Research centers

• Cardiac Biology Research Center
• Center for Translational Pharmacology + Genomics
• Vascular Biology Research Center

Robert Blanton, MD
Research Interests: Heart Failure, Cardiomyopathy, Molecular Signaling, cGMP, Protein Kinase G, Cardiac function, Cardiovascular disease, Mixed Lineage Kinase 3
Email: Robert.blanton@tuftsmedicine.org

Blanton Laboratory

Howard Chen, PhD
Research Interests: Autophagy, Apoptosis, Molecular Imaging, Theranostic nanoprobes, Cardio-oncology, Cardioprotection, Cardiomyopathy, Heart Failure
Email: Howard.Chen@tuftsmedicine.org

Chen Laboratory

Michael Chin, MD, PhD
Research Interests: Hypertrophic and genetic cardiomyopathies, Barth Syndrome, Heart Failure, Genetics, Genomics, Molecular Biology, Transcriptomics, Proteomics
Email: Michael.T.Chin@tuftsmedicine.org

Chin Laboratory

Jennifer Dupont, PhD
Research Interests: Vascular Function, Estrogen, Aging, Arterial Stiffness, Sex Differences in Cardiovascular Disease
Email: Jennifer.Dupont@tuftsmedicine.org

Dupont Laboratory

Jonas Galper, MD, PhD
Research Interests: Metabolic Heart Disease, Impact of Type II Diabetes and Metabolic Syndrome on the Heart, Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction, Ventricular Tachycardia, Atrial Fibrillation, Ion Channel Dysfunction, Calcium Signaling
Email: Jonas.Galper@tuftsmedicine.org

Galper Laboratory

Miranda Good, PhD
Research Interests: Stroke, Alzheimer's disease, Neurovascular Function, Neuroinflammation, Cerebral Blood Flow Regulation, Pannexin1 Channels
Email: Miranda.Good@tuftsmedicine.org

Good Laboratory

Gordon Huggins, MD
Research Interests: Genetics, Cardiomyopathy, Heart Failure, Valve Disease, Atherosclerosis
Email: Gordon.Huggins@tuftsmedicine.org

Huggins Laboratory

Basak Icli, PhD
Research Interests: Obesity, Type-2 Diabetes, Acute Myocardial Infarction, Wound Healing, MicroRNA, Angiogenesis, Inter-organ Cross-talk, Brown Adipose Tissue
Email: Basak.Icli@tuftsmedicine.org

Icli Laboratory

Iris Jaffe, MD, PhD
Research Interests: Atherosclerosis, Hypertension, Vascular Biology, Aging, Sex Differences in Cardiovascular Disease, Mineralocorticoid Receptors, Cardio-oncology
Email: Iris.Jaffe@tuftsmedicine.org

Jaffe Laboratory

Lakshmi Pulakat, PhD
Research Interests: Impact of Obesity and Diabetes on the Heart, Wound Healing, Sex Differences in Cardiovascular Disease, Angiotensin Type 2 Receptors, G protein-coupled Receptors, Drug Development
Email: Lakshmi.Pulakat@tuftsmedicine.org

Pulakat Laboratory

Lija Swain, PhD
Research Interests: Myocardial infarction, Ischemia, Reperfusion, HIF-1α, Infarct size, mitochondrial function, Cardiac metabolism, Trans-valvular unloading
Email: Lija.Swain@tuftsmedicine.org

Swain Laboratory

MCRI tripartite mission

The MCRI is comprised of 12 principal investigators and more than 40 researchers and trainees from around the US and the world. MCRI is composed of 3 centers: the Cardiac Biology Research Center, Vascular Biology Research Center and the Center for Translational Pharmacology and Genomics.

1. To understand, at the molecular level, the function of the heart and vessels in health and disease.
2. To translate those fundamental discoveries into new strategies for diagnosis and treatment to improve cardiovascular care.
3. To train and mentor the next generation of cardiovascular researchers.

Improving cardiovascular health through groundbreaking research

Founded in 1997, for more than 25 years, the MCRI has made substantial advances to our understanding of the underlying pathophysiology of heart attack, high blood pressure, heart failure, arrhythmia and other cardiovascular disorders. MCRI discoveries have resulted in new drugs and devices to treat heart failure and greater understanding of how hormones effect blood vessels leading to sex differences in heart disease. Ongoing studies include investigations of novel mechanisms driving ischemic cardiovascular diseases such as angina and myocardial infarction, as well as other major cardiovascular disorders, especially hypertension, congestive heart failure, pulmonary hypertension and disorders of cardiac electrophysiology.