American Heart Association awards grants to 22 UF researchers

The Florida affiliate of the American Heart Association has awarded grants to 22 University of Florida scientists to research a variety of heart conditions and functions.

The funding, which totals nearly $2 million, ranges from $17,000 to $225,000 per project over the next one to three years. Studies planned include research into brain performance after cardiopulmonary bypass surgery, gene therapies to treat high blood pressure and genetic causes of the loss of potassium – a mineral vital for normal heart functioning – associated with the use heart medications.

Those receiving grants are:

College of Medicine:

Biochemistry and Molecular Biology: Assistant Professor Jörg Bungert, Ph.D.; graduate student Deborah Zies.

Medicine: Research Assistant Professor Jianliang Zhang, Ph.D.; Assistant Scientist Yunchao Su, Ph.D.; postdoctoral cardiovascular fellow Leonard Parilak, M.D.

Pediatrics: Associate Professor Jeffrey Skimming, M.D.; postdoctoral fellow Srinivas Chevuru, M.D.; graduate student Mary Schleissing.

Physiology and Functional Genomics: Professor and Associate Dean of Graduate Education Colin Sumners, Ph.D.; postdoctoral fellows Kelly Gridley, Ph.D., and Shuntaro Kagiyama, M.D., Ph.D.; graduate students Monica Gardon, Beverly Metcalf, Erin Rhinehart, Yi Tang, M.D., and Damian Giroux.

Psychiatry: Assistant Professor Yijun Liu, Ph.D.

College of Pharmacy:

Pharmacodynamics: Professor Michael Katovich, Ph.D.

College of Health and Human Performance:

Exercise and Sport Sciences: Associate Professor James Cauraugh, Ph.D.; Assistant Professor Daniel Connaughton, Ed.D.