Cardiovascular Disorders

My research is focused on cardiac arrhythmias (abnormal heart rhythms), particularly in heart failure. We use an integrated approach from proteins to cells to tissues to the intact organism to study the causes, and potential treatments of cardiac arrhythmias. My clinical practice is at the Ambulatory Care Center at the Ross Heart Hospital, where I provide patient care in antiarrhythmic medication monitoring.

The long-term research goal in Dr. Hu's laboratory is to understand the mechanisms in myocardial ischemia and cardioprotection. The lab is particularly interested in studying the regulation of ion channels and their signaling molecules in the cardiovascular system, with a special emphasis on subcellular localization, traffic regulation, molecular mechanisms and their physiological relevance, particularly as these processes relate to human cardiovascular diseases. The ultimate goal is to explore the challenges in identifying therapeutic targets and to help developing preventive and therapeutic strategies for cardiovascular diseases.

Research in the Radwański lab focuses on cardiac biophysics and pharmacology with the twin goals of understanding the mechanisms of life-threatening abnormal heart beats (cardiac arrhythmias), and developing effective antiarrhythmic therapies. By leveraging experience as both a clinical pharmacist and a cardiovascular researcher, and using cutting-edge biophysical approaches ranging from the single-ion channel level to the whole organism, they have identified a novel arrhythmia mechanism. Neuronal-type sodium channels account for a tiny fraction of sodium channels in the heart, but exert a disproportionately strong influence on cardiac calcium dynamics, particularly in disease. By applying pharmacology principles, in the context of this fundamental insight, they are developing novel therapeutic approaches, which effectively prevent arrhythmias, while avoiding the lethal side effects usually associated with classical antiarrhythmic agents. In essence, Dr. Radwański’s approach could be summarized as better clinical outcomes through basic scientific insights.