Tomos Walters, PhD, MBBS, BS

ASSISTANT CLINICAL PROFESSOR

CLINICAL
My particular clinical interest is the management of complex cardiac arrhythmias. I employ a patient-centered approach that seeks to understand how each individual patient experiences their heart rhythm disorder, and I work with each patient to develop a comprehensive management plan that address their particular concerns. With extensive training at leading centers in both Australia and the USA, I have particular expertise in catheter ablation of complex atrial and ventricular arrhythmias, and I also have expertise and great interest in the implantation and management of pacemakers, defibrillators and cardiac resynchronization devices.

RESEARCH
During my training in the management of heart rhythm disorders, I completed a PhD that focussed on the mechanisms underlying the persistence of atrial fibrillation, the most common sustained heart rhythm disorder encountered in clinical practice. I am now continuing this research, with the aim of identifying specific treatment targets in each individual patient with persistent atrial fibrillation. I am also heavily involved in research aimed at understanding the mechanisms through which ectopic heart beats from the ventricles of the heart can lead to heart failure, with the aim of developing therapies that might prevent heart failure.
Education
2017 - Electrophysiology fellowship, UCSF
2016 - Post-doctoral research fellowship, UCSF
2015 - Electrophysiology fellowship, The Royal Melbourne Hospital
PhD, 2015 - Mechanisms of atrial fibrillation, The University of Melbourne
2012 - Electrophysiology fellowship, Princess Alexandra Hospital
2011 - Cardiology fellowship, The Royal Melbourne Hospital
2009 - Medical residency, The Royal Melbourne Hospital
MBBS (hons), 2003 - Medicine and Surgery, The University of Melbourne
BMedSc, 2000 - Molecular virology, The University of Melbourne
Honors and Awards
  • Annual Mark E Josephson VT Innovation Award, 12th Annual Interventional Symposium on Ventricular Arrhythmias, 2017
  • Heart Rhythm Journal Outstanding Publication Award (Clinical Research) for Young Electrophysiologist, Heart Rhythm Society, 2017
  • Finalist in the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand Ralph Reader competition for clinical r, Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand, 2015
  • Kenneth M. Rosen Fellowship in Cardiac Pacing and Electrophysiology, Heart Rhythm Society, 2015
  • Cleveland Young Investigator Award, Melbourne Health and The Royal Melbourne Hospital, 2015
  • Best Abstract, Asia Pacific Heart Rhythm Society Scientific Sessions, 2013
  • Dean’s Honors List for Medicine, The University of Melbourne, 2002
  • Harold Attwood Prize for Clinical Pathology, The University of Melbourne, 2001
  • Muriel Moody Prize for Clinical Communication, The University of Melbourne, 2001
  • Thomas and Elizabeth Ross Scholarship for Clinical Research, The University of Melbourne, 2000
  • Sunderland Prize for Neuroscience, The University of Melbourne, 1998
Publications

  1. Walters TE, Wick K, Tan G, Mearns M, Joseph SA, Morton JB, Sanders P, Bryant C, Kistler PM, Kalman JM. Symptom severity and quality of life in patients with atrial fibrillation: Psychological function outweighs clinical predictors. International journal of cardiology 2018. PMID: 30442375


  2. Lee A, Walters TE, Gerstenfeld EP, Haqqani HM. Frequent Ventricular Ectopy: Implications and Outcomes. Heart, lung & circulation 2018. PMID: 30322758


  3. Walters TE, Wick K, Tan G, Mearns M, Joseph SA, Morton JB, Sanders P, Bryant C, Kistler PM, Kalman JM. Psychological Distress and Suicidal Ideation in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation: Prevalence and Response to Management Strategy. Journal of the American Heart Association 2018. PMID: 30371197


  4. Szilágyi J, Walters TE, Marcus GM, Vedantham V, Moss JD, Badhwar N, Lee B, Lee R, Tseng ZH, Gerstenfeld EP. Surface ECG and intracardiac spectral measures predict atrial fibrillation recurrence after catheter ablation. Journal of cardiovascular electrophysiology 2018. PMID: 30016007


