Marie Billaud, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor
Brigham and Women's Hospital

Research Interests:  My lab works on human aortic aneurysms arising in the proximal aorta. I work mainly on human specimens to answer various questions pertaining to the pathological mechanisms of the disease in various patient populations. Our lab studies several patient populations, including patients born with a bicuspid aortic valve, the most common congenital cardiac malformation that places patients more at risk of developing an aneurysm in the proximal aorta. I am also interested in understanding the cellular mechanisms underlying sex differences in the clinical presentation of aortic aneurysms. Although men are more likely to develop aortic aneurysms, women with aortic aneurysms have a higher rate of mortality and morbidity when compared to men. Lastly, I am also interested in aneurysms due to genetic causes, such as Marfan syndrome. I am seeking answers to a wide variety of questions related to smooth muscle behavior in response to extracellular matrix and biomechanical cues.

NAVBO Activities:
Communication Committee: Member (2018-2021); Chair (2021-2024)
Poster Judging (Vascular Biology 2021, 2023; IVBM 2022)
Session Chair (Vascular Biology 2013; IVBM 2022)
Oral presentation (Vascular Biology 2013, 2015, 2023)
Poster presentation (Vascular Biology 2013, 2015, 2021; IVBM 2016, 2022)
Presentation InFocus session, August 2023

Related Experience:
ISACB: Education Committee (member since 2018)
American Physiological Society (APS) Women In Physiology Committee (member since 2022)
Brigham and Women’s Department of Surgery Research Oversight Committee (member since 2020)
Brigham and Women’s Division of Cardiac Surgery Research Committee (Co-Chair since 2022)