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TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH
FALL 2026
The Heart of Discovery
DAVIS WOMEN’S HEART CENTER CLOSES A GAP IN WOMEN’S HEALTH
Chest pressure. Pain shooting down the left arm. Sudden shortness of breath. Thanks to decades of cardiovascular research and public awareness campaigns, most people recognize these as warning signs of a heart attack. But what if the symptoms were jaw pain or sudden, overwhelming fatigue?
For millions of women, these lesser-known presentations may be the first indication of a heart in crisis. At the Houston Methodist DeBakey Heart & Vascular Center, clinician-researchers have long recognized that cardiovascular disease often presents differently in women than in men. For Dr. William A. Zoghbi, The Elkins Family Distinguished Chair in Cardiac Health, those differences highlighted persistent shortfalls in awareness, diagnosis and treatment. Determined to change that trajectory, he envisioned a center dedicated to women’s cardiovascular health. That vision became a reality in December 2024 with the launch of the Davis Women’s Heart Center.
"IT’S INSPIRING TO SEE PARTNERS INVEST IN A SHARED VISION OF IMPROVING HEALTH AND ADDRESSING THE UNIQUE NEEDS OF WOMEN."
— DR. WILLIAM A. ZOGHBI
“Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death in women, yet women have historically been underrepresented in research and clinical trials,” says Dr. Zoghbi. “Through this center, we have an opportunity to close this gap by providing specialized care, advancing research and training the next generation of cardiac experts.”
Despite being home to the world’s largest medical complex, Houston has never had a dedicated women’s heart center — until now. Through impactful philanthropic support, the Davis Women’s Heart Center brings together 14 medical specialties to create one of the country’s most comprehensive programs focused on women’s cardiovascular health. Led by inaugural director and Davis Women’s Heart Endowed Chair Dr. Martha Gulati, the multidisciplinary team is building new pathways for research, prevention and care that better reflect the unique ways heart disease affects women.
“We are biologically different from men, and the complexities of heart disease show up in different ways,” says Dr. Gulati. “Although heart disease is the No. 1 killer for both sexes, women remain less likely than men to be screened, correctly diagnosed or properly treated.”
Continued philanthropic foresight is accelerating this work through the Davis Innovation Fund, created in honor of Dr. Zoghbi. The fund fuels research into cardio-obstetrics and cardiovascular conditions that disproportionately affect women, including microvascular disease and spontaneous coronary artery dissection. It also advances large-scale data analysis that identifies lapses in care and educational initiatives that will shape future leaders in women’s cardiac disease.
“Women’s health is a continuum — from early life to childbearing age and perimenopause,” concludes Dr. Zoghbi. “We are grateful to be working in a collaborative environment that spans multiple specialties to care for women at every stage of life.”
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