Cardiovascular Biology and Disease

Diseases of the cardiovascular system are the leading cause of death and morbidity in the US.  CMM faculty with interests in cardiovascular biology use a wide variety of interdisciplinary approaches to investigate the molecular mechanisms of heart development, heart function, heart disease, and other malfunctions of the cardiovascular system. Particular strengths are in the areas of cardiovascular development, mechanisms of myofibril assembly and function, and cardiomyopathy. 

Cardiovascular research faculty in CMM are members of the Sarver Heart Center’s Molecular Cardiovascular Research Program (MCRP). In concert with MCRP faculty from other Departments, the CMM cardiovascular group provides a strong training environment for undergraduates, medical students, graduate students, postdocs and medical residents.

Parker B. Antin, PhD
Associate Vice President for Research, Division of Agriculture, Life and Veterinary Sciences, and Cooperative Extension
Associate Dean for Research, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Professor, Cellular and Molecular Medicine
Professor, Molecular and Cellular Biology
Professor, BIO5 Institute
(520) 661-6382

Lineage diversification and morphogenesis during embryogenesis.
Jared Churko, PhD
Assistant Professor, Cellular and Molecular Medicine
Assistant Professor, Genetics GIDP
Assistant Professor, Physiological Sciences GIDP
Assistant Professor, Biomedical Engineering
Assistant Professor, BIO5 Institute
Director, iPS Cell Core
(520) 626-2347

Using informatics to understand cardiovascular development and disease mechanisms using human induced pluripotent stem cells.
Brett Colson, PhD
Assistant Professor, Cellular and Molecular Medicine
Assistant Professor, Physiological Sciences GIDP
Assistant Professor, Biomedical Engineering
Assistant Professor, BIO5 Institute
Assistant Professor, Clinical Translational Sciences
(520) 621-1950

Deciphering the structural basis for cardiac muscle contraction at the molecular level in healthy heart physiology and disease.
Henk Granzier, PhD
Professor, Cellular and Molecular Medicine
Professor, Physiology
Professor, Molecular and Cellular Biology
Professor, BIO5 Insitutue
Professor, Physiological Sciences GIDP
Professor, Biomedical Engineering
Professor, Genetics GIDP
(520) 626-3641

Discovering mechanisms whereby the giant filamentous protein titin influence muscle structure and function.
Carol C. Gregorio, PhD
Professor and Department Head, Cellular and Molecular Medicine
Co-Director, Sarver Heart Center
Director, Molecular Cardiovascular Research Program
Assistant Vice Provost, Global Health Sciences
Professor, Molecular and Cellular Biology
Professor, BIO5 Institute
(520) 626-8113

Identifying the components and molecular mechanisms regulating cytoskeletal architecture in cardiac and skeletal muscle during normal development and in disease.
Samantha (Sam) Harris, PhD
Professor, Cellular and Molecular Medicine
Professor, Physiological Sciences GIDP
Professor, BIO5 Institute
Professor, Biomedical Engineering
Co-Chair, Arizona Biological and Biomedical Program
Professor, Physiology
(520) 621-0291

Exploring cardiac muscle mechanics, the regulation of myocardial contraction, the molecular basis of inherited cardiomyopathies, and myofilament proteins.
Mei Methawasin, PhD
Research Assistant Professor
(520) 626-4198

Cardiomyocyte mechanics and Heart Failure with preserved Ejection Fraction(HFpEF).
Coen Ottenheijm, PhD
Associate Professor, Cellular and Molecular Medicine - (Research Scholar Track)
(520) 626-4198

Focusing on the role of titin-based mechanosensing in diaphragm physiology.
Christopher Pappas, PhD
Research Assistant Professor, Cellular and Molecular Medicine
(520) 626-5209

My work is focused on understanding how the architecture of muscle cells is regulated, with particular emphasis on how actin filaments assemble and how aberrant actin filament assembly leads to myopathies.
Casey E. Romanoski, PhD
Assistant Professor, Cellular and Molecular Medicine
Assistant Professor, Clinical Translational Sciences
Assistant Professor, Genetics GIDP
Assistant Professor, Asthma and Airway Disease Research Center
Assistant Professor, Cancer Biology GIDP
Member, BIO5 Institute
(520) 626-7244

Systems genetics approaches to identify mechanisms of complex disease.