2024 Vascular and Heart Research Symposium Schedule

8 a.m. Light breakfast and beverages

8:45 a.m. Welcome to the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute, Michael Friedlander, Ph.D., Executive Director of the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute and Vice President, Health Sciences and Technology, Virginia Tech

8:50 a.m. Welcome to the Center for Vascular and Heart Research: History and Moving Forward, Robert Gourdie, Ph.D., FAHA, AIMBE, Professor and Director, Center for Vascular and Heart Research, Fralin Biomedical Research Institute

Session 1: Heart Failure

9 a.m. Walter Koch, Ph.D., Duke University School of Medicine: "Novel Roles of G Protein-Coupled Receptor Kinases (GRKs) in Heart Failure"

9:40 a.m. David Sane, M.D., Carilion Clinic:  "HFpEF as a Metabolic Disease"

10 a.m. Robert Gourdie, Ph.D., Fralin Biomedical Research Institute: "Oral Delivery of Therapeutic Peptides for Treatment of Heart Disease and Radiation Injury"

10:20 a.m. Coffee Break

10:40 a.m. Tour of the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute

Session 2: Vascular, Inflammation and Translation

11:10 a.m.: Jeff Lawson, M.D., Ph.D., Duke University School of Medicine: "Translating Vascular Science to Vascular Surgery"

11:50 p.m. John Chappell, Ph.D., Fralin Biomedical Research Institute: "Regulators of Pericyte Investment and Activity within Capillary Networks"

12:10 p.m. Joshua Adams. M.D., Carilion Clinic: "PMEG: The Future of Patient-Specific Fenestrated-EVAR?"

12:30 p.m. Liwu Li, Ph.D., Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech: Innate Memory Dynamics in the Pathogenesis and Treatment of Atherosclerosis

12:50 p.m. Lunch Break & Posters (judged by invited speakers)

Session 3: Cardiac Fibrosis and Conduction

3 p.m. Farah Sheikh, Ph.D., FCVS, FAHS, UC San Diego School of Medicine: "Redefining the Landscape of Arrhythmogenic Cardiomyopathy: From Mechanistic Understanding to Lifesaving Interventions"

3:40 p.m. James Smyth, Ph.D., Fralin Biomedical Research Institute: "Translational Control of Cardiac Gap Junction Formation and Stress-induced Electrical Remodeling"

4 p.m. Steve Poelzing, Ph.D., Fralin Biomedical Research Institute: "Intercalated Disc De-adhesion as a Common Arrhythmia Pathway"

4:20 p.m. Mark Warren, Ph.D., Fralin Biomedical Research Institute: "Circadian Rhythms in Cardiac Impulse Control and Arrhythmia"

4:40-5:40 p.m. Posters, Drinks and Reception, 4 Riverside Circle Atrium

7 p.m. Dinner: Billy's, 102 Market Street Southeast, Roanoke

Session 4: Cardiac and Muscle Metabolism

8 a.m. Light breakfast and beverages

9 a.m. Steven Jones, Ph.D., FAHA, FISHR, University of Louisville School of Medicine: "The Heart of the Matter: Intersection of Metabolism, Inflammation, and the Matrix"

9:40 a.m. Jessica Pfleger, Ph.D., Fralin Biomedical Research Institute: "Novel Pathways Mediating Diabetic Cardiomyopathy"

10 a.m. Junco Warren, Ph.D., Fralin Biomedical Research Institute: "Perm1 Is a Novel Therapeutic Target for Systolic Heart Failure"

10:20 a.m. Ryan Montalvo, Ph.D., Fralin Biomedical Research Institute: "Exercise as a Means to Promote Mitochondrial Nuance in Cardiac and Skeletal Muscle"

10:40 a.m. Coffee Break

Session 5: Vascular Cell Signaling

11:00 a.m. Camilla Wenceslau, Ph.D., FAHA, University of South Carolina: "Reprogramming Endothelial Cells to Present and Treat Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and Hypertension"

11:40 a.m. Scott Johnstone, Ph.D., Fralin Biomedical Research Institute: "Immune Control of Acute Vascular Damage Responses"

12:10 p.m. Kristine Ravina, M.D., Carilion Clinic: "Cerebrovascular Translational Research Continuum: From Bench to Bedside and Back"

12:30 p.m. Lunch Break

Session 6: Vascular and Pulmonary Signaling

1:50 p.m. Swapnil Sonkusare, Ph.D., University of Virginia School of Medicine: "Calcium Signaling Microdomains in Pulmonary Arteries and Veins"

2:30 p.m. Sarah Lessard, Ph.D., Fralin Biomedical Research Institute: "Identifying Mechanisms for Low Cardiorespiratory Fitness Using Models of Exercise Response Heterogeneity"

2:50 p.m. Yassine Sassi, Ph.D., Fralin Biomedical Research Institute: "Paracrine Role of BMP3 in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension"

3:10 p.m. Robert Gourdie, Ph.D.: Concluding Remarks and Poster Prizes