RESEARCH TRAINING

Research opportunities are provided by faculty located at the University of Utah School of Medicine, the VA Medical Center and LDS Hospital. Faculty in the Departments of Internal Medicine, Surgery, Pathology, Biochemistry, and Human Genetics are active participants.

Six Broad Areas of Research Are Identified:

Area #1 - Electrophysiology and Cardiac Arrhythmias: This area includes cellular electrophysiology, with Na + and K+ channel molecular biology; computer modeling of arrhythmias; spatial repolarization and activation mapping; late potential localization; mechanisms of clinical VT; ablation techniques; and clinical arrhythmia trials.

Area #2 - Congestive Heart Failure: This area includes molecular biology of cardiovascular receptors; receptor biochemistry and physiology; mechanisms of calcium regulation; immunologic mechanisms of myocyte injury; clinical heart failure therapies; clinical immunosuppression in cardiac transplantation; and other clinical transplantation studies.

Area #3 - Clinical Trials and Epidemiology: This area includes trials in arrhythmia therapy; studies of the genetics and treatment of coronary prone pedigrees; novel immunosuppression in human heart transplantation and other studies.

Area #4 - Coronary Artery Disease: This area includes basic studies of the role of the endothelium in atherogenesis; in vivo ultrasound analysis of plaque progression; fibrinolytic trials in myocardial infarction; detection and prevention of accelerated graft coronary atherosclerosis; and the role of clamydia infection in atherogenesis.

Area #5 - Pathophysiology of Myocyte Excitation: Contraction Coupling: This area includes studies of ATP depletion injury to myocytes; lymphocyte-induced contractile dysfunction; transmembrane calcium movement and calcium homeostasis; regulation of myocyte Na-KATPase activity; and myocyte function in animal models of heart failure.

Area #6 - Cardiovascular Molecular Biology: This area includes projects examining the molecular genetic basis of the hereditary long QT syndrome; molecular genetics and biology of lipoprotein lipase deficiency; molecular genetics of human hypertension; molecular biology of leukocyte adhesion to endothelium; and elastin pathobiology.

Many active research projects are not listed above. Research outside of the above areas is available, and capable trainees are encouraged to develop their own independent research interests.

The Nora Eccles Harrison Cardiovascular Research and Training Institute's (CVRTI) primary focus is cardiac electrophysiology and ion transport, with investigative expertise ranging from the molecular level to the whole heart. Visit the CVRTI Web Page.