Rebecca Vanderpool, PhD

About

Biography

I am an assistant professor in the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine in the Department of Internal Medicine at The Ohio State University College of Medicine. My research focuses on pulmonary vascular disease, with a particular emphasis on understanding right ventricular function and its role in pulmonary hypertension.

My work centers on elucidating the pathophysiology of right ventricular dysfunction and its interaction with the pulmonary circulation. I study how changes in pulmonary vascular resistance and cardiac mechanics impact right heart function, using an integrated approach that combines clinical physiology, advanced hemodynamics and cardiovascular imaging.

My current research uses multimodal imaging techniques, including MRI and CT, along with computational modeling and machine learning approaches, to better characterize right ventricular structure and function in patients with pulmonary hypertension. I also use exercise testing and cardiopulmonary physiology to investigate how pulmonary vascular disease affects functional capacity and disease progression.

A key area of my work is the development of quantitative tools and biomarkers to improve risk assessment and identify patients at higher risk of right heart failure. By incorporating biomechanical insights and advanced imaging analytics, my research aims to refine clinical measures of right ventricular–pulmonary arterial coupling and improve the precision of disease stratification.

Collectively, my research seeks to advance a more comprehensive, mechanistic understanding of pulmonary hypertension and right ventricular failure. The overarching goal is to develop improved diagnostic strategies and personalized approaches to care that enhance outcomes for patients with cardiopulmonary disease.

I have contributed to numerous peer-reviewed publications in leading cardiovascular and pulmonary journals, with work spanning pulmonary hypertension, right ventricular physiology, imaging and cardiopulmonary exercise testing.

Credentials

Research