Adjunct Assistant Professor, Department of Health Sciences, Programs in Human Physiology
Additional Titles:Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School
Director, Cardiovascular Physiology Core, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Education:B.A. (Biochemistry), University of California at Berkeley
M.D. (Medicine), George Washington University School of Medicine
The molecular mechanisms involved in cardiac apoptosis, and the contribution of cardiac apoptosis to the progression to heart failure. Particularly, we are characterizing the role of caspase-independent apoptosis in heart using both in vitro and in vivo models, and examining several strategies to inhibit apoptosis in heart.
The mechanism and the therapeutic potential of activated vitamin D in treatment of cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure in renal patients.
Selected Publications
Kang PM, Haunstetter A, Aoki H, Usheva A, Izumo S. Morphological and molecular characterization of reoxygenation-induced adult cardiac myocyte apoptosis. Circ Res 2000;87:118-125.
Kong SW, Bodyak N, Yue P, Liu Z, Brown J, Izumo S, Kang PM. Genetic expression profiles during physiologic and pathologic hypertrophy and heart failure in rats. Physiol Genomics 2005; 21:34-42.
Han Y, Chen YS, Liu Z, Bodyak N, Rigor DL, Bisping E, Pu WT, Kang PM. Overexpression of HAX-1 protects cardiac myocytes from apoptosis through caspase-9 inhibition. Circ Res 2006; 99:415-423.
Siu PM, Bae S, Bodyak N, Rigor D, Kang PM. Response of caspase-independent apoptotic factors to high salt diet-induced heart failure. J Mol Cell Cardiol 2007; 42:678-686.
Bodyak N, Ayus JC, Achinger S, Shivalingappa V, Ke Q, Chen YS, Rigor DL, Stillman I, Tamez H, Kroeger PE, Wu-Wong RR, Karumanchi A, Thadhani R, Kang PM. Activated vitamin D attenuates left ventricular abnormalities induced by dietary sodium in Dahl salt-sensitive animals. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 2007; 104:16810-5.
Current Research Funding
2008-2010 Role of doxercalciferol in cardiac hypertrophy Pharmaceutical contract/Genzyme
The goal of this project is to examine the anti-hypertrophic potential of an activated vitamin D compound, doxercalciferol, in cardiac hypertrophy.
NHLBI/R01 HL091998. Apoptosis inducing factor in cardiac apoptosis. 2009-2011
The major goal is to elucidate the molecular mechanism of AIF in cardiac
apoptosis using in vitro and in vivo models.
Role of vitamin D after myocardial infarction ExtenD Research Program/Abbott. 2009-2011.
The major goal of this project is to study the role of activated vitamin D on
cardiac remodeling after experimental myocardial infarction.
Korean Education and Science Ministry/ The goal is to develop research collaborations in the biomedical/bioengineering program at Chonbuk National University. 2009-2014 World Class University Program. Foreign Scholar/PI (Project Director – Khang)
CeDAR Research Program/ Massachusetts General Hospital
The goal of this project is to study the role of vitamin D therapy in attenuating the progression to heart failure. 2010-2011 Vitamin D and heart failure.
Burrough-Wellcome Fund. Soluble endoglin in the pathogenesis and prediction of preeclampsia. 2008-2013 Co-investigator (PI-Karumanchi). The major goal of this project is to study the cardiovascular effects of soluble
endoglin in a model of preeclampsia.
NHLBI/R21 HL102716. 2009-2012 Mechanisms of misfolded protein toxicity in idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy. Co-investigator (PI-del Monte). The major goal is to examine the mechanism for the pathogenic effect of protein oligomers in models of idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy in human and mice.
