El-Banayosi A, Gronda E, Jansen PGM, Vigano M, Wieselthaler G, Reichart B,
Vitali E, Pavie A, Mesana T, Loisance D, Wheeldon DR, Portner PM. Mechanical circulatory support for
advanced heart failure: effect of patient selection on outcome. Circulation 2001;103: 231 237. PMID:
11208682
Deng MC, Edwards LB, Taylor DO, Hertz MI, Rowe AW, Keck B, Kormos RL, Naftel D, Kirklin J.
Mechanical circulatory support device database of the international society for heart and lung
transplantation: third annual report-2005. J Heart Lung Transplant 2005;24:1182-1187. PMID: 16143231
2) From this emerged the translational interest of the relationship between immunological activation and
cardiovascular outcomes, most visibly in the completed Immunology of Cardiac Rejection AlloMapTM project.
Over the last >20 years, working in my labs at Stanford University, Muenster University, Columbia University
and UCLA, we have co-developed the first diagnostic and prognostic peripheral blood mononuclear cell
(PBMC) gene expression profiling (GEP) biomarker test in transplantation medicine that gained US-FDA-
regulatory clearance and international evidence-based medicine guideline acceptance to rule out rejection
without invasive biopsies.
Deng MC, Eisen HJ, Mehra RM, Billingham M, Marboe CC, Berry G, Kobashigawa J, Johnson FL,
Starling RC, Murali S, Pauly DF, Baron H, Wohlgemuth JG, Woodward RN, Klingler TM, Walther D, Lal
PG, Rosenberg S, Hunt SA, for the CARGO Investigators. Non-invasive detection of rejection in
cardiac allograft recipients using gene expression profiling. Am J Transplant 2006;6:150-160. PMID:
23602870.
Pham MX, Teuteberg JJ, Kfoury AG, Starling RC, Deng MC, Cappola TP, Kao A, Anderson AS, Cotts
WG, Ewald GA, Baran DA, Bogaev RC, Elashoff B, Baron H, Yee J, Valantine HA, for the IMAGE
Study Group. Gene Expression Profiling for Rejection Surveillance After Cardiac Transplantation. N
Engl J Med 2010;362:1890-900. PMID: 20413602
Deng MC, Elashoff B, Pham MX, Teuteberg JJ, Kfoury AG, Starling RC, Cappola TP, Kao A, Anderson
AS, Cotts WG, Ewald GA, Baran DA, Bogaev RC, Shahzad K, Hiller D, Yee J, Valantine HA; for the
IMAGE Study Group. Utility of Gene Expression Profiling Score Variability to Predict Clinical Events in
Heart Transplant Recipients. Transplantation. 2014 Jan 31. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 24492465
[PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Deng MC. The AlloMap genomic biomarker story: 10 years after. Clin Transplant 2017 Feb 1.

3) Conceptually related to the AlloMapTM project is the ongoing Advanced Heart Failure Organ Dysfunction
project. Based on the AlloMapTM success, the NIH-United States Critical Illness and Injury Trials (USCIIT)
Group invited us in 2008 to expand this work to develop a similar PBMC-GEP biomarker test to 1) better
understand HF-related frailty and organ dysfunction, 2) better diagnose and predict outcomes, and 3) better
treat HF-related organ dysfunction. We propose the overall project hypothesis that the interaction between
altered leukocyte and endothelial cell biology in hypoperfused organs and tissues has the potential to worsen
organ dysfunction and further activate the immune system, leading to uncontrolled systemic inflammatory
response, MOD and death. We are now expanding on this work to develop a genomic blood test to better
predict outcomes in patients with various forms of heart failure (MyLeukoMAPTM).
Deng MC, Erren M, Tamminga N, Tjan TDT, Werntze B, Zimmermann P, Weyand M, Hammel D,
Mllhoff T, Scheld HH. Left ventricular assist system support is associated with persistent inflammation
and temporary immunosuppression. Thorac Cardiovasc Surgeon 1999;47 (Supplement):326-331
Sinha A, Shahzad K, Latif F, Cadeiras M, von Bayern M, Oz S, Naka Y, Deng MC. Peripheral Blood
Mononuclear Cell Transcriptome Profiles Suggest T-cell Immunosuppression after Uncomplicated
Mechanical Circulatory Support Device Surgery. Hum Immunol 2010:;71:164-9
Bondar G, Cadeiras M, Wisniewski N, Maque J, Chittoor J, Chang E, Bakir M, Starling C, Shahzad K,
Ping P, Reed E, Deng M. Comparison of whole blood and peripheral blood mononuclear cell gene
expression for evaluation of the perioperative inflammatory response in patients with advanced heart
failure. PLoS One. 2014 Dec 17;9(12):e115097. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0115097. eCollection 2014.
PMID:25517110
Wisniewski N, Bondar G, Rau C, Chittoor J, Chang E, Esmaeili A, and Deng M. An integrative model
of leukocyte genomics and organ dysfunction in heart failure patients requiring mechanical circulatory
support. bioRxiv preprint first posted online August 14, 2015; doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1101/024646 BMC
Medical Genomics Submission

