Predoctoral Cardiovascular Research Training Grant

The purpose of the NIH-sponsored T32 Predoctoral Cardiovascular Research and Entrepreneurship Training Grant is to train the next generation of PhD scientists seeking careers in cardiovascular research in the ethical development and application of research results from the laboratory to the bedside, with the ultimate goal of improving therapy for patients. This comprehensive and immersive program is designed to address the gap in training of young basic scientists and predoctoral students in key areas of translational cardiovascular research such as preclinical research design, drug discovery, device/therapy development, optimization and testing, research entrepreneurship, and regulatory compliance. The interdisciplinary and internationally recognized faculty of this program provides an outstanding training environment that includes state of the art facilities and techniques spanning genetic, molecular, cellular, systems, engineering, and clinical investigation of both vascular and cardiac diseases. Capitalizing on the existing strengths of our faculty in basic, preclinical, and translational cardiovascular research, and unique academic resources at the University of Michigan, we train students not only in cutting edge biomedical research, but also in applying systems biology for preclinical testing, navigating regulatory compliance, and the process and challenges of research entrepreneurship.

Key Program Features:

  • Strong, fundamental basic research training on translationally relevant research topics under the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) mission
  • Training in preclinical research design and phenotypic testing
  • Didactic and experiential learning on research entrepreneurship along with career path relevant skills development

By placing students at the interface between basic cardiovascular research, biomedical engineering, and cardiovascular medicine, we hope to better prepare the next generation of PhD scientists to be leaders at taking basic research discoveries and being capable of directing their path to the clinic.

Director: Daniel Michele, PhD

Questions: Contact Marilyn Cramer at [email protected] or Jennifer Frick at [email protected]

The University of Michigan is an equal opportunity employer seeking under-represented minorities to train in our research environment.

Mentors

Name/Degree(s)/Primary & Secondary Appointment(s)/Research Interest

  • Beard, Daniel A, PhD/Molecular & Integrative Physiology/Systems biology/modeling approaches to understanding the biophysical and biochemical operation of physiological systems. Directing the NIH funded Virtual Physiological Rat (VPR) project
  • Berenfeld, Omer, PhD/Internal Medicine-Cardiology (Biomedical Engineering)/Theoretical, experimental and clinical understanding of impulse propagation in the heart and the mechanisms of arrhythmias including atrial fibrillation
  • Borjigin, Jimo, PhD/Molecular & Integrative Physiology (Neurology)/Molecular mechanisms of circadian physiology
  • Burant, Charles, MD, PhD/Internal Medicine-Metabolism, Endocrinology & Diabetes (Molecular & Integrative Physiology) (Environmental Health Sciences)/Metabolomics and system biology in disease states, including diabetes
  • Chen, Yuqing, MD, PhD/Internal Medicine-Cardiology (Cardiac Surgery) (Cell and Molecular Biology) (Molecular & Integrative Physiology)/Molecular mechanisms of Diabetes/Obesity-induced Cardiovascular Diseases
  • Deng, Cheri Xiaoyu, PhD/Biomedical Engineering/Biomedical ultrasound technologies and ultrasound mediated drug and gene delivery
  • Eniola-Adefeso, Omolola, PhD/Chemical Engineering (Biomedical Engineering)/Cell adhesion and targeted drug delivery
  • Ginsburg, David, MD/Internal Medicine-Genetic Medicine (Human Genetics) (Pediatrics & Communicable Diseases) (Life Sciences Institute – Howard Hughes Medical Institute)/The identification/function of novel genes contributing to bleeding and clotting disorders, VonWillebrand disease and regulation of the plasminogen activation system
  • Greve, Joan, PhD/Biomedical Engineering/Developing imaging techniques (primarily MRI) to study vascular biology in preclinical models of the human disease
  • Holinstat, Michael, PhD/Pharmacology (Internal Medicine-Cardiology) Platelet activation and signaling mechanisms that regulate hemostasis and thrombosis
  • Isom, Lori L, PhD/Pharmacology (Molecular & Integrative Physiology)/ Regulation of sodium channels in inherited arrhythmias and neurological disorders
  • Lawrence, Daniel Allen, PhD/Internal Medicine-Cardiology (Molecular & Integrative Physiology)/Binary protein: protein interactions regulate complex physiologic processes
  • Lumeng, Carey, MD, PhD/Pediatrics & Communicable Diseases (Molecular & Integrative Physiology)/Understand association between obesity and diseases such as Type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome
  • Ma, Peter, PhD/Biologic and Materials Science (Macromolecular Science and Engineering) (Biomedical Engineering)/Develops novel materials to support various biomedical applications, with emphasis on regenerative medicine, tissue engineering, and drug discovery
  • Michele, Daniel Eugene, PhD/Molecular & Integrative Physiology (Internal Medicine-Cardiovascular Medicine)/Molecular mechanisms of human muscular dystrophies and cardiomyopathies
  • Mortensen, Richard M, MD, PhD/Molecular & Integrative Physiology (Internal Medicine-Metabolism, Endocrinology & Diabetes (Pharmacology)/Role of PPARs and mineralcorticoid receptors in inflammation and mechanisms of obesity and diabetes related CV disease
  • Pinsky, David, MD/Internal Medicine-Cardiology (Molecular & Integrative Physiology)/Mechanisms of ischemic vascular injury and protection
  • Putnam, Andrew James, PhD/Biomedical Engineering/Influence of 3D extracellular matrix on normal and pathologic tissue morphogenesis; Designing ECM-like materials for regenerative medicine
  • Rainey, William, PhD/Molecular & Integrative Physiology (Internal Medicine-Metabolism, Endocrinology & Diabetes)/Mechanisms controlling production of aldosterone; mechanisms and diagnostic approaches for primary aldosteronism and endocrine hypertension
  • Schwendeman, Anna, PhD/Pharmacy/Design synthetic high-density lipoprotein (HDL) nanomedicines for treatment of atherosclerosis
  • Shavit, Jordan, MD, PhD/Pediatrics & Communicable Diseases/Genetics of thrombosis and blood clotting disorders
  • Shayman, James Alan, MD/Internal Medicine-Nephrology (Pharmacology Department)/Role of sphingolipids as cell surface receptors, agonists & intracellular second messengers. Developed therapeutic ceramide homologues to inhibit ceramide metabolism
  • Stegemann, Jan Philip, PhD/Biomedical Engineering/Cell-matrix interactions in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine for cardiovascular and orthopaedic applications
  • Wang, Michael, MD, PhD/Neurology/Molecular & cellular biology of cerebrovascular diseases
  • Wang, Zhong, PhD/Cardiac Surgery (Cell and Molecular Biology)/Chromatin remodeling in stem cell pluripotency; Therapeutic application of stem cells in heart regeneration
  • Weinberg, Jason B, MD/Pediatrics & Infectious Diseases (Microbiology & Immunology)/Interplay between virus and host factors in the pathogenesis of adenovirus respiratory infection and adenovirus myocarditis
  • Westfall, Margaret V, PhD/Cardiac Surgery (Molecular & Integrative Physiology) (Biomedical Engineering)/Signaling modulation of contractile proteins and function in health and disease
  • Willer, Cristen J, PhD/Internal Medicine-Cardiology (Human Genetics Department) (Computational Medicine & Bioinformatics)/Identification and functional consequences of cardiovascular disease variants using population genetics and bioinformatic analysis