Research
Research Topics
Molecular interactions involved in the regulation of cardiac ion channels
The objective of this topic is to determine the cardiac protein-protein interactions and to determine the impact of these interactions on impulse initiation and propagation, along with the impact on electromechanical coupling in the heart.
Arrhythmia mechanisms in models and in patient-specific, stem cell-derived cardiac myocytes
This study looks into the cardiac-specific deletion of the MAGUK protein, SAP97, and its relation to inherited arrhythmogenic diseases
Excessive adiposity induced electro-mechanical myocardial dysfunction
Molecular bases of sex, race-dependent differences in cardiac arrhythmogenesis
This study looks to study the molecular bass of electromechanical excitation properties of human cardiac cells generated using cell tissues from male and female donors of various backgrounds
The Anumonwo lab investigates molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying electrical and mechanical normal and abnormal heart function. Our investigations involve the use of transgenic models and patient-specific, stem cell derived heart cells and computer simulations.
Specifically, the laboratory utilizes state-of-the-art electrophysiological, molecular and biochemical techniques to probe gating properties of ion channel proteins in normal heart cells or such channel properties in cells from hearts compromised by inherited abnormal genes or damaged by factors after birth. The primary technique includes the patch clamp technique, where a recording probe (a micro/patch electrode ) is introduced into the cell to measure the voltage difference and current flow across the heart cell membrane. The lab also investigates the cell culture of myocytes and uses optical mapping of electrical excitation.
