B.S. in Biochemistry & Psychology, University of New Mexico, 2021
Cardiac hypertrophy is an adaptive or maladaptive response to stress caused by changes in pressure or volume, which results in an increase in cardiomyocyte size. Cardiac hypertrophy can be classified into two categories: physiological and pathological. Physiological hypertrophy is reversible, leads to normal or enhanced cardiac function, and typically occurs during pregnancy, growth/development, or with long-term exercise. Pathological hypertrophy, however, is largely irreversible and is typically due to pressure or volume overload from factors such as hypertension. This ultimately leads to decreased cardiac function and consequently, heart failure. Improved cardiac outcomes are seen in a small subset of patients who experience hypertrophy regression, but the underlying cellular mechanisms are unknown. My project focuses on identifying these mechanisms in both a physiological and pathological setting and understanding how regression of cardiac hypertrophy is mediated.