Project Description
Carmen Terzic, MD, PhD
Co-Investigator and Mayo Clinic Site Lead
Dr. Terzic is the Co-Director of the Rehabilitation Medicine Research Center and Associate Director of Cardiac Rehabilitation at Program at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. She holds the academic rank of Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.
Dr. Terzic received the M.D. degree at University Centro Occidental Lisandro Alvarado, Venezuela. She completed a residency at University Hospital in Barquisimeto, Venezuela. She received the M.Sci. degree in physiology and biophysics from the Venezuelan National Institute for Research and the Ph.D. degree in Pharmacology from Mayo Graduate School. Furthermore, Dr. Terzic completed a postdoctoral fellowship in cardiovascular research, an internship in the Department of Internal Medicine and a residency in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation – all at Mayo Clinic.
Dr. Terzic has received numerous honors and awards during her training and career, including the chancellor’s recognition as the top graduate of the medical school class from Lisandro Alvarado Mid-Western University; the Earl Elkins Award for outstanding Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Resident and the Outstanding Senior Research Award from Mayo Clinic; the Young Investigator Award and the Antonio Jose de Sucre Award for academic excellence from the Ministry of Science, Government of the Republic of Venezuela; Dr. Terzic received the Distinguished Academician Award from the Association of Academic Physiatrists in April, 2011.
She holds professional memberships in organizations including the American Medical Association, American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation and the Association of Academic Physiatrists. She has given multiple presentations around the world. She serves on the editorial board of the American Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.
Her clinical interests include cardiovascular and neuromuscular rehabilitation, and her research focuses on regenerative medicine and stem cell-based cardiac repair, nuclear transport, intracellular calcium homeostasis. As a principal investigator and co-investigator, her work has been funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; and the American Heart Association, among other organizations. Dr. Terzic has reported research findings in over 90 manuscripts and textbook chapters. Her work has been published in leading journals, such as Science, Nature Cell Biology, Science Translational Medicine, Circulation, Journal of Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation and Prevention, Circulation Research, Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Genome Biology and Stem Cells.
She is active on a number of national and international specialty societies and is recognized globally for her contributions to national and international clinical guidelines and practice in the area of cardiovascular diseases/prevention and rehabilitation.
Dr. Terzic was also a competitive fencer since the age of 8 and a member of the national fencing team of Venezuela during the years 1978-1992. She entered The Sport Hall of Fame in her country in 2012.