About the lab
Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death in the United States.
Our lab primarily focuses on the role that sphingolipids have in the development, or prevention of, microvascular endothelial dysfunction, which occurs before the development of coronary artery disease (CAD). Elevated plasma levels of ceramide, a prototypical sphingolipid, is now considered an independent risk factor for major adverse cardiovascular events in otherwise healthy people. Our team aims to understand how these lipids are regulated within the endothelium of the human microvasculature. We study these mechanisms in human microvessels by utilizing discarded surgical specimens from patients diagnosed with CAD, and those with only 0-1 Framingham risk factors for cardiovascular disease as healthy controls.
Projects
People
- Julie Freed MD, PhDPrincipal Investigatorjfreed@mcw.edu
- Mary Schulz Lab Coordinator Imaschulz@mcw.edu
- Boran Katunaric MDPost-doctoral Fellowbkatunaric@mcw.edu
- Kate Cohen MDInternal Medicine Residentkecohen@mcw.edu
- Kelsey Walters 4th year medical studentkwalters@mcw.edu
- Forrest Stehula 2nd year medical studentfstehula@mcw.edu
- Sarah Meeuwsen 2nd year medical studentsmeeuwsen@mcw.edu
