Megan Griffiths, MD
Pediatric Cardiologist
Assistant Professor at UT Southwestern Medical Center
- Languages Spoken:
- English
Biography
I want parents to know they have a partner in their child’s care, help them through the diagnosis, find needed resources and develop a plan that best meets their needs.
Megan Griffiths, M.D., is a pediatric cardiologist who treats right ventricular failure, pulmonary hypertension, and single ventricle circulation. At Children’s Health℠, she provides compassionate, high-quality care to children of all ages.
Dr. Griffiths received her medical degree from the University of Colorado School of Medicine in Denver, Colorado. She completed her residency at Connecticut Children’s Medical Center, where she served as Chief Resident. Dr. Griffiths completed her Pediatric Cardiology Fellowship at the Bloomberg Children’s Center, Johns Hopkins University and additional postdoctoral training at the Comprehensive Pulmonary Hypertension Center, Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital, Columbia University.
Dr. Griffiths is a member of the International Society of Heart and Lung Transplantation, Pulmonary Vascular Research Institute, and the Pulmonary Hypertension Association. She is the recipient of many grants and awards, including the Francis D. Schwentker Award for excellence in research at Johns Hopkins University and was a Pediatric Scientist Development Program fellow.
Her research is in novel protein biomarkers in pulmonary vascular disease and new methods of risk prediction in pulmonary hypertension.
“A diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension is difficult for patients and their families,” says Dr. Griffiths. “Often, it’s in the setting of critical illness or prolonged hospitalization. I want parents to know they have a partner in their child’s care, help them through the diagnosis, find needed resources and develop a plan that best meets their needs.”
In her free time, Dr. Griffiths enjoys reading novels, being outside and gardening. She recently took up diving and wants to get back into rowing.
Education and Training
- Medical School
- University of Colorado Health Sciences Center (2013)
- Residency
- University of Connecticut Pediatric GME Program (2017), Pediatrics
- Fellowship
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine - GME (2021), Pediatric Cardiology
- Board Certification
- American Board of Pediatrics/Pediatric Cardiology
Departments and Programs
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Research Interests
- Metabolomics
- Proteomics
- Pulmonary vascular disease
- Risk assessment in pulmonary vascular disease
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Publications
- Perinatal Inflammatory Biomarkers and Respiratory Disease in Preterm Infants. Collaco JM, McGrath-Morrow SA, Griffiths M, Chavez-Valdez R, Parkinson C, Zhu J, Northington FJ, Graham EM, Everett AD, J Pediatr 2022 07 246 34-39.e3
- Cardiac Dysfunction Biomarkers are Associated with Potential for Successful Separation from Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation in Children. Coletti K, Griffiths M, Nies M, Brandal S, Everett AD, Bembea MM, ASAIO J 2022 May
- Proteomics discovery of pulmonary hypertension biomarkers: Insulin-like growth factor binding proteins are associated with disease severity. Nies MK, Yang J, Griffiths M, Damico R, Zhu J, Vaydia D, Fu Z, Brandal S, Austin ED, Ivy DD, Hassoun PM, Van Eyk JE, Everett AD, Pulm Circ 2022 Apr 12 2 e12039
- COL18A1 genotypic associations with endostatin levels and clinical features in pulmonary arterial hypertension: a quantitative trait association study. Simpson CE, Griffiths M, Yang J, Nies MK, Vaidya D, Brandal S, Martin LJ, Pauciulo MW, Lutz KA, Coleman AW, Austin ED, Ivy DD, Nichols WC, Everett AD, Hassoun PM, Damico RL, ERJ Open Res 2022 Apr 8 2
- Biomarkers of Pulmonary Hypertension Are Altered in Children with Down Syndrome and Pulmonary Hypertension. Griffiths M, Yang J, Vaidya D, Nies M, Brandal S, Ivy DD, Hickey F, Wolter-Warmerdam K, Austin ED, Mullen M, Pauciulo MW, Lutz KA, Rosenzweig EB, Hirsch R, Yung D, Nichols WC, Everett AD, J Pediatr 2022 02 241 68-76.e3
- Hepatoma-derived growth factor is associated with pulmonary vascular remodeling and PAH disease severity and survival. Yang J, Ambade AS, Nies M, Griffiths M, Damico R, Vaidya D, Brandal S, Pauciulo MW, Lutz KA, Coleman AW, Nichols WC, Austin ED, Ivy D, Hassoun PM, Everett AD, Pulm Circ 2022 Jan 12 1 e12007
- The angiostatic peptide endostatin enhances mortality risk prediction in pulmonary arterial hypertension. Simpson CE, Griffiths M, Yang J, Nies MK, Vaidya RD, Brandal S, Martin LJ, Pauciulo MW, Lutz KA, Coleman AW, Austin ED, Ivy DD, Nichols WC, Everett AD, Hassoun PM, Damico RL, ERJ Open Res 2021 Oct 7 4
- Angiostatic Peptide, Endostatin, Predicts Severity in Pediatric Congenital Heart Disease-Associated Pulmonary Hypertension. Daly CM, Griffiths M, Simpson CE, Yang J, Damico RL, Vaidya RD, Williams M, Brandal S, Jone PN, Polsen C, Ivy DD, Austin ED, Nichols WC, Pauciulo MW, Lutz K, Nies MK, Rosenzweig EB, Hirsch R, Yung D, Everett AD, J Am Heart Assoc 2021 10 10 20 e021409
- ST2 Is a Biomarker of Pediatric Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Severity and Clinical Worsening. Griffiths M, Yang J, Simpson CE, Vaidya D, Nies M, Brandal S, Damico R, Ivy DD, Austin ED, Pauciulo MW, Lutz KA, Rosenzweig EB, Hirsch R, Yung D, Nichols WC, Everett AD, Chest 2021 07 160 1 297-306.
- Megan Griffiths biocommentary. Griffiths M, Pediatr Res 2020 12 88 6 826
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Professional Activities
- Pulmonary Hypertension Association (2022)
- Pulmonary Vascular Research Institute (2021)
- American Heart Association (2017)
- American Academy of Pediatrics (2013)
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Awards and Honors
- Best Abstract (2022), Leonard Steinfeld Research Symposium, Pediatric Cardiology Society of Greater New York
- Finalist for Cournand and Comroe Early Career Investigator Award (2021), American Heart Association
- Francis D. Schwentker Award for excellence in research (2021), Johns Hopkins University
- Pediatric Scientist Development Program Fellowship (2019-2021), Association of Medical School Pediatric Department Chairs and the National Institutes of Childhood Health and Human Development
- Featured Early Career Investigator (2020), Pediatric Research, Nature Publications Group
- Travel Award (2019), American Heart Association
- Fellow’s Clinical Research Award (2018), Society for Pediatric Research
- Chief Resident (2016-2017), University of Connecticut
- Outstanding Resident in Pediatrics (2016), University of Connecticut
- Residency Commendation (2014-2015), Connecticut Children’s Medical Center
- Outstanding Student in Psychiatry Clerkship (2011), University of Colorado School of Medicine