Physiology
About
An interdisciplinary approach employing advanced methods of molecular biology and structural biophysics is the hallmark of modern scientific research, whether fundamental, clinical or translational. Our research-intensive program aims to promote, at all levels, the understanding of the function of living systems while training students to identify significant biological problems and use the most advanced and modern methods for solving them. The emphasis of our department and expertise in molecular physiology and biophysics provide a unique environment for interdisciplinary training of PhD trainees.
Program Faculty
Ai, Huiwang
Molecular Biosensors; Spatiotemporal Regulation of Biological Signaling; Protein Engineering for Imaging, Diagnostics, and Therapeutics
Bushweller, John H.
Drug Development Targeting Transcription Drivers in Cancer; Structure/Function Studies of Transcription Factor Drivers in Cancer
Derewenda, Zygmunt S.
Structure-function relationships in proteins
Ebrahim, Seham
Cytoskeletal architecture, dynamics and roles in cellular physiology and disease; High-resolution live cell and tissue imaging
French, Brent A.
Novel Therapies for Treating and Preventing Ischemic Heart Disease
Guo, Lian-Wang
Pathophysiological mechanisms and impact of cell state transitions
Hirschi, Karen Kemper
Understanding Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms Leading to Blood Vessel Formation
Holmes, Jeffrey W.
Healing after myocardial infarction, cardiac growth and remodeling, and image-based modeling and diagnosis.
Isakson, Brant
Translating our discoveries in the microcirculation to tangible benefits in patients.
Kasson, Peter M.
Physical mechanisms of infectious disease; influenza infection; membrane fusion; antibiotic resistance; molecular dynamics simulation; machine learning.
Kelly, Kimberly
Advancement in the design of imaging agents; molecular imaging and radiological sciences.
Kramer, Christopher M.
Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, myocardial disease, atherosclerotic plaque imaging, peripheral arterial disease, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
Kuyumcu-Martinez, Muge N
RNA regulatory networks and RNA binding proteins during cardiovascular development and in cardiovascular disease
Laubach, Victor E.
Understanding mechanisms of ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury after lung transplantation to identifying therapeutic targets.
Levental, Ilya
Composition, Biophysics and Physiology of Cellular Membranes
Lukens, John R.
Understanding How Immunological Pathways Contribute to Neurodegenerative, Neurodevelopmental, Mental and Behavior Disorders
McNamara, Coleen A.
Immune System Regulation of Cardiometabolic Disease
Minor, Wladek
Structure-Function Relationships in Macromolecules; Infectious Diseases and Drug Discovery; Bioinformatics and Big Data; Scientific Reproducibility
Nakamoto, Robert K.
Structure-Function of Active Transporters
Owens, Gary K.
Identification of Factors and Mechanisms that Regulate the Stability of Late Stage Atherosclerotic Lesions and the Probability of Thromboembolic Events Including a Heart Attack or Stroke
Papin, Jason A.
Systems biology, infectious disease, cancer, toxicology, metabolic engineering
Peirce-Cottler, Shayn M.
Tissue Engineering and Regeneration, Computational Systems Biology, Vascular Growth and Remodeling, Stem Cell Therapies
Pornillos, Owen
Structure and assembly of HIV, virus/host interactions, structural biology of the innate immune system
Redemann, Stefanie
Chromosome segregation and aneuploidy in meiosis and mitosis
Saucerman, Jeffrey J.
Roles of complex signaling networks involved in the regulation of cardiovascular function and disease
Sheynkman, Gloria M.
Proteoform Systems Biology: proteogenomic approaches to uncover the role of proteomic variation in human disease
Somlyo, Avril V.
Novel signal transduction pathways in smooth muscles that regulate contractility and impact diseases of the vasculature, airway and gastrointestinal tract.
Sonkusare, Swapnil
Identify the calcium signaling abnormalities that lead to vascular dysfunction and blood pressure elevation in cardiovascular disorders
Tamm, Lukas K.
Biomembrane Structure and Function; Cell Entry of Enveloped Viruses; Neurosecretion by Exocytosis; Structure of Bacterial Pathogen Membrane Proteins; Lipid-Protein Interactions
Tsihlis, Nick
Vascular Biology, Nanotechnology, Biomaterials, Drug Delivery
Wang, Bowen
Toward better understanding of and innovative therapies for peripheral vascular diseases
Wiener, Michael C.
Structure/function of integral membrane proteins; structural biophysics; enzymology and virology of ZMPSTE24; sparse-constraint structure determination; technology development
Wolf, Matthew J
Identification of genes and pathways that cause or modify cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure.
Yeager, Mark
Cardiac Gap Junction Membrane Channels / Integrins Water Channels / Rotavirus / Reovirus / Retrovirus
Zimmer, Jochen
Transport of biopolymers across biological membranes with a particular interest in polysaccharide and protein translocation.