Linda J. Heffner, MD, PhD

Emeritus Professor, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine

Biography

Dr. Linda Heffner is Emeritus Professor, and past Chair and Chief, of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine and Boston Medical Center. After she earned a Ph.D. in physiology from Cornell University and an M.D. degree from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, she completed a residency in obstetrics and gynecology at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania followed by a fellowship in maternal-fetal medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

Dr. Heffner came to BUSM in 2003 after spending 18 years at BWH, where she was the first female division chief, and Harvard Medical School, where she was the first woman in her field to reach the rank of professor. A dedicated teacher, Dr. Heffner has won numerous awards for her efforts from both Harvard and Boston University and has been named repeatedly to Who’s Who in Medicine and Health Care. Over the course of her career, she has published two textbooks and numerous research articles that have helped define important aspects of obstetric care.

Publications

  • Published 6/9/2017

    Hong X, Hao K, Ji H, Peng S, Sherwood B, Di Narzo A, Tsai HJ, Liu X, Burd I, Wang G, Ji Y, Caruso D, Mao G, Bartell TR, Zhang Z, Pearson C, Heffner L, Cerda S, Beaty TH, Fallin MD, Lee-Parritz A, Zuckerman B, Weeks DE, Wang X. Genome-wide approach identifies a novel gene-maternal pre-pregnancy BMI interaction on preterm birth. Nat Commun. 2017 06 09; 8:15608. PMID: 28598419.

    Read at: PubMed

  • Published 3/16/2017

    Okeigwe I, Wang C, Politch JA, Heffner LJ, Kuohung W. Physician-scientists in obstetrics and gynecology: predictors of success in obtaining independent research funding. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2017 Jul; 217(1):84.e1-84.e8. PMID: 28315665.

    Read at: PubMed

  • Published 4/30/2014

    Parker MG, Ouyang F, Pearson C, Gillman MW, Belfort MB, Hong X, Wang G, Heffner L, Zuckerman B, Wang X. Prepregnancy body mass index and risk of preterm birth: association heterogeneity by preterm subgroups. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2014; 14:153. PMID: 24779674.

    Read at: PubMed

  • Published 7/11/2013

    Yu Y, Zhang S, Wang G, Hong X, Mallow EB, Walker SO, Pearson C, Heffner L, Zuckerman B, Wang X. The combined association of psychosocial stress and chronic hypertension with preeclampsia. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2013 Nov; 209(5):438.e1-438.e12. PMID: 23850528.

    Read at: PubMed

  • Published 1/1/2013

    Li S, Rosenberg L, Palmer JR, Phillips GS, Heffner LJ, Wise LA. Central adiposity and other anthropometric factors in relation to risk of macrosomia in an African American population. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2013 Jan; 21(1):178-84. PMID: 23505184.

    Read at: PubMed

View All 51 Publications:   View Full Profile in BUMC

Websites

Education

  • Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, MD
  • Cornell University, PhD
  • Cornell University, MS
  • Bucknell University, BS

View all profiles