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Welcome to the USF Health Heart Institute
Our beautiful USF Health building in Downtown Tampa is located in the center of Water Street Tampa, a revitalized downtown region where our faculty and students can enjoy a healthy, energy-efficient lifestyle within walking distance of renowned entertainment venues, innovative dining, and outdoor recreational activities.
State-of-the-art laboratories and core facilities supported through National Institutes of Health and other federal grant sources, foundations, industry, and USF-generated resources create a vibrant environment for research. We have a particular interest in recruiting funded scientists with high risk-high potential gain projects, those using cutting-edge technology, and those seeking to unite basic and translational sciences to directly benefit patients.
Director's Welcome - Dr. Thomas McDonald
The mission of the USF Health Heart Institute is to create an environment that promotes novel, interdisciplinary research in basic, translational, and clinical cardiovascular sciences.
The Heart Institute is also committed to helping expand entrepreneurial activity by channeling intellectual property into new commercial enterprises and engaging in community redevelopment with local companies.
Whether you are a patient, potential faculty recruit, donor, or citizen of the Tampa Bay region, I invite you to take a look at the faculty accomplishments on this website and join us in supporting research and innovation at the USF Health Heart Institute.
Featured Faculty
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Thomas McDonald, MD
Thomas McDonald, MDProfessor & Director, USF Health Heart Institute; USF - Cardiogenetics Program -
Stephen Liggett, MD
Stephen Liggett, MDVice Dean for Research, MCOM; Associate Vice President for Research, USF Health Distinguished Professor -
Da-Zhi Wang, PhD
Da-Zhi Wang, PhDProfessor, USF Health Heart Institute; Director, Center for Regenerative Medicine -
Ganesh Halade, PhD
Ganesh Halade, PhDAssociate Professor, USF Health Heart Institute
Recent Publications
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Convergent and divergent immune aberrations in COVID-19, post-COVID-19-...
We aimed to study transcriptional and phenotypic changes in circulating immune cells associated with increased risk of mortality in COVID-19, resolution of pulmonary fibrosis in post-COVID-19-interstitial lung disease (ILD), and persistence of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Whole blood and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were obtained from 227 subjects with COVID-19, post-COVID-19
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Alcohol-induced gut dysbiosis & overproduction of PAGln promotes CVD
The mechanism(s) underlying gut microbial metabolite (GMM) contribution towards alcohol-mediated cardiovascular disease (CVD) is unknown. Herein we observe elevation in circulating phenylacetylglutamine (PAGln), a known CVD-associated GMM, in individuals living with alcohol use disorder. In a male murine binge-on-chronic alcohol model, we confirm gut microbial reorganization, elevation in PAGln...
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Agonist activation to open the Gα subunit of the GPCR–G protein
G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) regulate multiple cellular responses and represent highly successful therapeutic targets. The mechanisms by which agonists activate the G protein are unclear for many GPCR families, including the bitter taste receptors (TAS2Rs). We ascertained TAS2R5 properties by live cell-based functional assays, direct binding affinity measurements using optical resonators...
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Label-free, real-time monitoring of membrane binding events at zeptomolar
G-protein coupled receptors help regulate cellular function and communication, and are targets of small molecule drug discovery efforts. Conventional techniques to probe these interactions require labels and large amounts of receptor to achieve satisfactory sensitivity. Here, we use frequency-locked optical microtoroids for label-free characterization of membrane interactions in vitro...
USF Health Heart Institute News
USF Health $5.6 million study to define link between genetics and heart disease in many Friedreich's ataxia patients
Researchers at the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine were awarded $5.6 million of expected funds for a 4-year study from the U.S. Department of Defense to examine why many people with Friedreich’s Ataxia (FA) go on to also develop heart disease, a major cause of death for those with FA.
“We still don’t have a full understanding of the genetic mutation for Friedrich’s ataxia to determine why so many patients go on to get heart disease – we need to know,” said Dr. Thomas McDonald, Principal investigator for the USF study.
Read more about the USF Health study being conducted define a link between genetics and heart disease Friedrich ataxia patients.
Cardiovascular Development
Inaugural Symposium 2025
Join the USF Health Heart Institute Thursday, May 15, 2025 discussing Resolving Inflammation: Mediators & Mechanisms in Health and Disease.
Inaugural Symposium 2025
Heart Institute Seminars
The USF Health Heart Institute offers seminars that are open to faculty, staff and students, providing opportunities to learn about cutting-edge research and advancements in cardiovascular health.
Heart Institute Seminars
Heart Institute Honors
Congratulations to Dr. Wang and Dr. Mably!
Dr. Da-Zhi Wang and Dr. John Mably's article titled "Reduced Mitochondrial Protein Translation Promotes Cardiomyocyte Proliferation and Heart Regeneration" was published in Circulation 31 Oct 2023.
Congratulations to Dr. Wang and Dr. Mably!
Congratulations to Dr. Liggett!
Stephen Liggett, MD, vice dean of research for the Morsani College of Medicine and associate vice president for research at USF Health, was designated a Distinguished Professor.
Congratulations to Dr. Liggett!
Congratulations to Dae Hyun Lee!
Dae Hyun Lee received the American Heart Association Career Development Award for his project on MYC expression in cardiovascular disease. He is an Adjunct Assistant Professor at USF Health, mentored by experts.