Research

Age-related cardiovascular research within the department explores how aging processes and metabolic changes drive cardiovascular disease, with particular emphasis on mitochondrial function, oxidative signaling, and the biology of senescence. Investigators are examining how reactive oxygen species act as signaling molecules rather than purely damaging agents, reshaping understanding of the aging process and its impact on cardiovascular health. Current studies address mechanisms of autophagy, mitochondrial energetics, calcium regulation, lysosomal integrity, and stem cell–niche interactions, alongside translational work developing small-molecule therapies now in clinical testing. Additional research seeks to optimize cardiovascular therapeutics in older adults by targeting mitochondrial function, multimorbidity, frailty, and other geriatric complexities, as well as by innovating approaches in cardiac rehabilitation and prehabilitation. Complementary efforts leverage genome-wide association studies to identify disease-associated genetic variants that contribute to aging-related cardiovascular conditions, with the goal of advancing precision drug development. Researchers are also pioneering imaging and stable isotope–based technologies to study metabolism and adipose tissue remodeling in aging, providing new insights into how systemic energy balance shapes cardiovascular outcomes.

Research in bioenergetics, mitochondria, and metabolic disease focuses on how mitochondrial function and quality control shape cellular health and contribute to conditions such as heart failure, diabetes, obesity, and atherosclerosis. Investigators are studying how nutrient excess alters mitochondrial protein acetylation, disrupting enzyme activity and impairing organelle function, as well as how acetylation intersects with mitophagy to regulate the clearance of damaged mitochondria. Complementary efforts examine the mechanisms governing mitochondrial DNA stability, copy number, and resistance to damage, which are essential for sustaining respiratory function and energy production. Another major area of investigation centers on autophagy and lysosomal biology, with recent findings showing that enhancing these processes protects against metabolic dysfunction in obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Together, these studies aim to uncover fundamental mechanisms linking mitochondrial health, nutrient sensing, and cellular metabolism to identify new therapeutic strategies for metabolic and age-related diseases.

Research in cardiovascular disease and vascular biology spans the molecular, cellular, and translational mechanisms that underlie heart and vascular pathology, with the goal of identifying new strategies for prevention and treatment. Investigators are uncovering how inflammation and altered hematopoietic stem cell dynamics drive atherosclerosis, myocardial infarction, and impaired healing, while studies of vascular smooth muscle cell plasticity and signaling pathways are revealing new mechanisms of vascular calcification, aneurysm formation, and remodeling. Human induced pluripotent stem cells and advanced genome-editing approaches provide powerful models to study cardiomyopathies, congenital heart disease, and the influence of genetic mutations and environmental stressors on heart function. Parallel work investigates myocardial recovery, pharmacogenetics, and the heart-brain axis, as well as imaging and biomarker-based strategies for improved diagnosis and prevention. Efforts to dissect pathways regulating cardiomyocyte growth, stress responses, and arrhythmia risk, ranging from natriuretic peptide signaling to DNA damage responses, are complemented by translational research on novel therapeutics and rehabilitation approaches, all aimed at reducing the global burden of cardiovascular disease.

Research in women’s cardiovascular disease emphasizes understanding the unique mechanisms, risks, and outcomes that affect women across the life course, with a particular focus on hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and peripartum cardiomyopathy. Studies use advanced cardiac imaging and biomarkers to investigate how pregnancy-related complications, such as preeclampsia, influence cardiac remodeling, recovery, and long-term cardiovascular health. Large-scale, multicenter clinical trials are testing novel therapies to improve outcomes for women with peripartum cardiomyopathy, while translational studies explore the molecular pathways that drive these conditions. Together, these efforts aim to define phenotypes, identify risk markers, and develop targeted interventions to improve prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of cardiovascular disease in women.

Cardiovascular outcomes research examines how clinical factors, health system processes, and social determinants of health interact to influence cardiovascular risk, treatment, and recovery. This work includes large-scale health services research, systemwide data analytics, and clinical trials that test patient-centered interventions for conditions such as atrial fibrillation, heart failure, and complex coronary artery disease. Studies assess clinical endpoints alongside cost-effectiveness, patient preferences, and quality of life, with the goal of identifying opportunities to improve both outcomes and health care delivery. Additional efforts focus on vulnerable and high-risk populations—including women, rural communities, and occupational groups exposed to unique stressors—to better understand disparities and develop tailored strategies. Ultimately, this research aims to translate discoveries into scalable interventions and operational improvements that advance equity and effectiveness in cardiovascular care.

Electrophysiology research seeks to uncover the molecular, cellular, and tissue-level mechanisms that govern the heart’s electrical activity and its coupling to systemic physiology, with the goal of preventing and treating life-threatening arrhythmias. Using advanced imaging, voltage- and calcium-sensitive dyes, and high-resolution mapping techniques, studies investigate how heterogeneities in action potential propagation, repolarization, and intracellular calcium dynamics contribute to arrhythmia initiation and termination. Experimental models ranging from isolated cells to whole-heart preparations are used to explore factors such as ischemia, genetic mutations, autonomic stimulation, and redox signaling that influence electrical stability. This work informs the development of novel diagnostic tools, device-based therapies, and pharmacologic strategies to improve cardiac monitoring, predict and prevent sudden cardiac death, and better manage atrial fibrillation, ventricular arrhythmias, and other rhythm disorders, including those occurring in athletes and patients with heart failure.

Hypertension and Pulmonary Hypertension
Research in hypertension and pulmonary hypertension centers on uncovering the molecular and systems-level mechanisms driving vascular dysfunction and right ventricular failure. By integrating network-based bioinformatics with experimental models and human-derived samples, studies have revealed critical roles for regulatory RNAs and other molecular pathways in disease initiation and progression. This approach enables identification of at-risk individuals, discovery of novel therapeutic targets, and development of RNA-based and molecular interventions. Ongoing work also investigates strategies to improve right ventricular function, the primary determinant of outcomes in pulmonary hypertension, with the broader goal of translating mechanistic insights into effective therapies for these complex cardiovascular diseases.