4) Integrating these clinical-translational projects is the labs systems biological conceptual work.
Cadeiras M, von Bayern M, Sinha A, Shahzad K, Lim WK, Grenett H, Tabak E, Klingler T, Califano A,
Deng MC. Drawing Networks of Rejection - A Systems Biological Approach to the Identification of
Candidate Genes in Heart Transplantation. J Cell Mol Med 2011;15:949-56. PMID: 20497491.
Shahzad K, Fatima A, Cadeiras M, Wisniewski N, Bondar G, Cheng R, Reed E, Deng M. Challenges
and solutions in the development of genomic biomarker panels: a systematic phased approach. Curr
Genomics. 2012 Jun;13(4):334-41
Weiss JN, Karma A, Maclellan WR, Deng M, Rau CD, Rees CM, Wang J, Wisniewski N, Eskin E,
Horvath S, Qu Z, Wang Y, Lusis AJ. "Good enough solutions" and the genetics of complex diseases. Circ
Res 2012;111:493-504. PMCID: PMC3428228
Deng M, Cadeiras M, Reed EF. The multidimensional perspective of cardiac allograft rejection. Curr
Opin Organ Transplant. 2013 Aug 29. [Epub ahead of print] No abstract available.PMID: 23995374
5) Linking systems biology back into the clinical framework of a humanistically sound high tech modern
medicine encounter is reflected in my most recent research collaboration with Prof. Federica Raia (UCLA
DGSOM and GSEIS) in the Relational Medicine project.
Deng MC, Raia F. The Relational Act A Model to improve the Practice of Medicine. In: Health, Illness,
Disease 9th Global Conference - Making Sense of: Health, Illness and Disease Proceedings (Eds
Vaccarella M, Deng MC). The Inter-Disciplinary Press Oxford 2011
Deng MC, Raia F. Generalizing the Relational Act Framework: Encountering the Other and the Self. In:
Health, Illness, Disease 9th Global Conference - Making Sense of: Health, Illness and Disease
Proceedings (Eds Godbold N, Vaccarella M). The Inter-Disciplinary Press Oxford 2012
Raia F, Deng MC. Relational Medicine Personalizing Modern Healthcare: The Practice of High-Tech
Medicine As A RelationalAct. World Scientific Publishing/Imperial College Press, London/Singapore
2014
Raia F, Deng MC. Artificial Heart Pumps Bridging the Gap Between Science, Technology and
Personalized Medicine by Relational Medicine (Perspective Article). Future Cardiology 2017 Jan;13(1):
23-32

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/myncbi/109muLByo8mAB/bibliography/47422856/public/?sort=date&direction=ascending.

