Salil Kumar, MD, FACC
Department of Cardiology, Division of Internal Medicine
Present Title & Affiliation
Primary Appointment
Assistant Professor, Cardiology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
Dual/Joint/Adjunct Appointment
Associate Director, Cath Lab, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Education & Training
Degree-Granting Education
| 2016 | The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, OH, US, MD |
| 2012 | Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, US, Biomedical Engineering, BS |
Postgraduate Training
| 2022-2023 | Advanced Heart Failure and Transplantation Fellow, Advanced Heart Failure and Transplantation, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, Texas |
| 2022-2022 | Participant; Clinical Educator Pathway, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, Texas |
| 2021-2022 | Chief Cardiology Fellow, Cardiology, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, Texas |
| 2019-2022 | General Cardiology Fellow, Cardiology, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, Texas |
| 2016-2019 | Clinical Resident, Internal Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY |
Licenses & Certifications
| 2024 | Florida Board of Medicine |
| 2024 | Georgia Composite Medical Board |
| 2024 | Mississippi State Board of Medical Licensure |
| 2024 | Washington State Department of Health |
| 2024 | Arizona Board of Medical Examiners |
| 2024 | Tennessee Board of Medical Examiners |
| 2024 | Oklahoma State Board of Medical Licensure |
| 2024 | Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners |
| 2023 | Texas Medical Board |
| 2022 | Cardiovascular Disease - American Board of Internal Medicine |
| 2021 | National Board of Echocardiography |
| 2019 | Internal Medicine - American Board of Internal Medicine |
Experience & Service
Administrative Appointments/Responsibilities
Patient Safety Quality Officer, Cardiology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, 2025 - 2028
Academic Mentoring Program (AMP) Mentoring Participant, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, 2024 - Present
Editorial Activities
Editorial Fellowship Program, American Journal of Transplantation: Official Journal of the American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons, 2023 - 2024
Associate Editor, Houston Methodist DeBakey Cardiovascular Journal, 2021 - 2021
Honors & Awards
| 2022 | American Society of Transplantation Fellows Meeting Travel Grant, American Society of Transplantation |
| 2022 | International Society of Heart Transplantation Travel Grant, International Society of Heart Transplantation |
| 2016 | David Z. Saylor Memorial Award in Cardiology |
| 2015 | Landacre Honor Society |
Professional Memberships
Selected Presentations & Talks
Local Presentations
- 2026. Exercise Testing in Cardio-Oncology. Invited. Cardiology Grand Rounds. Houston, Texas, US.
- 2025. Improving safety for cancer patients with left ventricular assist devices (LVAD). Invited. Division of Internal Medicine Grand Rounds. Houston, Texas, US.
- 2025. Mineralocorticoid Receptor Antagonists in Heart Failure: Current Data and Emerging Therapies. Invited. Department of Cardiology Noon Conference. Houston, Texas, US.
- 2025. Genetic Testing For Cardiomyopathies 101. Invited. Department of Cardiology Noon Conference. Houston, Texas, US.
- 2024. Heart Failure Physical Therapy Considerations. Invited. Rehabilitation Services. Houston, Texas, US.
- 2024. Heart Failure. Invited. Updates in Cardiology. Houston, Texas, US.
- 2023. Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction. Invited. Cardiology Grand Rounds. Houston, Texas, US.
- 2023. All Hail Queen Victoria: Finding Her Role. Invited. Houston Heart Failure Summit. Houston, Texas, US.
- 2022. LVAD Desensitization: A No-Fly Zone?. Invited. George P. Noon Conference – Rejection of the Heart: New Frontiers in the Diagnosis and Treatment. Houston, Texas, US.
- 2022. Machine Learning in Heart Failure: Disruptive Tool or Fool’s Gold?. Invited. Houston Methodist Grand Rounds. Houston, Texas, US.
- 2021. Tips and Tricks for 1st Year of Fellowship. Invited. DeBakey CV Live: Special Edition. Houston, Texas, US.
- 2021. Case Presentation on Cardiac Masses. Invited. Houston Heart Failure Summit. Houston, Texas, US.
- 2021. Genetics in Heart Failure. Invited. DeBakey CV Live: Heart Failure Hour. Houston, Texas, US.
National Presentations
- 2026. A Smoldering Diagnosis of Amyloidosis. Invited. American College of Cardiology Annual Scientific Sessions 2026. New Orleans, Louisiana, US.