  5. Stacy R, Huttner K, Watts J, Peace J, Wirta D, Walters T, Sall K, Seaman J, Ni X, Prasanna G, Mogi M, Adams C, Yan JH, Wald M, He Y, Newton R, Kolega R, Grosskreutz C. A Randomized, Controlled Phase I/II Study to Evaluate the Safety and Efficacy of MGV354 for Ocular Hypertension or Glaucoma. American journal of ophthalmology 2018. PMID: 29802818


  6. McLellan AJA, Prabhu S, Voskoboinik A, Wong MCG, Walters TE, Pathik B, Morris GM, Nisbet A, Lee G, Morton JB, Kalman JM, Kistler PM. Isolation of the posterior left atrium for patients with persistent atrial fibrillation: routine adenosine challenge for dormant posterior left atrial conduction improves long-term outcome. Europace : European pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac electrophysiology : journal of the working groups on cardiac pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac cellular electrophysiology of the European Society of Cardiology 2017. PMID: 28204434


  7. Pathik B, Kalman JM, Walters T, Kuklik P, Zhao J, Madry A, Sanders P, Kistler PM, Lee G. Absence of rotational activity detected using 2-dimensional phase mapping in the corresponding 3-dimensional phase maps in human persistent atrial fibrillation. Heart rhythm 2017. PMID: 28917553


  8. Pathik B, Kalman JM, Walters T, Kuklik P, Zhao J, Madry A, Prabhu S, Nalliah C, Kistler P, Lee G. Transient Rotor Activity During Prolonged 3-Dimensional Phase Mapping in Human Persistent Atrial Fibrillation. JACC. Clinical electrophysiology 2017. PMID: 29600788


  9. Walters TE, Kalman JM, Patel SK, Mearns M, Velkoska E, Burrell LM. Angiotensin converting enzyme 2 activity and human atrial fibrillation: increased plasma angiotensin converting enzyme 2 activity is associated with atrial fibrillation and more advanced left atrial structural remodelling. Europace : European pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac electrophysiology : journal of the working groups on cardiac pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac cellular electrophysiology of the European Society of Cardiology 2017. PMID: 27738071


  10. Szilágyi J, Marcus GM, Badhwar N, Lee BK, Lee RJ, Vedantham V, Tseng ZH, Walters T, Scheinman M, Olgin J, Gerstenfeld EP. Atrial fibrillation patients with isolated pulmonary veins: Is sinus rhythm achievable? Volume 28 of Issue 7. 2017. PMID: 28429499


  11. Gerstenfeld EP, Walters T. Amiodarone for Suppression of Ventricular Tachycardia: When Less Is More. JACC. Clinical electrophysiology 2017. PMID: 29759608


  12. Nazer B, Walters TE, Duggirala S, Gerstenfeld EP. Feasibility of Rapid Linear-Endocardial and Epicardial Ventricular Ablation Using an Irrigated Multipolar Radiofrequency Ablation Catheter. Circulation. Arrhythmia and electrophysiology 2017. PMID: 28288961


  13. Janaswamy P, Walters TE, Nazer B, Lee RJ. Current Treatment Strategies for Heart Failure: Role of Device Therapy and LV Reconstruction. Current treatment options in cardiovascular medicine 2016. PMID: 27488313


  15. Walters TE, Nisbet A, Morris GM, Tan G, Mearns M, Teo E, Lewis N, Ng A, Gould P, Lee G, Joseph S, Morton JB, Zentner D, Sanders P, Kistler PM, Kalman JM. Progression of atrial remodeling in patients with high-burden atrial fibrillation: Implications for early ablative intervention. Heart rhythm 2015. PMID: 26484789


  16. Prabhu S, McLellan AJ, Walters TE, Sharma M, Voskoboinik A, Kistler PM. Atrial structure and function and its implications for current and emerging treatments for atrial fibrillation. Progress in cardiovascular diseases 2015. PMID: 26247494


  17. Walters TE, Ellims AH, Kalman JM. The role of left atrial imaging in the management of atrial fibrillation. Progress in cardiovascular diseases 2015. PMID: 26241303


  18. Walters TE, Kalman JM. Human persistent atrial fibrillation is maintained by rotors: the jury is still out. Circulation. Arrhythmia and electrophysiology 2015. PMID: 26082522


