Our faculty members work on research teams within the School of Medicine, the University of South Carolina system and beyond. These relationships give us access to best-in-class technology and diverse areas of research. The partnerships have proved effective; our students and faculty have won numerous awards to support their research.

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Cardiovascular Development and Congenital Birth Defects

Despite advances in our understanding of cardiovascular development, congenital defects in this system remain the leading forms of birth defects in humans. Studies are aimed at elucidating the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms of cardiovascular development to enable better methods of detecting and treating congenital defects in this system. A variety of cutting-edge cell culture and animal models are being used in conjunction with microscopic, biochemical and molecular analyses. Faculty: Dr. Jay Potts

Dr. Ann Ramsdell

Dr. Mohamad Azhar

Heart Disease and Heart Failure

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States and includes a number of conditions such as atherosclerosis, myocardial infarction (heart attack), hypertension, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and others. Studies in the department are aimed at advancing our understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms of heart disease and how these translate to alterations in organ function. This research requires an integrated approach across multiple disciplines and departmental faculty have formed numerous collaborations with researchers within the University of South Carolina and at other institutions. The ultimate goal of this area of research is to develop better strategies for treatment of heart disease. Faculty: Dr. Wayne Carver



Dr. Taixing Cui



Dr. Edie Goldsmith



Dr. Francis Spinale



Dr. Mohamad Azhar

Vascular Biology and Heart Disease

Normal function of blood vessels is critical to delivery of oxygen, nutrients and other materials to tissues of the body. Diseases of the vasculature, including atherosclerosis and aneurysms, are common, particularly in South Carolina. Research in the department is focused on elucidating the mechanisms of vascular diseases and development of more effective detection and treatment strategies for these diseases. This research includes innovative in vitro and animal models as well as examination of patient specimens. This research is performed in collaboration with investigators in the College of Engineering and Computer Science and well as clinical faculty in the Department of Surgery. Faculty: Dr. Taixing Cui

Dr. Daping Fan

Dr. Sue Lessner

Dr. Chandrashekhar Patel

Dr. Francis Spinale

Dr. John Eberth

Reproductive Biology

Reproductive biology research in the department is focused on developmental processes of the male and female reproductive systems during postnatal development and control mechanisms in adulthood. These studies aim to understand mechanisms of infertility, endocrine disruption by environmental contaminants and the basic science of hypothalamic, anterior pituitary gland and gonadal function. Faculty: Holly A. LaVoie, Ph.D.

Biomedical Engineering

Biomedical Engineering is a rapidly growing, interdisciplinary field which involves application of engineering concepts and analytical approaches to a wide range of health-related problems, from predicting blood flow patterns in tumors to design of orthopedic devices, such as knee and hip joint replacements. The field draws on tools and conceptual frameworks, such as fluid mechanics and signal processing, from a wide spectrum of traditional engineering disciplines, including chemical engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering and computer science. A number of faculty at the School of Medicine apply biomedical engineering approaches to a broad variety of medical problems and issues, which include developing new ways to repair abdominal hernias, understanding how fluid flow affects heart valve development and creating mathematical models to predict atherosclerotic plaque rupture.



USC Biomedical Engineering »

Regenerative Medicine