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.

Primary Faculty
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 pba@email.arizona.edu 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 Director, iPS Cell Core (520) 626-2347 jchurko@email.arizona.edu 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 bcolson@email.arizona.edu 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 (520) 626-3641 granzier@email.arizona.edu Discovering mechanisms whereby the giant filamentous protein titin influence muscle structure and function.
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 (520) 621-0291 samharris@email.arizona.edu 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 methajit@email.arizona.edu 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 coeno@email.arizona.edu Focusing on the role of titin-based mechanosensing in diaphragm physiology.
Christopher Pappas, PhD Research Assistant Professor, Cellular and Molecular Medicine (520) 626-5209 ctpappas@email.arizona.edu 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.
Raymond B. Runyan, PhD Professor, Cellular and Molecular Medicine Research Scientist, Sarver Heart Center Investigator, Center for Toxicology Professor, Physiological Sciences GIDP (520) 626-2326 rrunyan@email.arizona.edu Research in this lab is focused on 3 projects. A. Regulation of epithelial-mesenchymal transition in heart development and cancer. B. Mitochondrial transfer from stem cells to myocytes. C. Congenital heart disease from exposure to trichloroethylene.

Leadership, Primary Faculty
Carol C. Gregorio, PhD Vice Dean for Innovation and Development – COM - Tucson Department Head, Cellular and Molecular Medicine Co-Director, Sarver Heart Center Director, Molecular Cardiovascular Research Program Professor, Cellular and Molecular Medicine Professor, Molecular and Cellular Biology Professor, BIO5 Institute (520) 626-8113 gregorio@email.arizona.edu Identifying the components and molecular mechanisms regulating cytoskeletal architecture in cardiac and skeletal muscle during normal development and in disease.

Affiliated Faculty
Jil C Tardiff, MD Professor, Biomedical Engineering Professor, Medicine Professor, Cellular and Molecular Medicine Professor, Physiological Sciences GIDP Professor, BIO5 Institute (520) 626-8001 jtardiff@email.arizona.edu My lab studies the relationship between sarcomeric structure and dynamics in the development of complex genetic cardiomyopathies.

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Cardiovascular Biology and Disease