- 2025. Precision Cancer Medicine, Precision Volume Guidance During Cancer Therapy Using CardioMems. Invited. SCAI 2025 Scientific Sessions. Washington DC, US.
- 2023. Multi-Organ Transplant Outcomes: When are Two Organs Better Than One in Heart Transplantation?. Conference. 2023 Scientific Sessions;, US.
- 2023. It’s All About the RV: Failure, Management, and Recovery. Invited. ACC Scientific Sessions 2023. New Orleans, LA, US.
- 2021. A Multi-Institutional Retrospective Analysis on Impact of Timing of RVAD on 1-Year Mortality. Conference. 2021 Scientific Sessions (Virtual Conference), US.
- 2020. External Validation and Comparison of the EUROMACS and Right Ventricular Failure Risk Score for Right Ventricular Failure Prediction after Left Ventricular Assist Device. Conference. 2020 Scientific Sessions, (Virtual Conference), US.
Selected Publications
Peer-Reviewed Articles
- Ranganath, S, Ynalvez, L, Ali, HR, Hamzeh, I, Kumar, S, Zehner, CA, Koutroumpakis, E, Palaskas, NL, Chandrasekharan, C, Deswal, A, Iliescu, C, Khalaf, SZ. Imaging of Myocardial Carcinoid Metastasis. JACC: Case Reports 31(26), 2026. e-Pub 2026. PMID: 42153926.
- King, NE, Kapadia, MV, Schubert, S, Jacob, J, Song, J, Kumar, S, Ynalvez, LA, Kantharia, BK, Deswal, A, Karimzad, K. Cardiac resynchronization therapy in patients with cancer. Heart Rhythm O2 7(1):188-190, 2026. e-Pub 2026. PMID: 41695508.
- Ali, A, Bourdillon, M, Ali, HR, Song, J, Koutroumpakis, E, Jewani, P, Khalaf, SZ, Hamzeh, IR, Kumar, S, Palaskas, NL, Durand, J, Iliescu, C. CardioMEMS guided heart failure management in cardio-oncology patients. Cardio-Oncology 11(1), 2025. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 40682155.
- Fatakdawala, M, Ali, HR, Song, J, Irizarry-Caro, JA, Faiz, S, Kumar, S, Yusuf, SW, Durand, J, Iliescu, C, Palaskas, NL, Deswal, A, Koutroumpakis, E. Correlation of Natriuretic Peptides with Invasively Measured Intracardiac Filling Pressures in Patients With Cancer. JACC: CardioOncology 7(4):448-450, 2025. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 40366327.
- Kumar S, Aoun J, Bhimaraj. New Onset Coronary Obstruction in Established Nonischemic Heart Failure: A Late Consequence of Radiation. Methodist Debakey Cardiovasc J 18(2):108-110, 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 35414847.
- Sims DB, Kim Y, Kalininskiy A, Yanamandala M, Josephs J, Rivas-Lasarte M, Ahmed N, Assa A, Jahufar F, Kumar S, Sun E, Rahgozar K, Ali SZ, Zhang M, Patel S, Edwards P, Saeed O, Shin JJ, Murthy S, Patel S, Shah A, Jorde UP. Full-Time Cardiac Intensive Care Unit Staffing by Heart Failure Specialists and its Association with Mortality Rates. J Card Fail 28(3):394-402, 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 34634449.
- Kumar S, Derbala M, Rashid SM, Ferrall J, Cefalu M, Rivas-Lasarte M, Joseph DT, Goldstein DJ, Jorde U, Bhimaraj A, Suarez EE, Smith SA, Sims DB, Guha A. A Multi-Institutional Retrospective Analysis on Impact of RV Acute Mechanical Support Timing after LVAD Implantation on 1-Year Mortality and Predictors of RV Acute Mechanical Support Weaning. J Heart Lung Transplant 41(2):244-254, 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 34802875.
- Vejpongsa P, Torre-Amione G, Marcos-Abdala HG, Kumar S, Youker K, Bhimaraj A, Nagueh SF. Long term development of diastolic dysfunction and heart failure with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction in heart transplant recipients. Sci Rep 12(3834), 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 35264640.
