Marc A. Pfeffer, M.D., Ph.D.
Dzau Professor of Medicine
Cardiovascular Division
Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA
Marc A. Pfeffer, M.D., Ph.D. received his bachelor’s degree from Rockford College in Illinois, and received both his medical degree and doctorate in physiology and biophysics under the mentorship of Edward D. Frohlich, M.D. at the University of Oklahoma in Oklahoma City. He completed his post-doctoral training, internship, medical residency and cardiology fellowship at the Peter Bent Brigham Hospital (now Brigham and Women’s Hospital) and Harvard Medical School.
Dr. Pfeffer has distinguished himself as a translational investigator. Along with his late wife, Dr. Janice Pfeffer, and Eugene Braunwald, M.D., their studies in an experimental model of myocardial infarction first introduced the concept of an insidious deleterious structural remodeling of the impaired ventricle. They demonstrated in both animals and man that angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors could attenuate these adverse structural and functional changes providing the rationale for the use of these agents in patients experiencing a myocardial infarction. Pfeffer led the first definitive clinical trial demonstrating that this use could prolong survival and prevent the development of heart failure, which has improved the prognosis of untold numbers of survivors of myocardial infarction.
From his major initial discovery, Dr. Pfeffer's career trajectory has been to lead a number of other key practice-changing, randomized controlled clinical trials. Indeed, a common theme for his substantial contributions has been in the utilization of the randomized controlled trial to enhance the academic mission. Dr. Pfeffer has had a principal role in several practice-changing clinical trials such as SAVE, CARE, HEART, VALIANT, CHARM and PEACE. He is currently a leading investigator in ARISE, TOPCAT and TREAT. He is generally considered as a team builder and takes pride in academic advancement of trainees and junior faculty collaborating on the trials, and embedding important mechanistic substudies within the major randomized trials to enhance our understanding of the pathophysiology of the disease processes. Pfeffer's trials have set high standards for relationships with the sponsors whether industry or NHLBI. He is known for his fairness in data sharing and assisting others in developing meaningful scholarly works from study databases. His studies have improved medical practice and patient prognosis.
On a local level, his leadership abilities are well recognized and appreciated at the Brigham and Women's Hospital as Dr. Pfeffer was recently asked to serve as the Interim Chair of the Department of Medicine. Pfeffer also effectively uses the vehicle of randomized controlled clinical trials to promote physician satisfaction and education for those less academically oriented. As the leader of Partners Research and Education Program (PREP), he has developed networks of community-based physicians who enjoy making meaningful contributions to clinical investigation.
