Current Research
AREA 1: The heart is a major pump requiring a vast amount of energy to meet the body’s contractile requirement. As such, metabolism plays a key role in maintaining myocardial function. Our group aims at further understanding the role that metabolic remodeling plays in the development of pathological mechanisms. We have shown that G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR) kinase (GRK) 2 is localized to the mitochondria where it plays a role in substrate utilization post-stress. New efforts in the lab are further investigating the role of GRK2 in cardiac metabolic regulation as it pertains to various myocardial pathologies.
AREA 2: The pancreatic islet is a major sensor of global metabolism. Within the islet resides beta-cells and alpha-cells, entities responsible in secretion of insulin and glucagon respectively. The latter two peptide hormones are important mediators of substrate uptake in all metabolic active organs, including the heart. We studies investigate the role of GRKs and GPCRs in islet biology and ultimate cardiac disease progression.
AREA 3: Cardiomyocytes are incredible cells!!! Our team aims to unravel new mechanisms of cardioprotection involving intra- and inter-cellular communication as well as inter-organ communication.
