John Teerlink

John Teerlink, MD, is a Professor of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), specializing in cardiology and heart failure. He holds affiliations with the San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center and contributes to national guidelines as a leader in the Heart Failure Society of America (HFSA). His education includes an MD from Harvard Medical School and a BA in Comparative Religious Studies/Cellular and Molecular Biology from Swarthmore College.

Dr. Teerlink's research focuses on heart failure diagnosis, management, and novel therapies. He leads large-scale trials such as GALACTIC-HF (testing omecamtiv mecarbil) and EMPEROR (evaluating empagliflozin). His work emphasizes clinical consensus statements, drug efficacy (e.g., serelaxin, empagliflozin), and outcomes in acute heart failure. Key collaborations include the Heart Failure Association (HFA) and Japanese Heart Failure Society.

His awards span teaching (UCSF Fellow’s Award, Alpha Omega Alpha) and research (VA Young Investigator Award). He advocates for policy changes to improve heart failure care access and promotes training in advanced heart failure cardiology despite declining residency interest.

Publications highlight heart failure epidemiology (HF STATS 2024), biomarker analysis (RELAX-AHF-2), and drug development (e.g., nitroxyl donors). He emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches to address disparities in clinical trial representation and post-hospitalization care optimization.