Overview

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of suffering and death in Canada. The molecular basis of most cardiovascular diseases are complex and poorly understood.

My research program is aimed at:

(1) providing a detailed mechanistic insight into heart failure specifically and

(2) identifying the role of calcium and calcium-binding proteins in the development of heart failure. We are especially interested in the role of the SR Ca²⁺ ATPase and phospholamban, and general cytoskeletal responses in cardiac disease.

In our lab we are undertaking several areas of research, mainly:

(1) developing advanced protein-protein interaction (PPI) maps of protein networks affected in heart failure. We will use this information to identify novel cellular targets for development of therapeutic interventions. Our specific interest and expertise in this project is the application of cellular imaging, protein-protein interaction analyses, and mass spectrometry to identify key proteins and protein interactions.

(2) Investigating cellular pathways activated during heart disease. Our expertise is the application of real time cellular imaging, cell biology, and large scale mass spectrometry to identify key signaling pathways.

Our work will be undertaken using mammalian cell lines, primary cardiac muscle-derived cell cultures, human and mouse embryonic stem cells, and patient-derived material to understand cardiac function and disease.

The ultimate aim of our research is to provide clinically relevant therapeutic methods that can be applied to the diagnosis and treatment of heart failure in human patients.