Research conducted in the Dhananjay Vaidya Lab focuses on the prevention of heart disease, with special emphasis on cardiometabolic risk factors, genetics in high-risk families, cardiovascular epidemiology, statistics and vascular biology. We also provide consultation on study design as well as plan and oversee data analyses for projects supported by the Center for Child and Community Health Research.

The Daniel Nyhan Lab studies vascular changes that accompany aging to determine the underlying causes and find ways to reverse the process. One goal of our research is to identify the factors that cause vascular stiffness. Our hope is that our work in vascular biology will lead to new ways to improve vascular compliance and thereby improve cardiovascular function and perioperative risk.

The David Graham Lab studies the consequences of HIV interactions with the immune system, the resulting pathogenesis and how to sabotage these interactions. We apply advanced technologies like mass spectrometry to dissect processes at the molecular level. We are also actively involved in cardiovascular research and studies the ways proteins are organized into functional units in different cell types of the heart. Major projects in our lab are organized into three major areas: (1) H/SIV pathogenesis and neuropathogenesis, (2) Cardiovascular disease, and (3) High technology development

Investigators in the Lakshmi Santhanam Lab examine the fundamental mechanisms behind cardiovascular disease. They are particularly interested in better understanding how nitric oxide-mediated S-nitrosylation (a post-translational protein modification) impacts protein function and trafficking in the vasculature as well as how this relationship influences matrix remodeling and vascular stiffening.

Research in the Lisa Yanek Lab focuses on cardiovascular disease in families and risk factor modification. Recently, we conducted a study to determine the association of lean versus fat mass with fitness in healthy, overweight and obese African Americans from families with early-onset coronary disease.

The Lima Lab’s research is concentrated on the development and application of imaging and technology to address scientific and clinical problems involving the heart and vascular system. Specifically, our research is focused on developing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast techniques to investigate microvascular function in patients and experimental animals with myocardial infarction; functional reserve secondary to dobutamine stimulation and myocardial viability assessed by sodium imaging; and cardiac MRI and computed tomography (CT) program development of techniques to characterize atherosclerosis in humans with cardiovascular or cerebrovascular disease. Current projects include: • The Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) Study • The MESA (Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis) Study • The Coronary Artery Evaluation using 64-row Multidetector Computed Tomography Angiography (CORE64) Study Joao Lima, MD, is a professor of medicine, radiology and epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.

Research in the Lee Bone Lab uses community-based participatory approaches to promote health in underserved urban African-American populations. We conduct randomized clinical trials on cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer detection and control in order to test the success of community interventions. We focus in particular on making interventions sustainable and on implementing electronic education to improve communication.

The Nauder Faraday Lab investigates topics within perioperative genetic and molecular medicine. We explore thrombotic, bleeding and infectious surgical complications. Our goal is to uncover the molecular determinants of outcome in surgical patients, which will enable surgeons to better personalize a patient’s care in the perioperative period. Our team is funded by the National Institutes of Health to research platelet phenotypes, the pharmacogenomics of antiplatelet agents for preventing cardiovascular disease, and the genotypic determinants of aspirin response in high-risk families.

The Leucker Laboratory is a translational cardiovascular research program dedicated to understanding the mechanisms underlying residual atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk and developing innovative strategies for cardiovascular prevention. Our work integrates human vascular biology, advanced cardiovascular imaging, epidemiology, and clinical trials to uncover the pathways linking inflammation, lipoproteins, endothelial dysfunction, and cardiometabolic disease to cardiovascular outcomes.

Our research is centered on the safety, efficacy and outcomes of PCI performed at hospitals without on-site cardiac surgery. Active projects: C-PORT Randomized Studies and Registries; New Jersey Angioplasty Demonstration Project; InCar-decision support tools for performance of PCI at hospitals without on-site cardiac surgery.