2025 Vascular and Heart Research Symposium
2025 VASCULAR AND HEART RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM
Hosted by the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC
Aug. 18-19, 2025
Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC
4 Riverside Circle, Roanoke VA
Forging New Collaborations in Vascular and Heart Research
The Fourth Annual Vascular and Heart Research Symposium, hosted by the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute and its Center for Vascular and Heart Research, will bring together experts in cardiovascular fields from across the region.
Researchers will foster interdisciplinary projects in vascular and cardiac studies to encourage functional comparisons and forge new collaborations.
Sophie Astrof, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Cell Biology and Molecular Medicine
New Jersey Medical School
Rutgers University
A. Wayne Orr, Ph.D.
Professor
Director, Center for Cardiovascular Diseases and Sciences
Louisiana State University
Chip Norris, Ph.D.
Professor
Regenerative Medicine and Cell Biology
Medical University of South Carolina
Laszlo Farkas, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine
The Ohio State University College of Medicine
Jonathan Kirk, Ph.D.
Professor
Cell Molecular Physiology
Stritch School of Medicine
Loyola University Chicago
Shuai Yuan, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Associate
Pharmacology and Chemical Biology
University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Luke Dunaway, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow
Cardiovascular Research Center
University of Virginia School of Medicine
Joshua Adams, M.D.
Aortic and Endovascular Surgeon
Carilion Clinic Aortic Center
Associate Professor
Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine
John Chappell, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC
Robert Gourdie, Ph.D., FAHA, AIMBE
Heywood Fralin Endowned Professor
Director, Center for Vascular and Heart Research
Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC
Scott Johnstone, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC
Liwu Li, Ph.D.
Professor
Department of Biological Sciences
College of Science
Virginia Tech
Steven Poelzing, Ph.D.
James and Deborah Petrine Professor
Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC
Oleg Kim, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics
College of Engineering
Virginia Tech
Yassine Sassi, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC
James Smyth, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC
Junco Warren, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC
Previous Symposia
Camilla Wenceslau, Ph.D., FAHA
"Reprogramming Endothelial Cells to Present and Treat Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Hypertension"
Associate Professor
Laboratory of Vascular Biology
Molnaroli College of Engineering and Computing
University of South Carolina
Farah Sheikh, Ph.D., FCVS, FAHS
"Redefining the Landscape of Arrhythmogenic Cardiomyopathy: From Mechanistic Understanding to Lifesaving Interventions"
Professor of Medicine
Cardiology Division
UC San Diego School of Medicine
Jeffrey Lawson, M.D., Ph.D.
"Translating Vascular Science to Vascular Surgery"
Adjunct Professor of Surgery
Core Faculty in Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Department of Surgery
Duke University School of Medicine
Steven Jones, Ph.D., FAHA, FISHR
"The Heart of the Matter: Intersection of Metabolism, Inflammation, and the Matrix"
Professor of Medicine
Director, Center for Cardiometabolic Science
University of Louisville School of Medicine
Swapnil Sonkusare, Ph.D.
"Calcium Signaling Microdomains in Pulmonary Arteries and Veins"
Associate Professor
Molecular Physiology adn Biological Physics
University of Virginia School of Medicine
Wally Koch, Ph.D.
"Novel Roles of G Protein-Coupled Receptor Kinases (GRKs) in Heart Failure"
Professor
Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery
Department of Surgery
Duke University School of Medicine
Joshua Adams, M.D.
"PMEG: The Future of Patient-Specific Fenestrated-EVAR?"
Aortic and Endovascular Surgeon
Carilion Clinic Aortic Center
Associate Professor
Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine
John Chappell, Ph.D.
"Regulators of Pericyte Investment and Activity within Capillary Networks"
Associate Professor
Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC
Robert Gourdie, Ph.D., FAHA, AIMBE
"Oral Delivery of Therapeutic Peptides for Treatment of Heart Disease and Radiation Injury"
Professor and Commonwealth Research Commercialization Fund Eminent Scholar in Heart Reparative Medicine Research
Director, Center for Vascular and Heart Research
Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC
Scott Johnstone, Ph.D.
"Immune Control of Acute Vascular Damage Responses"
Assistant Professor
Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC
Sarah Lessard, Ph.D.
