Description of Research Expertise

I am a Research Assistant Professor with particular expertise in cardiac myocyte biology and genetic cardiomyopathies. My experience and training in these areas are extensive including studies addressing the consequences of mutations causing inherited cardiomyopathies, studies of cardiovascular development and physiology, tissue engineering, cell physiology, stem cells, and human tissue research to investigate clinically relevant inquiries. Currently, my lab is focusing on identifying the causes of reduced glucose utilization in the context of insulin resistance. This research aims to develop strategies to prevent energy starvation, which contributes to the progression of cardiomyopathies. This multi-component project studies the role of mechanical stress in insulin resistance and glucose utilization impairment in adult cardiomyocytes as well as cardiac tissues. A notable feature of my research is the complementary experimental approaches, which combine bioengineering and classic molecular biology techniques.