EP Lab Digest - February 2008 - (Page 8)

8 COVER STORY FEBRUARY 2008 CREATING THE U-M CENTER FOR ARRHYTHMIA RESEARCH Continued from page 6 on the other hand, has well-recognized expertise and state-of-the-art equipment to conduct research in that area. Project 4 is aimed at developing small proteins that can modify intercellular communication and thus, these proteins may be potentially used to manipulate impulse propagation by means of affecting the connexin proteins. Projects 3 and 4 both deal with the issue of regulation of intercellular communication through the analysis of the relation between structure and function of the connexin proteins. In project 3, we manipulate the connexin structure by genetic means. In project 4, the function of the protein structure is affected by small proteins that we clone in the laboratory. It is hard to generate two separate projects that are so closely related without falling into overlap. The area of our second NIH program project involves multidisciplinary research into the manner in which two very rare but extremely dangerous inherited diseases, Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy (ARVC) and Catecholaminergic Polymorphic Ventricular Tachycardia (CPVT), may lead to sudden cardiac death in affected individuals. Here our general objective is to determine how alterations of proteins that control the cellular structure or the movements of calcium ions inside and outside of the cardiac cell translate into electrical abnormalities that ultimately result in life-threatening arrhythmias and death. We conduct experiments and computer simulations to compare and contrast basic cellular and biophysical alterations underlying the possible mechanisms that lead to cardiac rhythm disturbances in patients suffering from these devastating diseases. Thus, our research programs address important scientific topics of direct clinical relevance. They are helping us answer questions that are germane to arrhythmia mechanisms in well-known cardiac disorders such as heart failure and ischemic heart disease, as well as more rare conditions such as ARVC and CPVT. supportive, offering help with our move. Moreover, we have already established collaborations with investigators within the Department of Internal Medicine as well as other departments including Molecular & Integrative Physiology and Pharmacology. How will the U-M Center for Arrhythmia Research be unique from other arrhythmia research programs? What are some of the ways this collaboration between U-M and the Center for Arrhythmia Research will help benefit patients? The Center for Arrhythmia Research allows the unique opportunity of bringing together a group of investigators and experts in various relevant fields, including cardiology, structural and molecular biology, molecular genetics, cellular electrophysiology, biophysics, biomedical engineering, and mathematics, to conduct cooperative research projects. Our relocation to Ann Arbor will enable us to significantly expand the scope of our research through our new collaboration with U-M researchers. Together, we should be able to apply knowledge derived from many years of experience investigating the cellular and molecular bases of cardiac electrical activity, from both theoretical and experimental points of view. Some of the 33 basic-science researchers from SUNY Upstate who will join the University of Michigan in 2008, to form a new Center for Arrhythmia Research. Is there anything else you’d like to add? Thank you for your interest. We are all extremely excited about this new venture. For more information, please visit: www.umcvc.org An aerial view of the University of Michigan Cardiovascular Center, which opened in June 2006 and is home to most of the university's adult cardiovascular care including EP. Though the new researchers will not have their laboratories in the building, they will have offices there and work closely with EP clinicians. Readers, keep posted to EP Lab Digest for continued coverage about the new U-M Center for Arrhythmia Research. In addition, please email us at “jelrod@ hmpcommunications.com” if there is a new EP facility in your area that you would like to see featured in an upcoming issue! How has word of the new U-M Center for Arrhythmia Research been received by existing EP staff at U-M? Will you be working together on research projects? So far, the response has been fabulous. Everyone has been welcoming and very Our relocation to Ann Arbor will enable us to significantly expand the scope of our research through our new collaboration with U-M researchers. Together, we should be able to apply knowledge derived from many years of experience investigating the cellular and molecular bases of cardiac electrical activity, from both theoretical and experimental points of view. http://www.umcvc.org

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EP Lab Digest - February 2008 Creating the U-M Center for Arrhythmia Research: Interview with José Jalife, MD Texas Cardiac Arrhythmia Institute and St. David’s Medical Center Launch State-of-the-Art Training Center Contents Letter from the Editor Spotlight Interview: Caritas St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center 10-Minute Interview: Sue Deck, BS, RN, RCES Keeping Pace With a Blog Roundtable Discussion on Cryoablation Procedures Email Discussion Group: February 2008 Events Calendar Industry News and Products Classifieds Advertisers Index

EP Lab Digest - February 2008

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