The Department of Medicine FAME (Fostering the Academic Mission in the Emory DOM) grant program is designed to provide support for clinical faculty to dedicate up to 20 percent of their professional time to scholarly activity including research, education, mentoring, and quality improvement projects.
Get to know one of the recipients of the 2021 FAME grant, Kunal Bhatt, MD, assistant professor in the Division of Cardiology.
What is your professional background?
I attended Rutgers University/Cook College and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in biotechnology. I then went to New Jersey Medical School (now known as Rutgers Medical School) and came to Emory for my internal medicine residency. I stayed at Emory to complete my general cardiology and advanced heart failure/transplant cardiology fellowships prior to joining faculty.
In what division do you do your work and who is your mentor?
I currently work at Emory University Hospital and Emory University Hospital Midtown as an advanced heart failure/transplant cardiologist in the Division of Cardiology. I am also the director of the cardiac amyloidosis clinic. In addition, I am an associate program director for the general cardiology and advanced heart failure fellowships. My mentor for the FAME grant is Dr. Alanna Morris.
Tell us about your FAME grant, why is it important, and what it means to you to receive the funding?
An estimated 3.4 percent of Black Americans carry a genetic mutation that can cause transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis. My FAME grant project will establish a clinical and research database to better characterize our growing cohort of patients. We will also implement specific clinical interventions aimed at improving rates of screening, diagnosis, and treatment of hereditary transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis patients within the Emory system. Improving our ability to detect and diagnose this hereditary disease has the potential for generational impact on the health of our patients’ families. I am especially excited to add a research component to our established cardiac amyloidosis clinic, which I believe is uniquely positioned to help Emory become a leader in this field.
What do you like most at Emory?
I have always enjoyed the academic environment here, but what I like best about Emory are the people. The collegiality and camaraderie that I enjoy with my previous mentors, who are now my colleagues, is truly unique.
What is your favorite movie or TV show?
I can watch “Scrubs” or “The Office” any day.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
I enjoy spending time with my wife and two young boys. Pre-COVID, I also enjoyed eating out and traveling.
What is a fun fact about you?
I grew up in Kenya and lived in Chicago, Brooklyn, and New Jersey prior to coming to Atlanta. My 13 years in Atlanta is the longest I have ever lived in one place.
Be the first to comment on "2021 FAME Grant Awardee Spotlight: Kunal Bhatt"