Physiology
About
How does a living system actually work? The Physiology (PHYS) Graduate Program at UVA trains students to answer that question across every scale—molecules, organelles, cells, tissues, whole organisms—and to reveal how those systems fail in disease and with aging. PHYS is anchored in the Department of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics (MPBP) and closely integrated with UVA’s Robert M. Berne Cardiovascular Research Center (CVRC). Together, MPBP and the CVRC provide a dynamic, collaborative community with strengths in cardiovascular and metabolic physiology, cell and molecular biology, biophysics, structural biology, genetics, advanced imaging, and computational science. PHYS students conduct innovative research alongside faculty across the School of Medicine. Through rigorous laboratory training, coursework, seminars, and professional development, students learn to think critically, address important biomedical questions, communicate their discoveries, and prepare for diverse careers in science. For more information, visit the MPBP or CVRC websites.
Program Faculty
Identifying and exploring the role of innate immunity, inflammasome, and interleukin-1 blockade in the pathogenesis and pathophysiology of cardiovascular disease
Antonio Abbate
Identifying and exploring the role of innate immunity, inflammasome, and interleukin-1 blockade in the pathogenesis and pathophysiology of cardiovascular disease
Molecular Biosensors; Spatiotemporal Regulation of Biological Signaling; Protein Engineering for Imaging, Diagnostics, and Therapeutics
Huiwang Ai
Molecular Biosensors; Spatiotemporal Regulation of Biological Signaling; Protein Engineering for Imaging, Diagnostics, and Therapeutics
Drug Development Targeting Transcription Drivers in Cancer; Structure/Function Studies of Transcription Factor Drivers in Cancer
John H. Bushweller
Drug Development Targeting Transcription Drivers in Cancer; Structure/Function Studies of Transcription Factor Drivers in Cancer
Cytoskeletal architecture, dynamics and roles in cellular physiology and disease; High-resolution live cell and tissue imaging
Seham Ebrahim
Cytoskeletal architecture, dynamics and roles in cellular physiology and disease; High-resolution live cell and tissue imaging
Novel Therapies for Treating and Preventing Ischemic Heart Disease
Brent A. French
Novel Therapies for Treating and Preventing Ischemic Heart Disease
Chromosome organization; Nucleosome structure; Histone marks; Structural cell biology
Lu Gan
Chromosome organization; Nucleosome structure; Histone marks; Structural cell biology
Vascular wall remodeling, intimal hyperplasia, stenosis, aneurysm, retinal degeneration.
Lian-Wang Guo
Vascular wall remodeling, intimal hyperplasia, stenosis, aneurysm, retinal degeneration.
Understanding Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms Leading to Blood Vessel Formation
Karen Kemper Hirschi
Understanding Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms Leading to Blood Vessel Formation
Translating our discoveries in the microcirculation to tangible benefits in patients.
Brant Isakson
Translating our discoveries in the microcirculation to tangible benefits in patients.
Advancement in the design of imaging agents; molecular imaging and radiological sciences.
Kimberly Kelly
Advancement in the design of imaging agents; molecular imaging and radiological sciences.
RNA regulatory networks and RNA binding proteins during cardiovascular development and in cardiovascular disease
Muge N Kuyumcu-Martinez
RNA regulatory networks and RNA binding proteins during cardiovascular development and in cardiovascular disease
Composition, Biophysics and Physiology of Cellular Membranes
Ilya Levental
Composition, Biophysics and Physiology of Cellular Membranes
Understanding How Immunological Pathways Contribute to Neurodegenerative, Neurodevelopmental, Mental and Behavior Disorders
John R. Lukens
Understanding How Immunological Pathways Contribute to Neurodegenerative, Neurodevelopmental, Mental and Behavior Disorders
Immune System Regulation of Cardiometabolic Disease
Coleen A. McNamara
Immune System Regulation of Cardiometabolic Disease
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
Gary K. Owens
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
Systems biology, infectious disease, cancer, toxicology, metabolic engineering
Jason Papin
Systems biology, infectious disease, cancer, toxicology, metabolic engineering
Tissue Engineering and Regeneration, Computational Systems Biology, Vascular Growth and Remodeling, Stem Cell Therapies
Shayn M. Peirce-Cottler
Tissue Engineering and Regeneration, Computational Systems Biology, Vascular Growth and Remodeling, Stem Cell Therapies
Delineate the physiological importance and structure-function relationship of ER-associated degradation in humans.
Ling Qi
Delineate the physiological importance and structure-function relationship of ER-associated degradation in humans.
Chromosome segregation and aneuploidy in meiosis and mitosis
Stefanie Redemann
Chromosome segregation and aneuploidy in meiosis and mitosis
Roles of complex signaling networks involved in the regulation of cardiovascular function and disease
Jeffrey J. Saucerman
Roles of complex signaling networks involved in the regulation of cardiovascular function and disease
Proteoform Systems Biology: proteogenomic approaches to uncover the role of proteomic variation in human disease
Gloria M. Sheynkman
Proteoform Systems Biology: proteogenomic approaches to uncover the role of proteomic variation in human disease
biophysics, biophysics & structural biology, cardiovascular biology, and physiology
Avril V. Somlyo
biophysics, biophysics & structural biology, cardiovascular biology, and physiology
Identify the calcium signaling abnormalities that lead to vascular dysfunction and blood pressure elevation in cardiovascular disorders
Swapnil Sonkusare
Identify the calcium signaling abnormalities that lead to vascular dysfunction and blood pressure elevation in cardiovascular disorders
Biomembrane Structure and Function; Cell Entry of Enveloped Viruses; Neurosecretion by Exocytosis; Structure of Bacterial Pathogen Membrane Proteins; Lipid-Protein Interactions
Lukas K. Tamm
Biomembrane Structure and Function; Cell Entry of Enveloped Viruses; Neurosecretion by Exocytosis; Structure of Bacterial Pathogen Membrane Proteins; Lipid-Protein Interactions
Membrane-transport physiology and biophysics
Ming-Feng Tsai
Membrane-transport physiology and biophysics
Vascular Biology, Nanotechnology, Biomaterials, Drug Delivery
Nick Dimitrios Tsihlis
Vascular Biology, Nanotechnology, Biomaterials, Drug Delivery
The formation, function, coordination, and pathology of multinucleated cell types that make up the placenta and musculoskeletal system.
Jarred M Whitlock
The formation, function, coordination, and pathology of multinucleated cell types that make up the placenta and musculoskeletal system.
Identification of genes and pathways that cause or modify cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure.
Matthew J Wolf
Identification of genes and pathways that cause or modify cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure.
Molecular Imaging; Cancer Immunology; Vaccines.
Jinghang Xie
Molecular Imaging; Cancer Immunology; Vaccines.
Transport of biopolymers across biological membranes with a particular interest in polysaccharide and protein translocation.
Jochen Zimmer
Transport of biopolymers across biological membranes with a particular interest in polysaccharide and protein translocation.