"Identifying Mechanisms for Low Cardiorespiratory Fitness Using Models of Exercise Response Heterogeneity"
Associate Professor
Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC
Liwu Li, Ph.D.
"Innate Memory Dynamics in the Pathogenesis and Treatment of Atherosclerosis"
Professor
Department of Biological Sciences
College of Science
Virginia Tech
Ryan Montalvo, Ph.D.
"Exercise as a Means to Promote Mitochondrial Nuance in Cardiac and Skeletal Muscle"
Postdoctoral Associate
Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC
Jessica Pfleger, Ph.D.
"Novel Pathways Mediating Diabetic Cardiomyopathy"
Assistant Professor
Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC
Steven Poelzing, Ph.D.
"Intercalated Disc De-adhesion as a Common Arrhythmia Pathway"
Professor
Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC
Kristine Ravina, M.D.
"Cerebrovascular Translational Research Continuum: From Bench to Bedside and Back"
Neurosurgery Resident
Carilion Clinic
David Sane, M.D.
"HFpEF as a Metabolic Disease"
Chief of Cardiology
Carilion Clinic
Professor
Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine
Yassine Sassi, Ph.D.
"Paracrine Role of BMP3 in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension"
Assistant Professor
Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC
James Smyth, Ph.D.
"Translational Control of Cardiac Gap Junction Formation and Stress-induced Electrical Remodeling"
Associate Professor
Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC
Junco Warren, Ph.D.
"Perm1 Is a Novel Therapeutic Target for Systolic Heart Failure"
Assistant Professor
Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC
Mark Warren, Ph.D.
"Circadian Rhythms in Cardiac Impulse Control and Arrhythmia"
Research Assistant Professor
Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC
Konstantinos Drosatos, Ph.D., FAHA
"A Critical Element of a Hepatocardiac Signaling Axis That Drives Cardiac Hypertrophy"
Ohio Eminent Scholar and Professor
Department of Pharmacology & Systems Physiology
College of Medicine
University of Cincinnati
Courtney Griffin, Ph.D.
"Molecular Insights About Vascular Regression"
Vice President of Research and Member
Cardiovascular Biology Research Program
Scott Zarrow Chair in Biomedical Research
Adjunct Professor of Cell Biology
Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation
Brian Jensen, M.D., Ph.D.
"Alpha-1A Adrenergic Receptors: Emerging Mechanisms of Cardioprotection"
Associate Professor
Division of Cardiology
Department of Medicine
UNC School of Medicine
Adam Straub, Ph.D.
"Redox, Reductases and Resilience: Basic Mechanism and Translational Implications for Cardiovascular Disease"
Associate Professor
Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology
Director, Center for Microvascular Research
Principal Investigator and Scholar
Heart, Lung, Blood, and Vascular Medicine Institute
University of Pittsburgh
Jop Van Berlo, M.D., Ph.D.
"Septin4 Is a Novel Regulator of Cardiac Fibrosis"
Associate Professor of Medicine
Cardiovascular Division
Director of Graduate Studies
Ph.D. Program in Integrative Biology and Physiology
University of Minnesota Medical School
James West, Ph.D.
"The BMP Pathway in Vascular Homeostasis"
Professor of Medicine
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
John Chappell, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC
Robert Gourdie, Ph.D., FAHA, AIMBE
Professor and Commonwealth Research Commercialization Fund Eminent Scholar in Heart Reparative Medicine Research
Director, Center for Vascular and Heart Research
Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC
Scott Johnstone, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC
Jessica Pfleger, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC
Steven Poelzing, Ph.D.
Professor
Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC
Yassine Sassi, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC
James Smyth, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC
Junco Warren, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC
Sharon Gerecht, Ph.D.
"Vascular differentiation and assembly"
Paul M. Goss Distinguished Professor
Department of Biomedical Engineering
Pratt School of Engineering
Duke University
Brant Isakson, Ph.D.
"A Pannexin Dunning-Kruger Experience"
Professor
Department of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics
Robert M. Berne Cardiovascular Research Center
UVa School of Medicine
University of Virginia
Joseph Miano, Ph.D.
"New Mouse Models for Vascular Research"
Professor
J. Harold Harrison, MD, Distinguished University Chair in Vascular Biology
Medical College of Georgia
Augusta University
Robert Wirka, M.D.
