Dr. Katarzyna Cieslik is an Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine. She graduated from the Jagiellonian University in Poland (founded in 1364, the oldest in the country and one of the oldest in Europe). She did her postdoctoral studies at the University of Texas HSC at Houston and Baylor College of Medicine. She was then recruited to Baylor College of Medicine as an Instructor and rose to the rank of Associate Professor. In May 2024, Dr. Cieslik joined Houston Methodist Hospital.

Dr. Cieslik is a basic research scientist whose primary interest is dissecting molecular and cellular mechanisms of cardiac aging. Her research goal is to understand the changes that promote cardiac inflammation and fibrosis and how the basic mechanisms differ between males and females. Her lab members modulate cellular phenotypes to reduce inflammation and/or fibrosis and analyze its effect on diastolic heart function. Her lab uses in vivo, in vitro, and ex vivo approaches, and recently, her team has developed a 3D tissue culture technique using decellularized cardiac tissue.

Her lab also works on developing pharmacological treatments to slow down cardiac aging, including dietary interventions.

Over the years, Dr. Cieslik has served on multiple grant review NIH study sections. She is currently funded by the National Institute on Aging and is a fellow of the American Heart Association.