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Fearon Lab

Summary

The Fearon Lab, led by Dr. William F. Fearon at Stanford University, is a clinical and translational research group focused on coronary physiology, invasive hemodynamics, and interventional cardiology. The lab has led major international multicenter clinical trials, including the FAME and ALL-RISE trials, which established physiological indices like FFR and FFRangio as standard-of-care guides for coronary interventions. Their work aims to improve patient outcomes by shifting treatment decisions from visual anatomical stenosis estimates to functional ischemic assessment.

Research Areas and Focus

The Fearon Lab conducts clinical trials and physiological studies to optimize myocardial revascularization and understand microvascular function. Key areas include: * Fractional Flow Reserve (FFR): Pioneering the clinical utility of FFR-guided percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) through the FAME (Fractional Flow Reserve vs. Angiography in Multivessel Evaluation) trials. * Angiography-Derived FFR (FFRangio): Leading the ALL-RISE trial, which evaluated the clinical noninferiority of computational FFRangio against wire-based FFR measurements. * Index of Microcirculatory Resistance (IMR): Developing and validating IMR to assess the coronary microcirculation in patients with ischemic heart disease.

Key Investigators

  • William F. Fearon, M.D.: Professor of Medicine (Cardiology) and Chief of the Interventional Cardiology Section at Stanford University School of Medicine.

Citations

  • Randles A. Physiological Assessment of Coronary Artery Disease. N Engl J Med 2026;395:80-83. NEJMe2602134.pdf
  • Fearon WF, Jeremias A, Witberg G, et al. Angiography-derived fractional flow reserve to guide PCI. N Engl J Med 2026;395:9-19.