"Intersecting Human Genetics and Arterial Biology to Identify the Mechanisms Driving Coronary Artery Disease"
Assistant Professor
Department of Medicine and Department of Cell Biology
and Physiology, Division of Cardiology
UNC School of Medicine
University of North Carolina
John Chappell, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC
Robert Gourdie, Ph.D., FAHA, AIMBE
Professor and Commonwealth Research Commercialization Fund Eminent Scholar in Heart Reparative Medicine Research
Director, Center for Vascular and Heart Research
Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC
Scott Johnstone, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC
Jessica Pfleger, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC
“Noncontact Recovery of Cardiovascular Signals Using Video of the Face”
A. Lynn Abbott, Ph.D.
Professor
Bradley Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Virginia Tech
“Pericyte-Endothelial Cell Interaction Following Cessation of Blood Flow”
Hanaa Abdelazim
Graduate Student, Translational Biology, Medicine, and Health
The Chappell Lab
Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC
“Effect of Disrupting Sodium Channel Beta 1 Subunit Adhesion on Cardiac Conduction Depends on Experimental Conditions”
William Adams
Graduate Student, Translational Biology, Medicine, and Health
The Poelzing Lab
Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC
“Optimization of CTDR Dye Loading into Small Extracellular Vesicles Derived from Cow Milk”
Md Ruhul Amin
Graduate Student, Translational Biology, Medicine, and Health
The Gourdie Lab
Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC
“Tailoring a Cardioprotective Peptide Prodrug for Exosomal Hitchhiking”
Mark Bannon, M.S.
Graduate Student, Chemical Engineering
The Letteri Lab
University of Virginia
“The Role of Endothelial Connexin 43 in Vascular Wound Healing”
Xinyan Eaton, Ph.D.
Research Assistant
The Johnstone Lab
Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC
“The Role of BMP3 in the Pathogenesis of Pulmonary Hypertension”
Aymen Halouani, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Associate
The Sassi Lab
Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC
“Therapeutic Targeting of the Extracellular cAMP Pathway in Pulmonary Fibrosis ”
Michael Klingener
Medical Student
Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine
The Sassi Lab
Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC
“Bovine Milk-Derived Exosomes as a Novel, Injury Targeting Drug Delivery System”
Spencer Marsh, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Associate
The Gourdie Lab
Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC
Chief Scientific Officer
The Tiny Cargo Company
“Connexin 43 as a Regulator of Proliferation and Neointimal Formation in Human Vascular Tissue”
Megan Sedovy
Graduate Student, Translational Biology, Medicine, and Health
The Johnstone Lab
Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC
“Role of PERM1 in Energy Metabolism and O-GlcNAcylation in the Heart”
Karthi Sreedevi, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Associate
The Warren Lab
Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC
“A Novel Role for REDD1 in Cardiac Insulin Sensitivity and Resistance”
Mason Wheeler
Graduate Student, Translational Biology, Medicine, and Health
The Pfleger Lab
Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC
“Evaluating Cell Viability, Capillary Perfusion, and Collateral Tortuosity in an Ex Vivo Mouse Mesentery Fluidics Model”
Caroline Willi
Lab Manager and Research Coordinator
The Chappell Lab
Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC
“Voltage Gated Sodium Channel β1 Subunit Mimetic Peptide βadp1 Increases Regulated Intramembrane Proteolysis of SCN1B/β1”
Zachary Williams
Graduate Student, Translational Biology, Medicine, and Health
The Gourdie Lab
Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC
“Age-associated Perinexal Narrowing Masks Functional Consequences of Cellular Remodeling in Long QT Syndrome Type 3 ”
Xiabo Wu, M.S.
Graduate Student, Translational Biology, Medicine, and Health
The Poelzing Lab
Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC
“Regulation of Connexin43 Gap Junction Formation by Alternative Translation”
Kenneth L. Young II
Graduate Student, Translational Biology, Medicine, and Health
Lamouille and Smyth Labs
Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC
“Dynamic Transcription Start Site Usage Alters GJA1 mRNA 5’UTR Composition, Regulating Translation Initiation, and Modulating Gap Junction Formation. ”
Michael Zeitz, Ph.D.
Research Scientist
The Smyth Lab
Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC