SUNY Downstate CVD Scholars

Anthony Anzell, PhD

Faculty / Researcher

Department and School: Pediatrics, School of Medicine

University: Saint Louis University, Saint Louis, MO

Research Interests: My primary research investigates the health burden as well as the genetic and cellular mechanisms of Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia (HHT). We employ computational, cellular, molecular genetic, mechanobiological, and epidemiological techniques to 1) characterize all genetic mutations that lead to disease, 2) deepen our understanding of the biology behind the development of arteriovenous malformations, and 3) to better understand the mental and physical burden of HHT on patient lives. As a patient with the disease, my goal is to increase patient identification and improve patient care through the development of novel therapies to ultimately improve the health-related quality of life of all HHT patients.

Celeste Butts-Jackson PhD, MS

Assistant Professor

Department and School: Kinesiology and Health, College of Health and Human Sciences

University: Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa

Research Interests: My research focuses on identifying effective non‑pharmacological strategies to prevent and manage chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular and kidney diseases. Through my research, I aim to design tailored behavioral and psychosocial interventions to promote and improve kidney and cardiovascular health among individuals at higher risk for these conditions. My additional research interest includes expanding the community health worker model in the space of chronic diseases to improve healthcare access for underserved communities and thereby ensure better health outcomes for all.

Camila de Avila, PhD, MS

Assistant Research Professor

Department and School: Translational Neurosciences, College of Medicine

University: The University of Arizona, Phoenix, Arizona 

Research Interests: Cognitive impairment and cardiovascular disease (CVD) are increasingly common and often co-occur in the aging population. CVD can contribute to impaired cognition. My work centers on the nucleus incertus (NI), a pontine brainstem hub that modulates cognition, stress, and arousal. The NI is the primary brain source of the neuropeptide relaxin-3, a member of the insulin peptide superfamily. My previous work established a translational bridge between animal models and human biology by providing the first neurochemical map of the human NI since its original anatomical description in 1903. Building on this foundation, my research extends the current understanding of the NI/relaxin-3 system beyond the brain to investigate its contributions to CVD, with emphasis on aging-related cognitive impairment and sex-specific mechanisms relevant to disease prevalence and progression.

Gourav Bhardwaj, PhD

Research Assistant Professor

Department and School: Internal Medicine - Endocrinology and Metabolism, College of Medicine

University: University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, Iowa

Research Interests: Focusing on understanding how insulin signaling and FoxO transcription factors regulate calcium flux and mitochondrial function in diabetic cardiomyopathy and heart failure.

Samuel Byiringiro, PhD, MS, RN

Assistant Professor

Department and School: Acute and Chronic Care, School of Nursing

University: Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee

Research Interests: My research interests involve symptom management and improving quality of life among people with serious cardiovascular diseases including atrial fibrillation and pulmonary hypertension. Specifically, I am seeking to develop community-engaged solutions for symptom identification and self-management. I am looking to use AI, mobile apps, and SMS technology for intervention delivery geared towards addressing access needs of underserved populations especially rural populations.

Cristina Espinosa-Diez, PhD

Assistant Professor

Department and School: Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics and Department of Physiology, School of Medicine

University: Wayne State University, Detroit, MI

Research Interests: My research is motivated by a commitment to understanding how cancer therapies influence vascular health and contribute to long-term cardiovascular complications. As a vascular biologist with expertise in non-coding RNAs, epigenetics, endothelial biology, and vascular remodeling, I investigate how anti-cancer agents shape the epigenetic landscape of vascular cells. My work focuses on the response of long non-coding RNAs to cancer therapies and the role these RNAs play in pathological vascular remodeling during disease progression. By integrating in vitro and in vivo approaches, including lineage fate mapping and Cas9-mediated transcriptional and epigenetic reprogramming, my overarching goal is to uncover mechanisms that can inform strategies to prevent or mitigate therapy-associated vascular complications.

Dragana Komnenov, PhD

Assistant Professor

Department and School: Physiology and Internal Medicine, Division of Nephrology and Hypertension, School of Medicine

University: Wayne State University, Detroit, MI

Research Interests: My research is centered on identifying the mechanisms and new therapeutic strategies for salt-sensitive hypertension. I employ an integrative approach, using both physiological and epidemiological methods, to discover novel neurocardiovascular mechanisms that govern blood pressure control. My primary research interest is to understand the mechanisms of hypertension and how environmental factors, such as stress and diet play a role in creating a favorable milieu for the development of salt sensitivity of blood pressure, hypertension, cardiovascular and renal diseases. The ultimate goal of my research program is to devise novel and/or repurpose existing therapeutic strategies that address both modifiable lifestyle factors (psychological stress and diet) and novel mechanistic underpinnings of cardiovascular and renal diseases.

Ogechukwu Agatha Offorjebe, MD, MPH

Assistant Professor

Department and School: Emergency Medicine, Stanford University

University: Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA

Research Interests: I am committed to strengthening health systems to improve chronic disease care and prevention in medically underserved communities globally. My work focuses on advancing equitable and sustainable approaches to cardiometabolic disease management in resource-limited settings, where the burden of disease is often greatest and resources most constrained. My goal is to apply implementation science and economic evaluation methods to design and evaluate scalable, context-appropriate interventions that improve access to effective chronic disease care and support more resilient and equitable health systems. I am particularly interested in interventions that reduce barriers to care across patient, provider, and health system domains.

Saravanan Subramaniam, PhD

Assistant Professor

Department and School: Pharmaceutical Sciences

University: MCPHS University, Boston MA

Research Interests: My research is driven by a commitment to advancing the understanding of vascular and inflammatory diseases and improving therapeutic strategies through translational science. My laboratory research focuses on investigating the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying platelet-mediated immune responses, thrombosis, inflammation, and infectious diseases using in vitro, in vivo, and ex vivo experimental and imaging approaches. I am also interested in the development of innovative therapeutic strategies and the integration of emerging technologies into biomedical research and education. In addition, I am actively involved in scientific writing, multidisciplinary collaborations, mentoring, teaching, and the dissemination of research findings through scholarly publications.