André completed a PhD at St Vincent’s / University of Melbourne and 4 years of postdoctoral research at the University Hospital of Leuven, Belgium. Subsequently, he established his own research lab and cardiac imaging facility that produced several late-breaking clinical trials published in leading cardiovascular journals.
His research and clinical work focuses on the effect of exercise on the human heart. He studies the range of health from severe heart and lung disease to elite athletic performance.
André now heads the Heart Exercise And Research Trials (HEART) Lab that comprises a young team of multi-disciplinary researchers that combine innovative exercise testing and cardiac imaging to identify the factors that contribute to heart muscle dysfunction, heart rhythm problems and cardiac arrest.
André has pioneered novel imaging techniques including exercise cardiac magnetic resonance imaging and contrast echocardiography. He has more than 300 peer-review publications and text-book chapters, serves on multiple international guideline statements and is regularly invited to present at all major international cardiology conferences.
Heart, Exercise & Research Trials
The HEART Lab conducts scientific investigations focused on understanding the effect of exercise on cardiovascular health and well-being, employing sophisticated exercise testing and specialised cardiac imaging methodologies to assess the heart's capacity to respond to physiological challenges posed by exercise. Our research encompasses a wide spectrum of health conditions, from severely abnormal heart function through to the best performing hearts of elite athletes.
Lab head: Professor André La GercheRelated news
July 2024
Sudden Cardiac Arrest Researcher Joins SVI
SVI proudly welcomes Dr Elizabeth Paratz, who has joined SVI’s Heart, Exercise and Research Trials (HEART) Lab as a Team Leader. Dr Paratz will lead a team of SVI researchers, working closely with Professor La Gerche and scientists at VCCRI, who are also undertaking research into sudden cardiac arrest.
May 2024
Running under a four-minute mile could be the key to a long and healthy life
A new study released on the 70th anniversary of Sir Roger Bannister’s sub-four-minute mile record has revealed the first 200 runners to follow in his footsteps also share another remarkable trait: longevity.
Selected publications
Foulkes SJ, Howden EJ, Haykowsky MJ, Antill Y, Salim A, Nightingale SS, Loi S, Claus P, Janssens K, Mitchell AM, Wright L, Costello BT, Lindqvist A, Burnham L, Wallace I, Daly RM, Fraser SF and La Gerche A. Exercise for the Prevention of Anthracycline-induced Functional Disability and Cardiac Dysfunction: The BReast Cancer Randomized EXercise InTervention (BREXIT) Study. Circulation. 2023 Feb 14;147(7):532-545.
Foulkes SJ, Howden EJ, Dillon HT, Janssens K, Beaudry R, Mitchell AM, Lindqvist A, Wallace I, Wright L, Costello BT, Claessen G, Haykowsky MJ and La Gerche A. Too Little of a Good Thing: Strong Associations Between Cardiac Size and Fitness Among Women. JACC Cardiovasc Imaging. 2023.
La Gerche A, Howden EJ, Haykowsky MJ, Lewis GD, Levine BD and Kovacic JC. Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction as an Exercise Deficiency Syndrome: JACC Focus Seminar 2/4. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2022;80:1177-1191.
De Bosscher R, Dausin C, Claus P, Bogaert J, Dymarkowski S, Goetschalckx K, Ghekiere O, Van De Heyning CM, Van Herck P, Paelinck B, El Addouli H, La Gerche A, Herbots L, Willems R, Heidbuchel H and Claessen G. Lifelong endurance exercise and its relation with coronary atherosclerosis. Eur Heart J. 2023.
La Gerche A, Claessen G, Dymarkowski S, Voigt JU, De Buck F, Vanhees L, Droogne W, Van Cleemput J, Claus P, Heidbuchel H. Exercise-induced right ventricular dysfunction is associated with ventricular arrhythmias in endurance athletes. Eur Heart J 2015;36(30):1998-2010.
La Gerche A, Claessen G, Van de Bruaene A, Pattyn N, Van Cleemput J, Gewillig M, Bogaert J, Dymarkowski S, Claus P, Heidbuchel H. Cardiac MRI: a new gold standard for ventricular volume quantification during high-intensity exercise. Circ Cardiovasc Imaging 2013;6(2):329-38.