Lindsay R. Freud

Associate Director, Fetal Cardiology
Division of Cardiology

Dr. Freud is the Associate Director of Fetal Cardiology and an Associate Professor of Paediatrics.  She graduated from Harvard Medical School, completed cardiology training at Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, and advanced cardiac imaging and research fellowships at Boston Children’s Hospital.

She was previously on the faculty at Columbia University Medical Center where she began exploring novel applications for fetal cardiac therapy and helped develop a fetal cardiac intervention program.  Her research has centered on understanding the natural history of cardiac disease in utero and investigating both percutaneous and pharmacologic therapies to improve outcomes by the time of birth.  In addition, she is working to understand the impact of a prenatal diagnosis of copy number variants and genetic syndromes, particularly 22q11.2 microdeletion syndrome, on perinatal outcome.

Research

Dr. Freud studies how heart disease progresses in the womb. Heart disease may be due to abnormal development of the structure or function of the heart, or may be due to other conditions affecting the unborn baby.  The information gleaned from her research is not only important for counseling expectant parents, but also to identify potential targets for therapy to optimize the baby’s outcome by the time of birth and beyond.

In addition, she investigates the impact of a prenatal genetic diagnosis or genetic variants of the heart disease on outcome.  She is particularly interested in unborn babies with 22q11.2 microdeletion syndrome, the majority of whom have congenital heart disease.

Education and experience

• 2003: Duke University (AB), summa cum laude
• 2007: Harvard Medical School (MD)
• 2007–2010: Pediatrics Residency, Boston Children’s Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
• 2010–2013: Pediatric Cardiology Fellowship, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago/Northwestern University, Chicago, IL
• 2013–2015: Advanced Fellowships in Non-Invasive Cardiac Imaging/Fetal and Research, Boston Children’s Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
• 2015–2020: Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital of NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY
• 2010–Present: Associate Director of Fetal Cardiology, The Hospital for Sick Children, and Associate Professor of Paediatrics, University of Toronto

Achievements

• 2020: Faculty Teaching Award, Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital of New York Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center
• 2019–Present: Chair – Early Career Track, Scientific Sessions of the American Society of Echocardiography
• 2018–2019: Recognized as emerging leader by Columbia University Medical Center and selected to participate in the Columbia Women’s and Children’s Health Faculty Leadership Academy
• 2018: Fellow, American Society of Echocardiography
• 2017–Present: Chair of the Membership Committee, Fetal Heart Society
• 2017: Colin Molloy Award from Colin’s Kids Foundation for Congenital Heart Disease Research
• 2015: Research Travel Grant, American Heart Association
• 2014: Von L. Meyer Research Award, Boston’s Children’s Hospital/Harvard Medical School
• 2013–2015: Founding Steering Committee Member, Fetal Heart Society
• 2013: Excellence in Teaching Award, Harvard Medical School
• 2013: Best Oral Abstract Presentation at Midwest Pediatrics Cardiology Society Scientific Sessions

1. Senior Responsible Author. Cohen J, Levasseur S, Simpson L, Miller R, Freud LR. Cardiac findings and hemodynamic changes associated with severe lower urinary tract obstruction in utero. Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology. 2019: 54 (6) pp 780 – 785. 
2. Co-Author. Laraja K, Sadhwani A, Tworetzky W, Marshall AC, Gauvreau K, Freud LR, Hass C, Dunbar Masterson C, Ware K, Lock JE, Lafranchi T, Wilkins-Haug LE, Newburger JW.  Neurodevelopmental outcome in children after fetal cardiac intervention for aortic stenosis. Journal of Pediatrics. 2017: 184 pp. 130 – 136.
3. Co-Author. Selamet Tierney ES, McElhinney DB, Freud LR, Tworetzky W, Escobar-Diaz MC, Komarlu R, Kalish BT, Silverman NH, Moon-Grady AJ.  Assessment of progressive pathophysiology after early prenatal diagnosis of the Ebstein anomaly or tricuspid valve dysplasia. American Journal of Cardiology. 2017: 119 (1) pp. 106 – 111. 
4. Principal Author. Freud LR, Moon-Grady A, Escobar-Diaz MC, Gotteiner NL, Young LT, McElhinney DB, Tworetzky W.  Low rate of prenatal diagnosis among neonates with critical aortic stenosis: Insight into the natural history in utero. Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology. 2015: 45 (3) pp. 326 – 332. 
5. Principal Author. Freud LR, McElhinney DB, Marshall AC, Marx GR, Friedman KG, del Nido PJ, Emani SM, Lafranchi T, Silva V, Wilkins-Haug LE, Benson CB, Lock JE, Tworetzky W.  Fetal aortic valvuloplasty for evolving hypoplastic left heart syndrome: Postnatal outcomes of the first 100 patients. Circulation. 2014: 130 (8) pp. 638 – 645. 

See a full list of Lindsay Freud's publications

Funding

• International 22q11.2 Foundation
• National Institute of Health T32 Research Training Grant