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.

Work in the Lewis Romer Lab focuses on the responses of vascular systems to disease and injury. Using cultured human endothelial cells and fibroblasts from mice that lack expression of the FAK- or Src-family kinases, we’re exploring several topics. These include the effect of inflammatory cytokine on cell adhesion to the extracellular matrix; the role of FAK signaling in inhibiting apoptosis; and the function of FAK- and Src-family kinases in cell-matrix interactions during adhesion and motility.

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.

With a focus on precision medicine, we are dedicated to creating personalized diagnostic and treatment modalities for cardiovascular diseases, integrating cutting-edge research into clinical practice. 

Malfunction and malformation of blood vessels are associated with a broad range of medical conditions, including cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and neurological disorders. The ultimate goal of the Komatsu lab is to find a way to reverse the process of abnormal vessel formation and restore normal function to these vessels. In cancer, normalization of tumor blood vessels facilitates lymphocyte infiltration, potentiating anti-tumor immunity, and enhances the efficacy of immunotherapies as well as conventional cancer treatments. Normalization of regenerating blood vessels is also necessary for reestablishing blood flow to ischemic hearts and limbs, and preventing blindness caused by diabetic retinopathy or macular degeneration. Komatsu lab’s research is uncovering key molecular pathways important for the normalization of pathological vasculature.