Patricia Thistlethwaite, MD, PhD
Dr. Patricia Thistlethwaite is a cardiothoracic surgeon and professor of surgery at the Moores Cancer Center at UC San Diego Health. In addition to heart surgery, she specializes in minimally invasive approaches to thoracic diseases including lung cancer, mediastinal and chest wall surgeries including for malignant pleural mesothelioma, diseases of the thymus, and heart and lung transplantation.[1]
Education and Career
Dr. Thistlethwaite earned her medical degree and doctorate from Harvard Medical School, from which she graduated magna cum laude. She completed residencies in surgery and cardiothoracic surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital and the University of Pittsburgh.[1]
Professional Memberships and Activities
Dr. Thistlethwaite is an active member of several medical organizations, including the American Association of Thoracic Surgeons, the Society of Thoracic Surgeons, and the International Society of Heart and Lung Transplantation. She is the author of over 100 peer-reviewed papers and book chapters, as well as an editor of the Annals of Thoracic Surgery and Pulmonary Circulation.[1]
Her involvement as former leader of Women in Thoracic Surgery led to the establishment of the Thistlethwaite Scholarship, which allows a woman resident or fellow in a U.S. training program with an interest in cardiothoracic surgery to attend the WTSA Annual Meeting and to be mentored throughout the meeting by a WTS/WTSA member.[2]
Research
Dr. Thistlethwaite is head of a molecular biology laboratory in the Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery. Her research focuses on molecular causes of pulmonary hypertension, mechanisms of coronary arterial and venous differentiation and angiogenesis, and the genetics of cardiac development. She leads several major investigations and clinical trials including several National Institutes of Health-funded studies and a Center for Medical Research and Education Fund (CMREF) project studying the causes, prevention, and treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension.[3]
Studies she is currently involved in include:[3]
| Small Molecule NOTCH Inhibitors for the treatment of pulmonary hypertension NIHR01HL132225 Jun 1, 2016 – Mar 31, 2021 Role: Principal Investigator |
| NOTCH3 Signaling in Pulmonary Hypertension NIHR01HL119543Sep 1, 2014 – May 31, 2020 Role: Principal Investigator |
| Molecular Mechanisms of Pulmonary Hypertension NIHR01HL070852Jul 1, 2002 – Jun 30, 2014 Role: Principal Investigator Her recent publications include: |
Her recent publications include:[3]
Surgical management of left bundle branch pacing lead causing septal and left ventricular perforation. HeartRhythm Case Rep. 2023 Aug; 9(8):520-523. Hernandez M, Puerta C, Thareja N, Zhang Y, Pollema T, Thistlethwaite P. PMID: 37614392; PMCID: PMC10444550.
MED1 Regulates BMP/TGF-β in Endothelium: Implication for Pulmonary Hypertension. Circ Res. 2022 Oct 28; 131(10):828-841. Wang C, Xing Y, Zhang J, He M, Dong J, Chen S, Wu H, Huang HY, Chou CH, Bai L, He F, She J, Su A, Wang Y, Thistlethwaite PA, Huang HD, Yuan JX, Yuan ZY, Shyy JY. PMID: 36252121.
Mechanosensitive cation currents through TRPC6 and Piezo1 channels in human pulmonary arterial endothelial cells. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol. 2022 Oct 01; 323(4):C959-C973. Zhao T, Parmisano S, Soroureddin Z, Zhao M, Yung L, Thistlethwaite PA, Makino A, Yuan JX. PMID: 35968892; PMCID: PMC9485000.
Racial and ethnic variation in referral times for thoracic oncologic surgery in a major metropolitan area. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2022 Jun 08. Hernandez M, Winicki N, Kadivar A, Alvarez S, Zhang Y, Maguire S, Thareja N, Onaitis M, Boys J, Thistlethwaite PA. PMID: 35863965.
