Stritch - Cardiovascular Research Institute (CVRI)
Cardiovascular Research Institute
The Cardiovascular Research Institute's (CVRI's) mission is to enhance collaborative research as it relates broadly to cardiovascular disease and neuroscience. Our two primary goals: promote scientific exchange among clinicians and basic scientists and provide resources to support new CV research at the Health Science Campus. More than 50 faculty from Basic Science and Clinical Departments comprise the CVRI. We invite all Loyola scientists and clinicians with similar interests to join us to enhance discovery and improve patient outcomes.
CVRI is a publicly- and privately funded institute.
The CVRI is supported by the National Institutes for Health, the American Heart Association, the National Science Foundation, and the generous contributions of individual donors. For more information, contact Loyola's Advancement Division.
Research Divisions
Cardiac Physiology and Biophysics Division
Understanding the physiology and mechanics of cardiac function is critical to improving the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease. Our research ranges from understanding basic events of cardiac and skeletal muscle function to uncovering the detailed mechanisms of heart remodeling during chronic disease states. We prioritized our primary areas of study:
- Myofilament regulation during disease
- Defining the mechanisms that control calcium homeostasis and excitation-contraction coupling in the heart
- The interaction of membrane proteins such as SERCA with their regulatory partners
- The role of the calcineurin-NFATc signaling pathway and inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor-mediated calcium release in cardiac remodeling during hypertrophy and heart failure
- The protective role of heat shock protein
For more information, click here.
Vascular Biology and Hemostasis Division
For over 40 years, Loyola faculty in this division have participated in translational research to understand the disease process and develop innovative diagnostic methods, devices, and drugs. We seek to promote collaborative research opportunities to extend our research programs nationally and internationally. Our multi-disciplinary team focuses on the pathophysiological mechanisms of vascular disorders and their management via several lines of research:
- Venous thromboembolism
- Acute coronary syndrome
- Atrial fibrillation
- Thrombotic and ischemic stroke
- Vascular manifestations of venous disorders and sepsis associated vascular disorders
- Cancer associated thrombosis and bleeding
- Auto immune disease related vascular pathogenesis
Clinical and Translational Research Division
The Clinical and Translational Research Division aims to reinforce collaboration among clinical, translational and basic CVRI divisions. Ultimately, we seek to help transition new understandings of disease mechanisms gained in basic laboratory into the development of new methods for diagnosis, therapy and prevention of cardiovascular disease.
For more information, click here.
Public Health Division
Neuroscience Division
Our research seeks to enhance the fundamental understanding of how the nervous system functions in health and disease, and to support basic, translational, and clinical research and training, with the goal of developing novel and effective therapeutic strategies to enhance patient care. The research interests of our division faculty include:
- Neuroendocrinology
- Alcohol and drug abuse
- Cardiovascular function and serotonin
- Neural control of metabolic homeostasis
- Traumatic brain injury
- Stroke and neural plasticity
- Parkinson Disease and neurodegeneration
- Neuroimmunology
- Neuronal excitability
For more information, click here.