Cardiovascular Disease
The cardiovascular research conducted in CDBA is directed toward identifying the
mechanisms contributing to development and congenital birth defects, myocardial remodeling
and the development of heart failure. Investigators in the Cardiovascular Research Group
utilize state-of-the art 2- and 3-D cell co-culture, microscopic, molecular, biochemical
and physiological approaches to unravel the mechanisms of cardiovascular development and
disease.
Congenital defects of the cardiovascular system persist as the most common of the
developmental abnormalities occurring in humans. Several investigators in the Department
are actively investigating the mechanisms underlying abnormal development in the heart.
Heart failure is the end result of many different disease processes, but hypertension
and diabetes are two of the most common risk factors. The challenge for investigators in
this field is to develop an understanding of the complex mechanisms which cause
progression from compensated ventricular remodeling to decompensated heart failure.
Vascular biology research in CDBA encompasses a range of topics, from studies of
atherosclerotic plaque growth and stability in large arteries to understanding the
molecular mechanisms underlying formation of new capillaries, the tiniest vessels.
Angiogenesis, or new capillary growth, has both therapeutic and pathological aspects.
While angiogenesis is essential during development and in physiological processes such as
wound healing, dysregulated angiogenesis permits tumor growth and can lead to harmful
complications in diseases such as diabetes and atherosclerosis .
While cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in both men and women in the
United States, it is only after menopause that the risk of developing congestive heart
failure dramatically increases in women. This is particularly evident in patient
populations at greater risk such as diabetic patients and postmenopausal women. Both of
these patient populations have a significant disparity in the overall rate of
cardiovascular disease prevalence, morbidity and mortality as compared to the health
status of the general population. However, the mechanisms responsible for the
cardioprotection seen in premenopausal women have yet to be elucidated.
These ongoing studies combine a multidisciplinary approach to identify mechanisms at
the cellular level and relate these to functional effects at the whole organ (or animal)
level. These types of studies are required to develop a complete understanding of gene
function in health and disease. The implication of specific genes and signal transduction
pathways as contributing to the pathogenesis of a disease process also facilitates the
development and testing of new pharmacologic agents directed at prevention or treatment of
cardiovascular disease. This is an exciting and rapidly changing time in science,
especially so in cardiovascular pathophysiology, and CDBA is deeply committed to expanding
our current understanding of these disease mechanisms and training the next generation of
physicians and scientists.
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