  19. McLellan AJ, Ling LH, Azzopardi S, Lee GA, Lee G, Kumar S, Wong MC, Walters TE, Lee JM, Looi KL, Halloran K, Stiles MK, Lever NA, Fynn SP, Heck PM, Sanders P, Morton JB, Kalman JM, Kistler PM. A minimal or maximal ablation strategy to achieve pulmonary vein isolation for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation: a prospective multi-centre randomized controlled trial (the Minimax study). European heart journal 2015. PMID: 25920401


  20. Walters TE, Lee G, Morris G, Spence S, Larobina M, Atkinson V, Antippa P, Goldblatt J, Royse A, O'Keefe M, Sanders P, Morton JB, Kistler PM, Kalman JM. Temporal Stability of Rotors and Atrial Activation Patterns in Persistent Human Atrial Fibrillation: A High-Density Epicardial Mapping Study of Prolonged Recordings. JACC. Clinical electrophysiology 2015. PMID: 29759334


  21. Walters TE, Lee G, Spence S, Larobina M, Atkinson V, Antippa P, Goldblatt J, O'Keefe M, Sanders P, Kistler PM, Kalman JM. Acute atrial stretch results in conduction slowing and complex signals at the pulmonary vein to left atrial junction: insights into the mechanism of pulmonary vein arrhythmogenesis. Circulation. Arrhythmia and electrophysiology 2014. PMID: 25516579


  22. Walters TE, Teh AW, Spence S, Morton JB, Kistler PM, Kalman JM. Absence of gender-based differences in the atrial and pulmonary vein substrate: a detailed electroanatomic mapping study. Journal of cardiovascular electrophysiology 2014. PMID: 24902862


  23. Walters TE, Kalman JM. Development of atrial fibrillation after atrial flutter ablation: more a question of when than whether. Journal of cardiovascular electrophysiology 2014. PMID: 24762080


  24. Walters TE, Teh AW, Spence S, Kistler PM, Morton JB, Kalman JM. Relationship between the electrocardiographic atrial fibrillation cycle length and left atrial remodeling: a detailed electroanatomic mapping study. Heart rhythm 2013. PMID: 24378770


  25. McLellan AJ, Ling LH, Ruggiero D, Wong MC, Walters TE, Nisbet A, Shetty AK, Azzopardi S, Taylor AJ, Morton JB, Kalman JM, Kistler PM. Pulmonary vein isolation: the impact of pulmonary venous anatomy on long-term outcome of catheter ablation for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. Heart rhythm 2013. PMID: 24342795


  26. Amerena JV, Walters TE, Mirzaee S, Kalman JM. Update on the management of atrial fibrillation. The Medical journal of Australia 2013. PMID: 24182224


  27. Kumar S, Walters TE, Halloran K, Morton JB, Hepworth G, Wong CX, Kistler PM, Sanders P, Kalman JM. Ten-year trends in the use of catheter ablation for treatment of atrial fibrillation vs. the use of coronary intervention for the treatment of ischaemic heart disease in Australia. Europace : European pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac electrophysiology : journal of the working groups on cardiac pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac cellular electrophysiology of the European Society of Cardiology 2013. PMID: 23796617


  28. Walters TE, Kistler PM, Morton JB, Sparks PB, Halloran K, Kalman JM. Impact of collimation on radiation exposure during interventional electrophysiology. Europace : European pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac electrophysiology : journal of the working groups on cardiac pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac cellular electrophysiology of the European Society of Cardiology 2012. PMID: 22516059


  29. Walters TE, Kistler PM, Kalman JM. Radiofrequency ablation for atrial tachycardia and atrial flutter. Heart, lung & circulation 2012. PMID: 22464595


  30. Pattison DA, Walters TE, Seal E. Exercise-associated hyponatraemia on the Kokoda Track. The Medical journal of Australia 2011. PMID: 21381998


  31. Wightman F, Walters T, Ayres A, Bowden S, Bartholomeusz A, Lau D, Locarnini S, Lewin SR. Comparison of sequence analysis and a novel discriminatory real-time PCR assay for detection and quantification of Lamivudine-resistant hepatitis B virus strains. Journal of clinical microbiology 2004. PMID: 15297535


  32. Lewin S, Walters T, Locarnini S. Hepatitis B treatment: rational combination chemotherapy based on viral kinetic and animal model studies. Antiviral research 2002. PMID: 12206877