Cardiovascular Diseases

Mary Jo Mulligan-Kehoe, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Surgery, Vascular Section
Research Description: Inhibition of angiogenesis. In vitro studies examine the anti-angiogenic mechanisms of a recombinant plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 protein, rPAI-123. In vivo studies examine rPAI-123 inhibition of angiogenic blood vessels that support progression of atherosclerotic plaque and tumor. Development of a novel system designed to deliver rPAI-123 to sites of neo-angiogenesis in tumors.

Richard J. Powell, M.D.

Professor of Surgery and Radiology
Research description: Defining the endothelial cell regulated pathways that control smooth muscle cell phenotype.

R. Brooks Robey, M.D., F.A.S.N.

Associate Professor of Medicine and of Physiology and Neurobiology
Associate Chief of Staff for Research and Development (VA)
Research Description: Regulation and function of mammalian hexokinases with specific emphasis on the interface between metabolism and cell survival in both adaptive (ischemic preconditioning) and maladaptive (cancer) contexts.

Eva Rzucidlo, M.D.

Assistant Professor of Surgery
Research description: Intimal hyperplasia and restenosis of stents is like a cancer of the arteries. This is due to the plasticity of the vascular smooth muscle cell. Statins have been noted to have significant benefits for patients with cardiovascular disease. Clarifying how statins exert their beneficial effects on reducing cardiovascular events, as well as improving graft patency, may improve our understanding of which patients would benefit most from statin therapy and could also focus future pharmaceutical research on more specific effective treatments. We are investigating the effect of statins on the mTOR pathway, which we have shown to be an important regulator of VSMC phenotypic modulation.

Yolanda Sanchez, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Pharmacology and Toxicology
Research Description: Checkpoint signaling events triggered during the response to DNA damage or replication interference, how they regulate cell cycle progression, DNA repair and cell death. The role of checkpoints in the etiology of cancer and as drug targets for therapeutic enhancers of genotoxic cancer drugs.

Nicholas William Shworak, M.D., Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Medicine
Research Description: Roles of heparan sulfate biosynthetic enzymes in cardiovascular diseases. Using transgenic approaches an enzyme has been identified that protects against a common form of degenerative heart valve disease. We are now testing its involvement in protecting against vascular inflammation. Development of novel drugs or approaches to treat cardiovascular disorders. In addition, we are being to explore the role of this molecule within the central nervous system.

Radu V. Stan, M.D.

Assistant Professor of Pathology and of Microbiology and Immunology
Research Description: Endothelial structures involved in vascular permeability in normal and disease states such as inflammation and cancer (angiogenesis). The regulation and function of components of endothelial microdomains, such as lipid rafts, caveolae, transendothelial channels, fenestrae, and vesiculo-vacuolar organelles.