Surgical Research

The research program led by Dr. Sarah Yuan, M.D., Ph.D., Associate Professor of Surgery, is to study the cellular and molecular regulation of the cardiovascular system during inflammation, trauma, shock and other types of injuries. Her research team is composed of surgeons, physiologists, molecular biologists and microsurgery technicians. Specific interests focus on signal transduction and molecular control of microvascular function in the pathological states.

Current research projects include:

• Microvascular mechanisms of tissue injury
• Modulation of endothelial barrier function by contractile cytoskeleton and adherens junction
• Signaling effects of protein kinases and intracellular calcium
• Molecular interactions between leukocytes and vascular endothelial cells
• Gene expression and post-translational regulation of cardiovascular function in diabetes and thermal trauma
• Application of DNA/protein transfection for studies of vascular regulation

State-of-the-art technologies are employed at multiple levels ranging from in vivo observation of intact tissues to in vitro analysis of individual molecules. Experimental approaches that are currently used in the lab include fluorescence confocal microscopy, intravital microscopy, isolation and perfusion of microvessels, purification and labeling of blood cells, tissue culture, immunocytochemistry, immunoblot, ELISA, RT-PCR, DNA/protein transfection and newly developed molecular biology techniques for gene studies.

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