Harvard Catalyst Profiles

Clinically important cardiovascular drugs such as nitroglycerin are metabolized in the body to form nitric oxide (NO), which exerts important physiological effects in vascular smooth muscle and in other tissues throughout the body. Reactive oxygen species such as hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) can have deleterious effects in the vasculature, but H2O2 also has many important roles in normal vascular homeostasis. My lab uses chemogenetic approaches and state-of-the-art cells imaging methods exploiting novel biosensors to study the role of hydrogen peroxide and nitric oxide in cardiovascular cells and tissues. We have developed a series of novel transgenic mouse lines that are being used in chemogenetic studies of heart failure, vascular dysfunction, and neurodegeneration that involve nitric oxide and hydrogen peroxide. Over the years, many medical students have pursued summer and year-long research projects in our lab, in several cases leading to medical school theses. Students with a background in biochemistry and cell biology who are seeking to pursue basic research into a fascinating signaling system with direct relevance to cardiovascular pathobiology and human disease are encouraged to read papers from our lab and to inquire about pursuing research studies here.