Chen Laboratory

The Chen lab develops novel imaging methods to understand mechanisms of cardiovascular disease, to image disease as it progresses and to improve cardiovascular outcomes by targeting or monitoring therapies using molecular imaging. He is applying these novel technologies to heart failure and cardio-oncology.
Our publications

Blanton Laboratory

Heart failure remains the leading cause of hospital admission in the United States. The Blanton laboratory investigates the basic molecular signaling mechanisms regulating the process of cardiac remodeling: the myocardial structural and functional abnormalities that ultimately cause the heart failure syndrome. Our overarching goal is to discover novel anti-remodeling signaling molecules in the heart which will enable us to design more effective and better-tolerated therapies for heart failure patients.
Our publications
Articles
Anal Cancer: Know Your Risk
March 14, 2024
Tufts Medical Center’s José Caro, MD, Division of Infectious Diseases breaks down the stigma associated with anal cancer. Learn who’s at risk and how to prevent this rarely discussed disease.

MCRI Training + Education

The many training opportunities in the MCRI include:

  • The Institute sponsors a Molecular Medicine Seminar Series throughout the academic year with guest speakers participating.
  • All MCRI investigators, trainees and technical staff participate in an annual retreat in Woods Hole, with presentations by nationally and internationally recognized distinguished guest lecturers, and opportunities for all MCRI members to review their latest research as well as discuss new opportunities for collaboration.
MCRI Training and Education group
MCRI Training and Education discussion at desk
Training the next generation of cardiovascular researchers is critical to the Molecular Cardiology Research Institute (MCRI) mission and a high priority in the Institute

MCRI Multidisciplinary Research Groups

The MCRI sponsors Multidisciplinary Research Groups that foster collaboration among clinical, translational and basic scientists including MCRI faculty and investigators across Tufts Medicine and Tufts University. These groups include the Cardio-Oncology Research Group, the Cardio-Renal Research Group, the Vasculo-Neuro Research Group, the Women’s Cardiovascular Health Research Group, and the Wound Healing Research Group.

MCRI Core Labs

Core labs
The MCRI core labs include the MCRI Bio Bank Core Lab, the MCRI Cell Culture Core Lab, the MCRI Interventional Research Core Lab, the MCRI Small Animal Physiology Core Lab and the MCRI Vascular Function Core Lab. These labs provide equipment, infrastructure, and expertise to support MCRI faculty and trainees in their research.
A Study of Sargramostim Plus Pembrolizumab With or Without Pemetrexed in Patients With Advance Non-small Cell Lung Cancer After Completion of Chemoimmunotherapy
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Non-small cell lung cancer
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All genders
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Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Division of Thoracic Surgery
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MCRI Investigators

robert blanton

Robert Blanton, MD
Research Interests: Heart Failure, Cardiomyopathy, Molecular Signaling, cGMP, Protein Kinase G, Cardiac function, Cardiovascular disease, Mixed Lineage Kinase 3
Email: Robert.blanton@tuftsmedicine.org

Blanton Laboratory

 

howard chen

Howard Chen, PhD
Research Interests: Autophagy, Apoptosis, Molecular Imaging, Theranostic nanoprobes, Cardio-oncology, Cardioprotection, Cardiomyopathy, Heart Failure
Email: Howard.Chen@tuftsmedicine.org

Chen Laboratory

 

michael chin

Michael Chin, MD, PhD
Research Interests: Hypertrophic and genetic cardiomyopathies, Barth Syndrome, Heart Failure, Genetics, Genomics, Molecular Biology, Transcriptomics, Proteomics
Email: Michael.T.Chin@tuftsmedicine.org

Chin Laboratory

 

isabelle draper

Isabelle Draper, PhD
Research Interests: RNA splicing, Muscular Dystrophy
Email: Isabelle.Draper@tuftsmedicine.org

Draper Laboratory

 

jennifer dupont

Jennifer Dupont, PhD
Research Interests: Vascular Function, Estrogen, Aging, Arterial Stiffness, Sex Differences in Cardiovascular Disease
Email: Jennifer.Dupont@tuftsmedicine.org

