February is Heart Awareness Month, a time dedicated to raising awareness about cardiovascular health and advancements in treatment. As part of this ongoing effort, Keck Graduate Institute (KGI) student Jennifer Maffre, ’25 PhD, is making significant strides in cardiac treatment through her research on pulsed field ablation (PFA), a promising energy source for treating atrial fibrillation and other heart arrhythmias.
Earlier this month, she presented her findings at the Atrial Fibrillation Symposium in Madrid, Spain, where she discussed the preclinical research underpinning her dissertation and its potential to shape the future of cardiac care.
Maffre’s work focuses on optimizing PFA as a safer, more effective alternative to traditional methods such as radiofrequency ablation, which carries risks of unintended tissue damage. In PFA procedures, a catheter is inserted into a vein and navigated to the heart, where pulsed electrical fields are precisely delivered to the areas causing the arrhythmia. This technique enables highly targeted treatment while preserving surrounding tissue integrity.
At the symposium, she participated in a Q&A session alongside a physician who has used the technology in clinical settings, addressing questions from an audience of over 2,000 physicians and 500 virtual attendees.
“The promise of this technology is significant,” Maffre said. “Atrial fibrillation is just the beginning — we’re exploring ways to apply this treatment to thicker cardiac tissues, which could expand its use beyond atrial fibrillation to other forms of arrhythmias.”
Bridging Research and Clinical Application
Maffre serves as Director of Medical Affairs at Johnson & Johnson MedTech, supporting the full product development lifecycle from new product characterization to market introduction. With expertise in preclinical research, regulatory approvals, and physician training, she is uniquely positioned to help integrate PFA into clinical practice.
The product she is researching recently received regulatory approval in Europe, a milestone she announced at the symposium. While the approval applies to atrial fibrillation, her dissertation focuses on expanding the treatment’s applicability to ventricular arrhythmias, which involve thicker cardiac tissue.
“Current technologies like radiofrequency ablation can sometimes penetrate too deeply, causing collateral damage,” Maffre explained. “Pulsed field ablation offers controlled energy delivery with a safer profile, making it a strong candidate for broader applications.”
Her research aims to demonstrate that PFA can effectively treat all areas of the heart while maintaining a superior safety profile compared to existing options. This involves extensive preclinical testing, including simulations of electrical fields and thermal profiles to assess the energy’s effects on heart tissue.
Expanding the Scope of Pulsed Field Ablation
Unlike atrial fibrillation, ventricular arrhythmias require deeper penetration of energy, which presents a unique set of challenges.
“If we can fine-tune this technology to reach the full thickness of ventricular tissue while preserving safety, we could create a single treatment solution for multiple types of arrhythmias,” she said. “That would be a game-changer for both physicians and patients.”
Her findings will also be featured at the upcoming Heart Rhythm Conference, where she will present a poster on "Predicting Lesion Depth During Pulsed Field Ablation," further contributing to this evolving field.
Maffre’s KGI Journey: Bridging Experience and Discovery
Maffre credits KGI’s PhD in Applied Life Sciences program with providing her the flexibility and support to conduct groundbreaking research while continuing her professional career. Unlike many PhD candidates, she entered the program with over 20 years of experience in the field, having already developed multiple medical technologies. Her decision to return to school was driven by a desire to deepen her expertise in PFA, a technology she believes could revolutionize cardiac treatment.
Under the mentorship of Anna Hickerson, professor and program director of KGI's Master of Science in Medical Device Engineering (MSMDE) program, she has explored the full potential of PFA in cardiac treatment.
“KGI has given me a roadmap for answering complex research questions and the opportunity to collaborate with others tackling medical challenges,” Maffre said. “Being in an environment that fosters innovation has helped me refine my approach and push my work further.”
Beyond cardiac treatment, pulsed field technology is being explored for other medical applications, including cancer treatment, where it has been used to make inoperable tumors treatable. As Maffre continues her research, she hopes to help establish PFA as a mainstream option for a wider range of medical conditions.
“My goal is to be a resource for physicians and to advocate for the adoption of this technology,” she said. “With the right research and clinical validation, pulsed field ablation has the potential to transform the way we treat conditions.”
With her expected graduation in May 2025, Maffre is poised to make a lasting impact in the field of medical devices and cardiac care. Her work exemplifies KGI’s mission of translating research into real-world solutions, bringing cutting-edge science closer to patient care.