- Kumar S, Rivas-Lasarte M, Derbala M, Ferrall J, Ferrall J, Cefalu M, Rashid SM, Joseph DT, Goldstein DJ, Jorde U, Guha A, Bhimaraj A, Suarez EE, Smith SA, Sims DB. Prediction of Right Heart Failure after Left Ventricular Assist Implantation: External Validation of the EUROMACS Right-sided Heart Failure Risk Score. Eur Heart J Acute Cardiovasc Care 10(7):723-732, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 34050652.
- Wimberly H, Kumar S, Slack F, Agarwal S, Rimm DL. Quantitative analysis of microRNAs in tissue microarrays by in situ hybridization. Biotechniques 52(4):235-245, 2012. e-Pub 2012. PMID: 22482439.
Review Articles
- Osman, AF, Scott, SS, Ezeh, EO, Osuji, E, Ailemen, IO, Derbala, M, Kumar, S, Ganapathi, AM, Sims, DB, Guha, A, Whitson, BA, Smith, SA. Role for inflammatory markers in predicting right ventricular failure in mechanical assist device recipients. ESC Heart Failure 12(4):2608-2620, 2025. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 40299892.
- Ostos-Mendoza, KC, Saraiba-Rabanales, V, Gutierrez-Gallegos, P, Wang, E, Koutroumpakis, E, Kumar, S, Khalaf, SZ, Ali, HR, Deswal, A, Palaskas, NL. Immune checkpoint inhibitor-associated myocarditis. Journal of Cardiovascular Aging 5(1), 2025. e-Pub 2025.
- Kumar S. State-of-the-Art Review on Management of End-Stage Heart Failure in Amyloidosis: Transplant and Beyond. Heart Fail Rev 27(5):1567-1578, 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 35112265.
- Khandelwal P, Roberts K, Kumar S, Vadivelu N. Pain relief in laparoscopic cholecystectomy--a review of the current options. Pain Pract 12(6):485-496, 2012. e-Pub 2012. PMID: 22008277.
Other Articles
- Kumar, S, Deswal, A In HFrEF, adding digitoxin to standard care reduced a composite of death or first worsening HF hospitalization at a median 36 mo. Annals of internal medicine 179(1):JC8, 2026. PMID: 41490511.
Editorials
- Bhimaraj, A, Kumar, S. Where There's Smoke, There's Fire. JACC: Heart Failure 13(10), 2025. PMID: 40858002.
- Deswal A, Kumar S. Finding a Signal in the Noise: Exploring Comorbidity Clusters to Personalize Acute Heart Failure Care. JACC Heart Fail 12(10):1775-1777, 2024. PMID: 39152984.
Abstracts
- Guerra Rubi O.A., Song J., Palaskas N., Faiz S., Sheshadri A., Kumar S, Mouhayar EN, Durand JB, Mehran R., Mitchell K., Deswal A., Rajaram R., Ali HJ. PULMONARY HYPERTENSION POST-MAJOR LUNG RESECTION: INCIDENCE AND RISK FACTORS. ACC 2026. e-Pub 2026.
- Kumar S, Nguyen DT, Graviss EA, Patil S, Kim JH, Suarez EE, Hussain I, Yousefzai R, Ahsan SA, Gorthi J, Kassi M, Bhimaraj A, Martin CM, Guha A. Donor-Derived Cell-Free DNA in Heart Multiorgan Transplantation. International Society of Heart and Lung Transplantation 2023 Scientific Sessions.
- Alghothani M, Kumar S, Lee B, Smith SA, Emani S. Characterizing Rebound Pulmonary Hypertension in the Bridge to Transplant Population. Heart Failure Society of America 2016 Scientific Session.
- Kumar S, Lee B, Alghothani M, Smith SA. Pulmonary Artery Pulsatility Index Predicts 1-Year Mortality Post-LVAD Implantation. Heart Failure Society of America 2016 Scientific Session.
- Peltzer B, Nag T, Kim Y, Weiss A, Kumar S, Shulman E, Shin JJ, Patel S, Saeed O, Jorde UP, Sims DB. Fewer Deaths or Hospitalizations for Heart Failure Using Hydralazine-Isosorbide Mononitrate Compared to Hydralazine-Isosorbide Dinitrate in Patients with Systolic Heart Failure. American College of Cardiology 2018 Scientific Session.
