The global focus of the Cardiovascular Physiology Autonomic Function Laboratory is to examine the adaptive capacity of the circulation.

• We study the effects of exercise training, bed rest deconditioning, spaceflight, high altitude, aging, and the effects of cardiovascular diseases, such as heart failure.
• By using sophisticated tools to assess cardiovascular structure and function, our research team brings "Olympic" and "space age" science to the solution of common clinical problems such as fainting, hypertension, or patients with shortness of breath. 
• We focus on measuring how the cardio-respiratory system distributes oxygen from the environment to the muscles.
• Our facility is one of the few labs in the world that can measure the limitations to exercise capacity at every step along the "oxygen cascade" - including the lungs, heart and muscles.
• We use invasive and non-invasive tools to assess cardiovascular structure and function, as well as circulatory control mechanisms.

Research in Dr. Crandall's Thermal and Vascular Physiology Laboratory focuses on neural control of the cardiovascular system and how different stressors influence that control in healthy, diseased, and injured individuals, such as:

• Identifying the consequences of severe burn injuries and subsequent skin grafting on the ability of the burn survivor to regulate internal temperature and cardiovascular function.
• Understanding the consequences of aging on cardiovascular stress during simulated heat waves.
• Exploring cooling modalities to attenuate thermal and cardiovascular stress.
• Understanding how analgesics used on the battlefield affect autonomic control of blood pressure during hemorrhage.

The Tong lab studies the cellular and molecular mechanisms of cardiovascular diseases associated with systemic metabolic disorders, particularly heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) and atrial fibrillation (AF), with an eye toward translating these findings into innovative solutions to clinical problems.

The discovery of ANP many years ago sparked interest in the use of natriuretic peptides to diagnose and treat heart failure and other salt-retaining disorders. Since then, there have been successes and failures. A more comprehensive understanding of the natriuretic peptide system, including the role of noncardiac factors such as race/ethnicity, may encourage more targeted approaches. One of the original insights of de Bold et al, was that the heart is an endocrine organ. Endocrine therapies are administered to individuals with specific evidence of endocrine dysfunction, not to capture short-term beneficial effects. For instance, thyroid hormone is given only to patients in whom hypothyroidism is demonstrated, not based on its metabolic actions. Studies are warranted to determine whether a similar strategy for the heart’s endocrine system can advance the prevention and treatment of cardiometabolic disease. CMRU is strategically positioned to advance research toward this important strategic goal. 

The Munshi Lab is a dedicated group of scientists seeking to identify the molecular drivers of normal cardiac rhythm and disease-associated dysrhythmias.

We strive to decipher mechanisms of structural, functional, and electrical remodeling in heart disease with an eye toward therapeutic intervention. 

The Rohatgi Lab focuses on the role of reverse cholesterol transport in atheroprotection.

Dr. Vongpatanasin studies neural control of blood pressure and the influence of various hormones and antihypertensive agents on autonomic control of blood pressure in humans. 

Shawna D. (Smith) Nesbitt, M.D., M.S., studies hypertension in African-Americans, insulin resistance, and hyperlipidemia. 

We conduct state-of-the-art clinical trials in the field of cardiovascular diseases, offering patients access to advanced clinical therapies that would otherwise not be available.