Cardiovascular Biology

Donald R. Menick, Ph.D. - Division Director

The Cardiovascular Biology Division is made up of over thirty faculty members from basic science and clinical departments with the goal of training students for careers as independent investigators studying the molecular and cellular aspects of cardiovascular physiology and disease. One of the medical triumphs of the latter half of the twentieth century is the remarkable advancement that has been made in the diagnosis and treatment of heart disease. Despite these advances, cardiovascular disease still remains the most common fatal and disabling disorder in the United States. Over the last two decades we have made tremendous progress in our understanding of the molecular aspects of biology. Now we have the opportunity to use these new and powerful molecular tools to explore complex biological systems, such as the heart.

The research focus of the Cardiovascular Biology Division is to find bold new approaches to aid our understanding, diagnosis and treatment of heart disease. Some areas of research interests in this program include gene regulation in heart development, differentiation and disease, regulation of cardiovascular function and metabolism, regulation of muscle contraction and protein turnover, and signal tranduction pathways in development and disease.

The Cardiovascular Biology Division is one of the divisions of the Molecular and Cellular Biology Program. Students who have satisfactorily completed the First Year Curriculum are qualified to enter the program. During their second and third year, students will complete at least 12 semester hours of advanced course work. Six of these units will be taken from courses offered in the Cardiovascular Biology Division. Courses cover topics such as signal transduction, gene expression, genetic engineering and gene therapy, and genetics and development of the cardiovascular system. The remaining units may be chosen from any of the Graduate Program courses. In addition, students will participate in the Cardiovascular journal club.

Cardiovascular Biology Course Descriptions

MCBP - 762 Cardiovascular Developmental Mechanisms
This course will provide a current multidisciplinary view of the processes governing embryonic development. It will consist of four major sections: (1) the morphological and molecular events underlying organ formation in multiple model organisms (fly, fish, frog, bird, mouse, and human); (2) gene regulation of developmental processes, including axis formation, embryonic patterning and cell lineage determination; (3) cell biology of the embryo, including a discussion of stem cells, cell migration, apoptosis, cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions; and (4) an in-depth examination of selected organ systems (brain, cardiovascular system, and limb). The course is intended for graduate students.
This Course will be taught every other year in the fall.
3 units
Course Director: Leonard M. Eisenberg, PhD

MCBP-728 Integrative Biology of the Cardiovascular System
This course is designed to build on the Receptors and Signaling and Systems Biology units of the first year curriculum for Ph.D. students to provide the students with an in depth understanding of the structure, function and integration of the cardiovascular system at the human and whole animal levels and the assessment of cardiovascular function in whole animal models including transgenic animals. Current concepts of the cell and molecular biology bases of cardiovascular function, dysfunction and responsiveness to therapeutic interventions will be explored. Course faculty include investigators from Adult Cardiology, Adult Endocrinology, Cell Biology and Anatomy, Pharmacology, Physiology and Neuroscience and Surgery. Relevant material will be addressed through a combination of lectures, discussion of papers from the literature and problem solving exercises (open book).
3 credit hours
Course Directors: Lindenmayer & Webb
Offered in Fall Semester of alternate years.

MCBP-739 The Molecular Basis of Cardiovascular Disease
This course is designed to highlight the advances in cardiovascular science and medicine which will soon form the foundation for novel diagonstic, prognostic and therapeutic approaches to treating heart disease. Over the past decade a growing number of genes, receptors, channels and signaling factors have been shown to play a role in cardiovascular disorders. This course will examine the new approaches and technology that are being utilized to identify the molecular mechanism that these factors play in cardiovascular function and disease. We will discuss the power of utilizing molecular genetics to unravel heart diseases. We will also look at advances in our understanding of cardiovascular development, and electrophysiology. We will also discuss how new breakthroughs in tissue engineering may allow for the replacement of diseased myocardium. The course will also include sections on vascular biology and atherogenesis.
3 credit hours.
Offered Fall Semester of alternate years.

PATH-792 Anatomy, Histology and Histopathology of the Laboratory Mouse
This course is offered as an elective course during the first three weeks of the summer semester. The anatomy, histology, and histopathology of the laboratory mouse will be presented. Emphasis will be placed on differences between human and mouse so future investigators who may use a mouse model of human disease will understand approaches to developing new modes as well as limitations of a given model. Lectures will present anatomy, histology, basic principles of pathobiology and unique mouse pathology. Lab sessions will be used to demonstrate the proper way to perform a pathological examination on properly euthanized animals. Tutorials using glass and virtual slides will be included. Students will learn and execute a necropsy (term for post-mortem examination in veterinary medicine) of the mouse. Two Genetically Engineered Mouse (GEM) models will be introduced by Drs. Awgulewitsch and Spyropoulos at the end of the course to reinforce the significance of understanding differences between mouse and human anatomy, histology, and pathology. Due to the brevity of the course, only a limited number of pathological entities will be included. 3 credit hours. Prerequisite: PATH 789, Graduate Histology: Introduction to Pathology, or CELL 609: Medical Histology, or by permission of the course directors.
Robert W. Olilvie, Ph.D. (ogilvieb@musc.edu), Kristi L. Helke, DVM, Ph.D. (helke@musc.edu)

MCBP - 782 Cardiovascular Biology Journal Club
The Cardiovascular Biology Journal Club course is designed to highlight the advances in cardiovascular science and medicine that will soon form the foundation for novel diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic approaches to treating heart disease. Publications will be presented by the students weekly, which address current concepts of the cell and molecular biology bases of cardiovascular function, dysfunction and responsiveness to therapeutic interventions. Students, postdoctoral fellows and faculty who will take part in the weekly discussion include investigators from adult cardiology, adult Endocrinology, Cell Biology and Anatomy, Pharmacology, and Surgery.

Credits: 1.00 CEUs
Academic Level: PD - Doctorate

Cardiovascular Journal Club
Director - Sundaravadivel Balasubramanian, Ph.D.
Phone - 876-5065
Email - balasubr@musc.edu
Fall 2012 Schedule: "Fridays, 8:30am - 9:30am"
Bioengineering Building, room 201

Cardiovascular Training Grant Retreat

Cardiovascular Biology Faculty