Vanessa Xanthakis, PhD

Associate Professor, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine

Biography

Dr. Vanessa Xanthakis is a biostatistician with training in applied mathematics and statistics, and has a strong commitment to clinical epidemiological research. Presently, she is an Assistant Professor in the Section of Preventive Medicine and Epidemiology in the Department of Medicine at Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine and in the Biostatistics Department at Boston University School of Public Health. She is an investigator at the Framingham Heart Study and serves as the biostatistician on several investigations. She also serves as the Program Director for the Boston University T32 Program in Cardiovascular Epidemiology and the Promotion of Research In MEdical Residency (R38) program. She is the Director of Research Training for the Section of Preventive Medicine and Epidemiology. For the last 12 years, Dr. Xanthakis has focused her research on:

A) the epidemiology of cardiac remodeling and subclinical disease, including identifying cardiovascular disease risk factors;

B) population-based vascular testing and echocardiography, including identifying biological, environmental, and genetic determinants (correlates) of cardiac structure and function;

C) epidemiology of novel biomarkers including but not limited to natriuretic peptides, adipokines, and vascular growth factors;

D) cardiovascular risk prediction using biomarkers and assessing their incremental prognostic utility (focus of her PhD thesis);

E) epidemiology of heart failure and its precursors; and

F) ideal cardiovascular health and its impact on cardiovascular disease and its precursors.

Publications

  • Published 9/17/2026

    Bakhshi B, Lin H, Sultana N, Healey E, Queen H, Gao G, Claudel SE, Minetti ET, Mitchell GF, Murabito JM, Lloyd-Jones DM, Cheney MC, Steenkamp DW, Nayor M, Xanthakis V, Walker ME, Spartano NL. Beyond Traditional Glycemic Measures: CGM Glycemic Profiles Reveal Associations With Cardiometabolic Risk in Individuals Without Diabetes. Diabetes Care. 2026 Sep 17. PMID: 42752803.

    Read at: PubMed

  • Published 9/14/2026

    Habib AY, Okazaki RA, Prescott BR, Xanthakis V, Cooper LL, Tsao CW, Benjamin EJ, Vasan RS, Hamburg NM, Mitchell GF. Relations of Menopause Timing With Pressure Pulsatility in the Framingham Study. Hypertension. 2026 Sep 14. PMID: 42734062.

    Read at: PubMed

  • Published 9/1/2026

    Oelsner EC, Sun Y, Balte PP, Allen NB, Andrews H, Carson AP, Choi Y, Cole SA, Cornelius T, Couper D, Cushman M, Daviglus M, Elkind MSV, Gallo LC, Gutierrez JD, Howard VJ, Isasi CR, Jin Y, Judd SE, Kanaya AM, Kandula NR, Kaplan RC, Kinney GL, Kucharska-Newton AM, Lackland DT, Lee JS, Make BJ, Min YI, Murabito JM, Norwood AF, Ortega VE, Gabriel KP, Psaty BM, Regan EA, Sotres-Alvarez D, Schwartz D, Shikany JM, Thyagarajan B, Umans JG, Ramachandran VS, Wang T, Wenzel SE, Woodruff PG, Wu C, Xanthakis V, Zhang Y, Post WS, Demmer RT. Associations of Depressive Symptoms With COVID-19 Hospitalization or Death: The C4R Study. Biopsychosoc Sci Med. 2026 Oct 01; 88(8):666-676. PMID: 42678769.

    Read at: PubMed

  • Published 8/13/2026

    Walker ME, Prescott B, Stockero S, Xanthakis V, Lin H, Gerszten RE, Mckeown NM, Jacques PF, Vasan RS. Proteomic signature of healthy dietary patterns and risk of cardiovascular disease in the framingham heart study. Clin Nutr. 2026 Oct; 65:106758. PMID: 42617399.

    Read at: PubMed

  • Published 7/1/2026

    Cooper LL, Prescott BR, Xanthakis V, Rong J, Larson MG, Benjamin EJ, Hamburg NM, Vasan RS, Mitchell GF. Interrelations of aortic spring function, cardiovascular disease risk factors, and left ventricular diastolic function: The Framingham Heart Study. Physiol Rep. 2026 Jul; 14(13):e70985. PMID: 42374884.

    Read at: PubMed

View All 181 Publications:   View Full Profile in BUMC

Other Positions

  • Associate Professor, Biostatistics
    Boston University School of Public Health
  • Investigator
    Framingham Heart Study
  • Member, Evans Center for Interdisciplinary Biomedical Research
    Boston University

Websites

Education

  • Boston University School of Public Health, PhD
  • University of Athens, MS
  • University of Athens, BS

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