- Shah L, Kumar S, Masters-Israilov A, Arora S. Seeing the Unseen. Society of General Internal Medicine 2018 Annual Meeting.
- Kumar S, Smith SA, Josephs JS, Kumar K, Murthy S, Patel S, Saeed O, Shin JJ, Forest S, Goldstein DJ, Jorde UP. Optimizing Hemodynamics Does Not Improve the Pulmonary Artery Pulsatility Index’s Post-LVAD Right Ventricular Failure Predictive Value. International Society of Heart and Lung Transplant 2018 Scientific Sessions.
- Kumar S, Rahman A, Josephs JS, Peltzer B, Saeed O, Patel S, Shin JJ, Forest S, Goldstein DJ, Jorde UP, Sims DB. Preoperative Ascites Predicts Right Ventricular Failure post-LVAD Implantation. Heart Failure Society of America 2018 Scientific Sessions.
- Kumar S, Smith SA, Derbala MH, Pinkhas D, Lee B, Josephs JS, Murthy S, Patel S, Saeed O, Shin JJ, Forest S, Goldstein DJ, Jorde UP, Sims DB. Analysis of the INTERMACS post-LVAD RVF definition and Severe RVF in a Multi- Institutional Retrospective Cohort Study. Heart Failure Society of America 2018 Scientific Sessions.
- Kumar S, Rahman A, Josephs JS, Saeed O, Patel S, Murthy S, Shin JJ, Forest S, Vukelic S, Goldstein DJ, Jorde UP, Sims DB. Trend in Pulmonary Artery Pulsatility Index Pre- to Post-LVAD Implantation. International Society of Heart and Lung Transplant 2019 Scientific Sessions.
- Kumar S, Rahman A, Josephs JS, Saeed O, Patel S, Murthy S, Shin JJ, Forest S, Vukelic S, Goldstein DJ, Jorde UP, Sims DB. Pulmonary Artery Pulsatility Index Early Post-LVAD Implantation Predicts Severe Right Ventricular Failure. International Society of Heart and Lung Transplant 2019 Scientific Sessions.
- Rahman A, Hasani A, Moussa O, Kumar S, Jahufar F, Saeed O, Murthy S, Vukelic S, Patel S, Shin JJ, Jorde U, Dibiase L, Sims DB. Efficacy of Catheter Ablation of Atrial Fibrillation in Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection. Heart Failure Society of America 2019 Scientific Sessions.
- Kumar S, Rashid SMI, Mustehsan MH, Chinnadurai T, Gupta N, Saeed O, Patel S, Murthy S, Shin JJ, Forest S, Vukelic S, Goldstein DJ, Jorde U, Sims DB. Maximum Vasoactive Inotropic Score in the 48 Hours Post-LVAD Implantation Correlates with Early Severe Right Ventricular Failure. International Society of Heart and Lung Transplant 2020 Scientific Sessions, Virtual Conference.
- Derbala M, Rivas-Lasarte M, Kumar S, Ferrall J, Cefalu M, Guo A, Mohammad S, Sims DB, Smith SA. Beta Blocker Administration Within 30 Days Post-Left Ventricular Assist Device Significantly Decreases 1-Year Mortality in a Multi-Institutional Retrospective Cohort Study. American Heart Association 2020 Scientific Sessions, Virtual Conference.
- Kumar S, Radhawa V, Lee R, Ives L, Soltesz EG, Tong MZY, Starling RC, Hernanez-Montfort J, Mazen H, Trachtenberg B, Estep J. Two-Centre Analysis of Cardiac Amyloidosis Patients in Cardiogenic Shock Requiring Temporary Mechanical Circulatory Support. American College of Cardiology 2021 Scientific Sessions, Virtual Conference.
- Kumar S, Derbala M, Rashid SM, Ferrall J, Cefalu M, Rivas-Lasarte M, Joseph DT, Goldstein DJ, Jorde U, Bhimaraj A, Suarez EE, Smith SA, Sims DB, Guha A. Machine Learning Defines Distinct Phenotypes of Patients Developing Post-LVAD RVF in a Multi-Institutional Retrospective Cohort. International Society of Heart and Lung Transplant 2022 Scientific Sessions.
Web Publications
- Kumar S, Trachtenberg B. Shedding Light on a Restrictive Diagnosis: Amyloid Cardiomyopathy, 2024.
Patient Reviews
CV information above last modified August 21, 2026