Basic & Translational Cardiovascular Medicine Research

Research on the Determinants of Heart Disease

Basic laboratory research in the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) includes investigations to identify the genetic, molecular, and functional determinants that underlie heart disease.

Some of our researchers are working to develop new ways to protect the heart during cancer therapy. What they learn from cancer drugs may help us understand how heart disease arises in patients without cancer. In looking at the molecular mechanisms of chemotherapy-associated heart toxicity, our team may be able to target these pathways therapeutically in patients.

Our division is also at the forefront of cardiometabolic research. Using metabolomic and proteomic plasma profiling techniques to make observations in humans can be brought back to the bench for biomarker and pathway discovery in cardiometabolic disease.

Other areas of focus include studying the molecular mechanisms of processes that play an important role in various cardiovascular functions and conditions such as thrombosis, myocardial infarction, and heart failure. See additional information below in our list of faculty.

Basic Laboratory Research Labs

• Gerszten Lab: Led by Robert Gerszten, this lab has identified novel biomarkers that single out individuals destined to develop diabetes and heart disease.
• Ho Lab: Led by Jennifer Ho, this lab investigates to better understand mechanisms driving obesity-related cardiometabolic diseases. 
• Secemsky Lab: Led by Eric Secemsky, this lab concentrates on the comparative effectiveness of coronary and vascular therapies with an emphasis on the use of novel statistical methods.
• Sofer Lab: Led by Tamar Sofer, this lab identifies determinants and correlates of health and disease outcomes.