Stephen Archer
Stephen Archer
Professor
Division of Cardiology
Department of Medicine
School of Medicine
stephen.archer@queensu.ca
613-533-6327
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Research Description

Dr. Stephen Archer is a practicing cardiologist that specializes in the care of patients with various forms of pulmonary hypertension (PH). As a clinician-scientist, he has various research interests in better understanding the mechanism behind PH and developing effective strategies for improving cardiovascular care, and training the next generation of physician-scientists.  Below are the specifics of my research investigations:

Pulmonary arterial hypertension: An obliterative pulmonary vasculopathy resulting in right ventricular (RV) failure. I study the cancer-like proliferation/apoptosis imbalance in vasculature and RV.  

O2-sensing: Hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction (HPV) matches perfusion to ventilation. Focusing on the “Redox Theory” of HPV, I am interested in assessing the role of a mitochondrial O2-sensor in smooth muscle cells and its effects on ion channels and rho kinases.

Cancer metabolism: In general, I am an expert in mitochondrial and metabolic therapies for PH and cancer, including the role of DRP-1-mediated fission and mitofusin-2-mediated fusion.

Ductus arteriosus (DA):  The role of mitochondrial fission in redox-based O2-sensing and its implications for DA constriction which in humans results from the PO2-dependent inhibition of O2-sensitive Kv channels in myocytes.

Dr. Stephen Archer has interests in Pulmonary Hypertension, Translational Medicine, Health Systems, Public Health, and Quality Improvement, Congenital Anomalies, Heart Failure, and Lung Cancer research

Selected Degrees

MD (May 1981) – Doctor of MedicineQueen's University at Kingston
Bachelor of Arts (May 1977) – Arts and ScienceQueen's University at Kingston

Biography

Dr Archer is head of the Department of Medicine and holds the C. Franklin and Helene K. Bracken Chair. He is a physician scientist and a graduate of Queen’s University (Meds ‘81). He is a practicing cardiologist who specializes in the care of patients with various forms of pulmonary hypertension. His other interests include strategies for improving cardiovascular care and training the next generation of physician-scientists. In his spare time he enjoys spending time with family and is an avid hockey player, guitarist and coffee drinker. 

After training at the Royal Columbian Hospital in BC and the Minneapolis Veteran Affairs Medical Center he joined the faculty at the University of Minnesota in 1988. He spent a decade on faculty and attained the rank of Professor under the guidance of his mentor and friend, Dr. E.K. Weir. He then served as Chief of Cardiology and H&S Chair for Northern Alberta at the University of Alberta (1998-2007) and Chair of Cardiology and Harold Hines Jr Professor at the University of Chicago (2007-12). Dr. Archer then returned to Queen’s University as the Head of Medicine and Program Medical Director for Kingston Health Sciences Center. 

Dr. Archer directs a CIHR-funded research lab. He investigates the role of mitochondria, both as oxygen sensors and regulators of cell proliferation and apoptosis and more recently as participants in the lung injury of COVID-19. He has over 300 publications and his H-index is 103, with approximately >41,000 citations. His research focuses on exploring cellular and molecular mechanisms of oxygen sensing and mitochondrial metabolism and dynamics. He also develops experimental therapeutics for pulmonary hypertension and cancer. He has mentored over 70 trainees, many of whom are leaders in science and medicine. 

Dr. Archer is the founder and Scientific Director of the Queen’s CardioPulmonary Unit (QCPU) a $8 million dollar, 8000 square-foot research facility, with a Bench-to-Bedside philosophy. QCPU is designed to support faculty and trainees who perform heart, lung, blood and vascular research. QCPU is comprised of a state-of-the-art basic science research facility that is complemented by an onsite KHSC satellite clinic and echocardiography laboratory which does over 100 clinical studies per year and also supports research clinical trials. With Dr. Vanner he co-founded TIME (the Translational Institute of Medicine), a research institute at Queen’s University. 

His translational cardiovascular research has been recognized with numerous awards, including being elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and being awarded Distinguished Scientist Awards from the American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology. He received the AFMC President’s Award for Exemplary National Leadership in Academic Medicine and was named the Chicago American Heart Association Coeur d’Or recipient in 2013 for leading the establishment of a prehospital STEMI care network in Chicago. 

Alternative Contact Information

Email (Work): stephanie.hartwick@queensu.ca