Mansoor Husain

Research Synopsis

We are focused on elucidating the molecular bases of cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension, atherosclerosis and heart failure, with a particular emphasis on identifying therapeutic targets involved in pathophysiology and a mechanism underlying the cardiovascular complications of diabetes. Our approaches encompass both cell culture-based experimental systems and tissue-specific transgenic mouse models of human cardiovascular disease.

More specifically, we study the transcriptional and post-translational regulation of cell cycle- and Ca2+-regulatory genes in vascular smooth muscle cells, and the impact of molecular genetic manipulations of these pathways on both the proliferative and contractile phenotypes of vascular smooth muscle cells. We are also interested in defining the roles played by certain vasoactive hormones, enzymes and their downstream signaling pathways in inflammatory disease of the heart and circulatory system. More recently, we have begun to characterize and optimize an in vitro system for the differentiation of fully functional smooth muscle cells and cardiac myocytes from embryonic stem cells, with a view to employ these cells in disease modeling and/or regenerative therapies.

We have an active research program on the biological effects of incretin targeted therapies for diabetes on the cardiovascular system. We also participate in select international and national clinical trials in this field.