Matthew Feinstein

Matthew Feinstein, MD MSc is a cardiologist and physician-scientist at Northwestern Medicine and a tenured Associate Professor at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. His primary appointment is in the Department of Medicine (Cardiovascular Diseases), with secondary appointments in Preventive Medicine (Epidemiology) and Pathology. Dr. Feinstein serves as Director of Northwestern's Clinical and Translational Immunocardiology Program and Director of Medical Student Research at NUFSM.

Dr. Feinstein received his bachelor of arts in sociology from Princeton University. He earned his MD and MSc in clinical investigation from Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. He completed his internship and residency in internal medicine at Northwestern University and completed his fellowship in cardiovascular medicine at Northwestern University.

Scientifically, Dr. Feinstein runs a translational research laboratory focused on immune plasticity in cardiovascular diseases, with particular interest in human models of chronic immune dysregulation. His work aims to identify and refine cellular and cell-extrinsic targets that reprogram immune responses to blunt and ultimately resolve pathologic inflammation. His research spans several key areas including HIV-associated cardiovascular disease, inflammation in heart failure, and immune mechanisms in atherosclerosis. Dr. Feinstein employs advanced techniques including single-cell analysis, immune profiling, and translational models to investigate the intersection of immunology and cardiovascular pathophysiology.

Analysis of Dr. Feinstein's recent publications reveals a strong focus on the intersection of immunology and cardiovascular disease, particularly examining how chronic inflammatory states impact cardiac function. His work spans basic science investigations of immune cell dynamics in myocardial infarction, clinical studies of heart failure phenotypes in special populations including people with HIV, and translational research exploring novel therapeutic targets for inflammatory cardiovascular conditions. A notable trend is his increasing focus on the role of specific immune cell subsets and their metabolic programming in cardiovascular disease progression.

• Department of Medicine Junior Faculty of the Year Award (2024)
• Mihai Gheorghiade, MD Clinical Research and Mentoring Award (2024)
• Outstanding Teacher Award, Feinberg School of Medicine (2020)
• ASCI Young Physician Scientist Award (2019)
• Fellow of the American Heart Association (FAHA) (2019)
• Multiple teaching awards from 2011-2018

Dr. Feinstein serves as overall PI and Director of Northwestern's American Heart Association Strategically Focused Research Network on Inflammation and is the contact PI on several active National Institutes of Health R01 awards focused on Inflammation and Cardiovascular Diseases. He has mentored numerous medical students through Northwestern's Research Intensive Scholarly Emphasis (RISE) program and the Area of Scholarly Concentration (AOSC) program. As Director of Medical Student Research, he oversees research opportunities for medical students across various cardiovascular and immunological projects.

Dr. Feinstein directs Northwestern's Clinical and Translational Immunocardiology Program, which brings together clinicians and researchers focused on the intersection of immunology and cardiovascular disease. His laboratory conducts cutting-edge research on immune mechanisms in cardiovascular conditions, particularly examining how chronic immune dysregulation contributes to cardiovascular pathologies. The program collaborates with multiple centers including the Center for Human Immunobiology and the Northwestern University Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute (NUCATS).