Andrew Cheng

Dr. Andrew Cheng is an Associate Professor of Clinical Pediatrics at the University of Southern California (USC) and an attending Pediatric Cardiologist at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA). He specializes in cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), advanced cardiac imaging, and care of patients with Fontan circulation. His research focuses on using MRI and computational fluid dynamics to study blood viscosity's role in Fontan pathophysiology. Dr. Cheng directs CHLA's multidisciplinary Fontan Clinic and serves as the site PI for the Fontan Outcomes Network.

Education:

• B.S. in Electrical Engineering & Computer Science, University of California, Berkeley
• M.D., University of Michigan
• Pediatric Residency, UCLA
• Pediatric Cardiology & Advanced Cardiac Imaging Fellowships, CHLA

Research Interests: Dr. Cheng's work centers on Fontan circulation physiology, hemodynamic modeling, and innovative diagnostic technologies. He explores how blood rheology and fluid dynamics impact univentricular heart patients. His projects include developing smartphone-based cardiovascular monitoring systems and automated AI-driven MRI analysis tools.

Publications Trends: Recent work emphasizes Fontan circulation interventions, post-COVID cardiac outcomes, and MIS-C long-term effects. His studies bridge engineering principles with clinical cardiology, particularly in pediatric populations.

• Awards:
  • Morris and Mary Press Humanism Award Nominee (2020)
  • Provost’s Postdoctoral Scholar Grant (2015-2016)
  • American Academy of Pediatrics Research Fellowship (2014-2015)

Advising & Grants: Leads NIH-funded studies like the NHLBI MUSIC trial. His grants include postdoctoral research funding and collaborative projects on cardiac imaging innovation. He mentors teams in CHLA's Fontan Clinic and the Fontan Outcomes Network.

Labs/Teams: Directs CHLA's Fontan Clinic, a hub for multidisciplinary care and research on univentricular heart defects. Collaborates with engineers on device development and AI applications in pediatric cardiology.