Pascal Amedro, MD, PhD, named as inaugural Dunn Family Professor of Cardiac Research
Dr. Amedro joins a distinguished group of Children’s National physicians and scientists who hold an endowed chair.
Children’s National Hospital named Pascal Amedro, MD, PhD, as the inaugural Dunn Family Professor of Cardiac Research.
Dr. Amedro began his role as a senior pediatric cardiologist and researcher in Children’s National Heart and Lung Center and as professor of pediatrics at George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences in September 2025. He will focus on advancing care and research to improve rehabilitation and lifelong health for children and young adults with congenital heart disease and other chronic conditions.
The big picture
Dr. Amedro joins a distinguished group of Children’s National physicians and scientists who hold an endowed chair. Children’s National is grateful to generous donors who have altogether funded 51 professorships.
Professorships support groundbreaking work on behalf of children and their families. They foster new discoveries and innovations in pediatric medicine. These appointments carry prestige and honor that reflects both the recipient’s achievements and the donor’s commitment to advancing and sustaining knowledge.
Why it matters
Children with congenital heart disease and those with cardiovascular risks linked to chronic conditions are living longer than ever thanks to medical advances, but many still struggle with physical and emotional challenges that follow treatment.
Dr. Amedro is an internationally recognized physician-scientist with a long history of advancing pediatric cardiac care and research. At Children’s National, he plans to introduce QUALIREHAB, a research-based cardiac rehabilitation program he developed and validated in Europe. The 12-week hybrid model combines hospital sessions with guided home exercise, patient education and psychosocial support. Designed to help patients stay active and confident, it has been shown to improve aerobic fitness, patient autonomy, cardiovascular health, mental well-being and overall quality of life.
Previously, Dr. Amedro was a pediatric cardiologist at Bordeaux University Hospital and professor of pediatrics at University of Bordeaux. Currently on academic leave from France, he continues to lead the QUALIREHAB research program in Europe. Earlier in his career, he led the Department of Pediatrics at Montpellier University Hospital, where he founded the pediatric clinical research unit and launched several national and international programs in pediatric cardiology.
As the Dunn Family Professor of Cardiac Research, Dr. Amedro will lead efforts to make prevention a cornerstone of cardiac care — turning research in exercise and rehabilitation into real-world programs that help kids live fuller, healthier lives.
“It’s an honor to join Children’s National and become the first Dunn Family Professor of Cardiac Research,” Dr. Amedro says. “By intervening early and helping families integrate these tools at home, we can give patients a better quality of life and hopefully prevent many of the long-term difficulties they face. I’m deeply grateful to the Dunn family for helping us build a future where children have the chance to live not just longer, but better.”
Moving the field forward
The Dunn family, through their vision and generosity, are ensuring that Dr. Amedro and future holders of this professorship will launch bold initiatives to rapidly advance the field of cardiac research, elevate our leadership and improve the lifetimes of children with heart disease.
Laurie and Colin Dunn’s youngest son, Cannon, was born with congenital heart disease in 2020. He underwent open-heart surgery at four days old. Thanks to expert care at Children’s National, he is now thriving at almost 5 years old. Colin and Laurie — together with Colin’s parents, George and Carroll, and his sister Catie and her husband Jerry — have since given back to advance heart research and support other families. Their most recent $2.5 million gift established the Dunn Family Professorship in Cardiac Research and helped launch a nurse-led research initiative aiming to transform cardiac intensive care unit care to reduce stress for infants and parents and enhance coping.
“We’re forever grateful to the surgeons and care team at Children’s National who saved Cannon’s life,” says George Dunn. “This gift is deeply personal for our family, and we are honored to give back by supporting research that will improve care and outcomes for future generations.”
