Core Facilities and Labs
The Division of Cardiology maintains a number of facilities to support the research of its investigators. Each core is supported by professional and technical personnel dedicated to its specialized function. These arrangements provide a level of expertise that would be difficult to achieve within a single laboratory.
Laboratories
Cardiometabolic Research Unit
Research Interests: The CMRU aims to understand the complex relation between cardiovascular disease and metabolism. Unique areas of research focus include the role of the natriuretic peptide system in cardiometabolic health, identifying novel biomarkers, mechanisms of obesity-related cardiac dysfunction, as well as understanding social determinants in cardiometabolic disease.
View the Cardiometabolic Research Unit
Joseph Hill Lab
Research Interests: Our laboratory focuses on molecular mechanisms of remodeling in the stressed myocardium. In particular, we strive to decipher mechanisms of structural, functional, and electrical remodeling in heart disease with an eye toward therapeutic intervention. Presently, our studies are based largely on genetic and surgical models of cardiac hypertrophy and failure in animals.
Zhi-Ping Liu Lab
Research Interests: Dr. Liu's research focuses on transcriptional and molecular mechanisms that mediate hypertensive and ischemic heart disease. Her investigations have unveiled important insights in the field of prostate cancer that have real potential for translation to clinical application. Her particular interest is on the cutting-edge field of epigenetic control, particularly that mediated by histone lysine demethylases (KDM). She also continues her long-term interests in cardiac biology, and has uncovered a novel role for a matricellular protein Cilp1 (cartilage intermediate layer protein 1) in myocardial fibrosis in response to cardiac ischemic injury.
Nikhil Munshi Lab
Research Interests: The cardiac conduction system is an electrically-coupled structure within the heart responsible for initiation and propagation of each heartbeat. Our lab is interested in elucidating the transcriptional mechanisms that dictate formation of the cardiac conduction system and its impact on the establishment of normal cardiac rhythm.
Anand Rohatgi Lab
Research Interests: Dr. Rohatgi’s research focuses on the role of novel biomarkers in improving risk prediction for atherosclerosis and coronary artery disease. Specifically, his main area of interest is the role of high-density lipoproteins (HDL) in cardiovascular disease. He also focuses on high-risk populations, including those with diabetes and people of South Asian ancestry.
Beverly Rothermel Lab
Research Interests: Research in the Rothermel laboratory focuses on deciphering the molecular mechanisms that control cardiac structure and function during normal development and in response to pathological stress. The gene regulator of calcineurin 1 (RCAN1) plays a central role in our studies. Ongoing projects are focused on understanding (1) the fundamental processes through which RCAN1 regulates calcineurin signaling, (2) circadian regulation of cardiac function, (3) RCAN1's role in adipocyte differentiation an metabolism, and (4) mitophagy in cardiac disease and aging.
Hesham Sadek Lab
Research Interests: Dr. Sadek’s research focus focuses on heart regeneration. Specifically, he and his team are interested in identifying methods to activate endogenous heart regeneration mechanisms in humans. He has delivered scores of presentations, published numerous academic articles, and contributed to books such as the fourth edition of Heart Failure: A Companion to Braunwald's Heart Disease. Dr. Sadek’s research is funded by grants from the NIH, AHA, CPRIT, and NASA among others.
Dan Tong Lab
Research Interests: The Tong lab studies the cellular and molecular mechanisms of cardiovascular diseases associated with systemic metabolic disorders, particularly heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) and atrial fibrillation (AF), with an eye toward translating these findings into innovative solutions to clinical problems.