Christopher J. McLeod, M.B., Ch.B., Ph.D., has two primary research interests, both in the fundamental direction of exploring ventricular arrhythmias. One central theme is investigation of ventricular arrhythmias and their association with sudden cardiac death in adults with congenital heart disease. In addition, Dr. McLeod is involved in several translational science investigations into novel techniques to map and eliminate ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation.

Focus areas

• Sudden cardiac death risk stratification for adults with congenital heart disease
• Development of ablation strategies for adults with congenital heart disease
• Development of novel ablation tools for ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation targeting
• Basic characterization of ventricular repolarization

Significance to patient care

The most common cause of death for adults with congenital heart disease is ventricular arrhythmias, but risk stratification for this group of patients is rudimentary. Dr. McLeod's research contributes to the understanding of disease-specific risk factors.

Patients with congenital heart disease, channelopathies, cardiomyopathies and sudden death syndromes typically require a combination of antiarrhythmic medication and ablation. Dr. McLeod works to develop new tools to map and ablate the arrhythmias that pose fatal threats in these disorders. Ventricular fibrillation and pulsed electrical fields are core focuses of his lab's research.