Often under recognized, the cardiac endothelial cells are highly abundant in the heart, and may have important roles in modulating cardiac function, besides simply serving as structural component of blood vessels. Evidences of ours and others have indicated an emerging role of cardiac endothelial cells signaling to cardiomyocytes to mediate important pathophysiological responses. Nonetheless, detailed mechanisms of... more »

While the long term cumulative effects of frequency, duration and severity of VOC on mortality is known in SCD, there is little known about the impact of each individual crisis or the amount of damage during crisis versus background smoldering ischemia from the disease. Any effort in quantifying this for SCD in the absence of interventional agents initially, and then as a potential measurement of the benefit of drug... more »

What are the critical mechanisms that account for progression from reversible to irreversible ischemia and reperfusion injury?

Microvascular ischemia is common, particularly in the setting of critical illness. We need better ways to evaluate, diagnose and treat these conditions, whether they relate to microvascular myocardial ischemia, as a primary diagnosis of complication of other acute illness, or non-myocardial ischemia during the course of surgery, injury, infection or acute illness.

What therapeutic strategies can reduce tissue and organ injury caused by total body ischemia and reperfusion?

What is the optimal treatment of patients with PAD?

What is the mechanistic interaction of injured organ systems during total body ischemia and reperfusion?

What is the impact of total body ischemia and reperfusion on coagulation, inflammation, and endothelial function?