Dr. Priscilla Hsue’s research interest is in the pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, and treatment of cardiovascular disease and inflammation in HIV-infected individuals. Dr. Hsue runs the HIV Cardiology Clinic at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and is one of the few cardiologists internationally with clinical as well as research expertise in this area. 

Her research program evaluates the relationship between inflammation, immune dysfunction, and cardiovascular disease (CVD).  Dr. Hsue’s work has focused on HIV as a model of chronic inflammation and its role in the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD) which provides mechanistic and therapeutic insights for all individuals with CVD.  Aside from CVD, the anti-inflammatory strategies her group is studying have formed the basis for broader investigations on HIV cure.  As a clinical translational scientist, she has assembled a multidisciplinary team and oversees a large portfolio of clinical and translational research studies to address the pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, and treatment of CVD and inflammation in persons living with HIV. Over the years, seminal findings from her program have included accelerated atherosclerosis and other CVD in persons living with HIV as well as the prominent role that HIV-associated inflammation plays in the biology of increased cardiovascular risk.  Most recently, she is leading clinical trials evaluating the impact of inflammation on progression of atherosclerosis in HIV including a multicenter study of low dose methotrexate, a single center study of IL-1β inhibition using canakinumab, and a single center study of PCSK9 inhibition in HIV.  Our group is also performing the first large-scale proteomic study in HIV.  Finally, her team has performed immunotherapeutic trials in other inflammatory states including rheumatoid arthritis and atherosclerosis. 

As Co-Director of the Center of Excellence in Vascular Research, she has trained a large team of researchers and vascular technicians who perform cardiovascular research. Previously she has served as site director for the UCSF Cardiology Fellowship Program as well as Chair of the Clinical and Integrative Cardiovascular Science Study Section of NHLBI. Dr. Hsue co-directs a K12 program, has successfully mentored numerous trainees, and has won several awards for mentoring.