Clifford Kavinsky, MD, PhD

Clifford Kavinsky, MD, PhD, is associate professor of medicine, director of the Coronary Care Unit and the fellowship training program director for Cardiovascular Medicine. Kavinsky received his Bachelor of Arts from Washington University in St. Louis, Mo. After receiving a doctorate in molecular biology at the University of Chicago, he studied membrane biochemistry in the laboratory of J.D. Watson at Cold Spring Harbor. While engaged in post-doctoral research as an assistant professor in the Section of Cardiology at the University of Chicago, he was involved in elucidating the alpha helical structure of the myosin heavy chain molecule using DNA cloning techniques.  

Kavinsky received his medical degree and completed his internal medicine residency at Rush University Medical Center where he was the recipient of the Herrick Post-Graduate Research Fellowship. He then completed a cardiology fellowship including advanced training in interventional cardiology. He has previously held the positions of chief medical resident and chief cardiology fellow, as well as assistant section director and acting section director.

Kavinsky's primary research interests focus on the develop­ment of new tech­niques for catheter based, non-surgical treatment of patients with structural heart disease which includes percutaneous valve therapy, as well as novel percutaneous treatments for a variety of congenital and acquired cardiovascular disorders.

Kavinsky's Current Clinical Trials

Miniaturized Percutaneous Circulatory Support System vs IABP (Impella): Impella investigational trial for non-emergent high-risk PCI patients.

APPRAISE-2: Examination of Apixaban for Acute Coronary Syndrome: Examination of Apixaban (Factor Xa inhibitor) compared to placebo as adjunctive therapy in patients with recent Acute Coronary Syndrome