Bio

​​M.D. University of Mississippi Medical Center, 1978

"We have developed a new strategy for early diagnosis of sepsis, a life-threatening disease in infants, based abnormal heart rate characteristics."

Randall J. Moorman, Professor of Medicine, Biomedical Engineering and Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics

Dr. J. Randall Moorman is a cardiologist in Charlottesville, Virginia and is affiliated with University of Virginia Medical Center. He received his medical degree from University of Mississippi School of Medicine and has been in practice for more than 20 years. He is one of 41 doctors at University of Virginia Medical Center who specialize in Cardiovascular Disease.

Research Interests

  • Cardiovascular Engineering

Selected Publications

  • Physiological time-series analysis using approximate entropy and sample entropy. American Journal of Physiology-Heart and Circulatory Physiology. ABS JS Richman, JR Moorman
  • Sample entropy analysis of neonatal heart rate variability. American Journal of Physiology-Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative. ABS DE Lake, JS Richman, MP Griffin, JR Moorman.
  • Toward the early diagnosis of neonatal sepsis and sepsis-like illness using novel heart rate analysis. Pediatrics 107 (1), 97-104 ABS MP Griffin, JR Moorman
  • Mortality reduction by heart rate characteristic monitoring in very low birth weight neonates: a randomized trial. The Journal of pediatrics 159 (6), 900-906. e1 ABS JR Moorman, WA Carlo, J Kattwinkel, RL Schelonka, PJ Porcelli
  • Abnormal heart rate characteristics are associated with abnormal neuroimaging and outcomes in extremely low birth weight infants. J Perinatol. 2014 Feb 22. ABS Fairchild, K. D.,Sinkin, R. A.,Davalian, F.,Blackman, A. E.,Swanson, J. R.,Matsumoto, J. A.,Lake, D. E.,Moorman, J. R.,Blackman, J. A.
  • Abnormal heart rate characteristics before clinical diagnosis of necrotizing enterocolitis. J Perinatol. 2013 Jun 01. ABS Stone, M. L.,Tatum, P. M.,Weitkamp, J. H.,Mukherjee, A. B.,Attridge, J.,McGahren, E. D.,Rodgers, B. M.,Lake, D. E.,Moorman, J. R.,Fairchild, K. D.
  • Mortality Reduction by Heart Rate Characteristic Monitoring in Very Low Birth Weight Neonates: A Randomized Trial. J Pediatr. 2011 Dec. ABS Moorman, J.R., Carlo, W.A., Kattwinkel, J., Schelonka, R.L., Porcelli, P.J., Navarrete, C.T., Bancalari, E., Aschner, J.L., Whit Walker, M., Perez, J.A., Palmer, C., S.
Google Scholar

Featured Grants & Projects

  • We study regulation of the heartbeat in health and disease

    Our major clinical research effort centers on sepsis, a life-threatening infection of the bloodstream and a major cause of morbidity and mortality in premature newborn infants. Currently, the diagnosis is often not suspected until late in the course of the illness when the infant is very ill indeed. We have developed a new strategy for early diagnosis based on the finding that signs of illness are preceded by abnormal heart rate characteristics (HRC) of reduced variability and transient decelerations. Using a validated predictive algorithm for continuous HRC monitoring, we have recently diagnosed and treated sepsis in infants who never became ill. We are conducting a randomized clinical trial to test the hypothesis that HRC monitoring improves the outcomes of infants in the neonatal intensive care unit. The techniques involve clinical neonatology and mathematical biostatistics. Our major basic science research effort centers on the FXYD family of single transmembrane proteins that modulate membrane ion transport processes. Of particular interest is FXYD 1, or phospholemman (PLM), a major substrate for diverse protein kinases in heart that modulates Na,K-ATPase, Na-Ca exchanger, and to form osmolyte-selective channels. We utilize reagents and models ranging from highly purified wild-type and mutant protein to the knock-out mouse using most imaginable techniques of animal and cellular cardiac physiology, electrophysiology, structural biology, biochemistry, molecular biology, and cell imaging. Our goal is to understand the physiological role of PLM in heart, where it is the major substrate for phosphorylation by PKA (activated by beta adrenergic receptors) and PKC (activated by angiotensin-II receptors and a-adrenergic receptors). Since the major interventions to prolong life in congestive heart failure, which affects millions of Americans, are blockade of beta-adrenergic receptors and angiotensin-II receptors, the potential clinical importance of understanding PLM function is enormous.