Dr. Akif Ündar’s passion is the development of novel technologies and methodologies to be used in minimizing the adverse effects of cardiovascular operations, mechanical circulatory support systems and cardiopulmonary bypass procedures in neonates, infants, and children.

In particular, Dr. Ündar focuses on translational research in minimizing cerebral, myocardial, pulmonary and renal injury during and after pediatric cardiopulmonary bypass procedures and mechanical circulatory support. His translational research specialties include pediatric heart-lung machines, pulsatile versus non-pulsatile perfusion, pediatric mechanical circulatory support systems, complement, neutrophil, platelet, and cytokine inhibition during pediatric open-heart procedures, microdevices for measuring systemic inflammation in real-time, detection and classification of microemboli, and blood viscoelasticity.

Dr. Ündar is the founder and director of Penn State Pediatric Cardiovascular Research. This multi-disciplinary project combines translational, engineering, basic science research and clinical applications with a common focus on pediatric open-heart procedures and pediatric mechanical circulatory support systems.

Dr. Ündar is also the founder and scientific chair of The International Conference on Pediatric Mechanical Circulatory Support Systems and Pediatric Cardiopulmonary Perfusion. The first annual meeting was held at the Hotel Hershey in 2005. Since then, there have been 15 international conferences with more than 3,660 participants from 43 countries in attendance. As a result, more than 500 peer-reviewed articles, editorials and case reports have been generated for this underserved research area. These publications have become the largest resource for the investigators of pediatric mechanical cardiovascular research around the globe.