D. Research Support
Ongoing Research Support
HL114437 Weiss (PI) 09/01/13-08/31/18
NIH/NHLBI
Systems Genetics to Unravel the Molecular Basis of Heart Failure
The major goal is to use the Hybrid Mouse Diversity Panel to develop translational models to unravel the
molecular basis for heart failure in a systems genetics framework.
Role: Joint-PI

U01FD005271 (RFA-FD-14-020) (Bunnapradist) 09/01/2014 08/31/2018 1.20 calendar

Food & Drug Administration $168,144
Prospective Study Comparing Brand and Generic Immunosuppression on Transplant Outcomes, Adherence,
& Immune Responses
Major goal is to understand how type of immunosuppressant therapy (brand versus generic tacrolimus)
impacts adherence and successful clinical outcome amongst kidney, heart and liver transplant recipients.
Role: Lead-Investigator Heart Transplantation

Juan Mulder Philanthropic Research Support Deng (PI) 01/01/14-12/31/18

Leukocyte Gene Expression Profiling & MultiOrgan dysfunction After Heart Failure Surgery
The long-term objective is to develop and validate a diagnostic gene set based on a specifically developed
leukocyte gene chip to noninvasively diagnose MultiOrgan Dysfunction in the Intensive Care Unit after Heart
Failure Surgery (feasibility study for proposed project).

Peter Schultz Philanthropic Research Support Deng (PI) 01/01/17-12/31/17

Leukocyte Gene Expression Profiling in Advanced Heart Failure
The goal of this project is the development of a precision medicine approach to heart failure prognostication.

Completed Research Support

1R21HL120040-01 Deng (PI) 04/15/14-03/31/16
NIH/NHLBI
Multidimensional Molecular Biomarkers of MultiOrgan Dysfunction after MCS Therapy
The major goal is to develop a novel approach to integrating gene expression data with clinical phenotype
parameters for stratification of end stage heart failure patients who are receiving mechanical circulatory
support device and are at high risk of developing multi-organ dysfunction syndrome.
Role: PI

NCT01278745 Sayegh (PI) 09/01/10-08/31/14

NIH/NIAID
Novel Therapies to Improve Renal & Cardiac Allograft Outcomes: CTOT11
The major goal is to determine the cumulative impact of rituximab on the development of coronary artery
vasculopathy (CAV) in heart transplant recipients in the first year post transplant. Using intravascular
ultrasound a volumetric measure of CAV will be obtained and quantified by a core lab to compare CAV
development in patients treated with rituximab and placebo.
Role: PI

HHSN26820119999 35C Ping (PI) 08/15/10-08/14/15

NIH/NHLBI
Proteome Biology of Cardiovascular Diseases
The major goal of the center is to gain mechanistic and functional insights into cardiovascular disease through
characterization of the core organelle constituents of the mitochondria and proteasome in normal and diseases
myocardium. Additionally, molecular pathways that regulate these organelles will be delineated with the
ultimate goal of identifying novel therapeutic targets.
Role: Project Leader

Juan Mulder Philanthropic Research Support Deng (PI) 01/01/14-12/31/18

Leukocyte Gene Expression Profiling & MultiOrgan dysfunction After Heart Failure Surgery
The long-term objective is to develop and validate a diagnostic gene set based on a specifically developed
leukocyte gene chip to noninvasively diagnose MultiOrgan Dysfunction in the Intensive Care Unit after Heart
Failure Surgery (feasibility study for proposed project).

Pending Research Support

R01 (PA-13-302) Deng (PI) 9/1/17-8/30/22 1.2 calendar months
NIH /NHLBI $262,350/yr
Multidimensional Molecular Biomarkers in Advanced Heart Failure
The goal of this project is the development of a precision medicine approach to heart failure prognostication.
Role: Principal Investigator

R21 (Deng) Deng (PI) 01/01/2018-12/31/2020 1.2 calendar months

NIH/NIA $125,000/yr
Title: Aging & Functional Recovery Potential In Advanced Heart Failure
Our central hypothesis is that organ dysfunction and patient death after MCS- or HTx-surgery is resulting from
innate and adaptive immune cell dysfunction reflecting an age-related reduced Functional Recovery Potential
(FRP) that can be predicted by a multidimensional molecular biomarker (MMB) test.
Role: Principal Investigator