Dupont Laboratory

Jonas Galper

Jonas Galper, MD, PhD
Research Interests: Metabolic Heart Disease, Impact of Type II Diabetes and Metabolic Syndrome on the Heart, Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction, Ventricular Tachycardia, Atrial Fibrillation, Ion Channel Dysfunction, Calcium Signaling
Email: Jonas.Galper@tuftsmedicine.org

Galper Laboratory

miranda good

Miranda Good, PhD
Research Interests: Stroke, Alzheimer's disease, Neurovascular Function, Neuroinflammation, Cerebral Blood Flow Regulation, Pannexin1 Channels
Email: Miranda.Good@tuftsmedicine.org

Good Laboratory

gordon huggins

Gordon Huggins, MD
Research Interests: Genetics, Cardiomyopathy, Heart Failure, Valve Disease, Atherosclerosis
Email: Gordon.Huggins@tuftsmedicine.org

Huggins Laboratory

basak icli

Basak Icli, PhD
Research Interests: Obesity, Type-2 Diabetes, Acute Myocardial Infarction, Wound Healing, MicroRNA, Angiogenesis, Inter-organ Cross-talk, Brown Adipose Tissue
Email: Basak.Icli@tuftsmedicine.org

Icli Laboratory

iris jaffe

Iris Jaffe, MD, PhD
Research Interests: Atherosclerosis, Hypertension, Vascular Biology, Aging, Sex Differences in Cardiovascular Disease, Mineralocorticoid Receptors, Cardio-oncology
Email: Iris.Jaffe@tuftsmedicine.org

Jaffe Laboratory

navin kapur

Navin Kapur, MD
Research Interests: Heart Failure, Cardiogenic Shock, Cardiac Fibrosis, Heart Failure Device Development, Impact of Circulatory Support Devices on Cardiac Molecular Biology
Email: Navin.K.Kapur@tuftsmedicine.org

Kapur Laboratory

Lakshmi Pulaka

Lakshmi Pulakat, PhD
Impact of Obesity and Diabetes on the Heart, Wound Healing, Sex Differences in Cardiovascular Disease, Angiotensin Type 2 Receptors, G protein-coupled Receptors, Drug Development
Email: Lakshmi.Pulakat@tuftsmedicine.org

Pulakat Laboratory
MCRI is comprised of 12 scientists dedicated to investigating the molecular mechanisms of common cardiovascular diseases and translating those discoveries into new clinical strategies for diagnosis and therapy to prevent and treat heart diseases including heart attack, high blood pressure and heart failure.

MCRI Homepage

MCRI tripartite mission

The MCRI is comprised of 12 principal investigators and more than 40 researchers and trainees from around the US and the world. MCRI is composed of 3 centers: the Cardiac Biology Research Center, Vascular Biology Research Center and the Center for Translational Pharmacology and Genomics.

  1. To understand, at the molecular level, the function of the heart and vessels in health and disease.
  2. To translate those fundamental discoveries into new strategies for diagnosis and treatment to improve cardiovascular care.
  3. To train and mentor the next generation of cardiovascular researchers.

Improving cardiovascular health through groundbreaking research

Founded in 1997, for more than 25 years, the MCRI has made substantial advances to our understanding of the underlying pathophysiology of heart attack, high blood pressure, heart failure, arrhythmia and other cardiovascular disorders. MCRI discoveries have resulted in new drugs and devices to treat heart failure and greater understanding of how hormones effect blood vessels leading to sex differences in heart disease. Ongoing studies include investigations of novel mechanisms driving ischemic cardiovascular diseases such as angina and myocardial infarction, as well as other major cardiovascular disorders, especially hypertension, congestive heart failure, pulmonary hypertension and disorders of cardiac electrophysiology.

 MCRI Group
The Molecular Cardiology Research Institute (MCRI) at Tufts Medical Center is dedicated to investigating the molecular mechanisms of common cardiovascular diseases and translating those discoveries into new clinical strategies for diagnosis and therapy to prevent and treat various forms of heart disease including heart attack, high blood pressure and heart failure.
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Molecular Cardiology Research Institute (MCRI)