Keith F. Childs, BS

Keith Childs is a medical specialist and research biologist with over 20 years dedicated to advancing medical research in cardiology and genetic engineering. His career began at the University of Michigan, where he worked in an electrophysiology lab performing thoracotomies and installing automatic implantable cardioverter defibrillators (AICDs). He then joined Dr. Bolling’s thoracic laboratory as lab manager for nine years, overseeing students and medical professionals while running bypass pump operations using New Zealand white rabbit models to simulate bypass surgery. During this time, he developed an isolated heart model, trained students in specialized techniques, and studied the effects of amino acid preloading and post-loading on heart preservation, contributing to research that informed clinical applications. Keith also made significant contributions to genetic engineering at the University of Michigan’s Transgenic Animal Model Core, which provides laboratories with transgenic mice for research purposes. He performed complex procedures including embryonic stem cell microinjections, pronuclear injections, and creation of knockout and knock-in models, producing research animals with altered genetic traits such as TPA mice to study blood coagulation. After leaving the university, he worked in the private sector creating transgenic mice for research labs, combining his expertise in electrophysiology, surgical techniques, and genetic engineering to produce models that advanced scientific understanding in ways not documented in textbooks. Keith earned his Bachelor of Science in Biology with a minor in Chemistry from Eastern Michigan University, where he complemented his studies with internships and professional experience, including work with NOAA studying the Great Lakes, microbiology testing at Domino’s Pizza headquarters, and computer systems at Northern Telecom. This diverse background in biology, chemistry, and technology uniquely positioned him for his groundbreaking work in cardiology and genetic research. Now retired in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Keith is exploring entrepreneurial opportunities to continue contributing to medical research through innovative grant-funded projects, leveraging decades of multidisciplinary expertise to drive future discoveries.

• Eastern Michigan University - BS, Biology

I have written and published research papers during my time at the University of Michigan. While working with Dr. Kadish in the electrophysiology lab, I studied the heart, learned surgical techniques, and wrote papers on my findings. My research in Dr. Boeing's thoracic laboratory also resulted in publications, including studies on heart preservation using amino acids in isolated heart models. One example of our published work examined the benefits of amino acids on heart preservation by measuring pressure on the heart using balloon catheters in the left ventricle and comparing amino acid preloading and post-loading against control animals. My research contributed to understanding how myocytes in the heart operate and improved cardiac function in ways that were translatable to clinical studies.