Research Focus

• Elucidation of novel signaling mechanisms underlying cardiac hypertrophy. A specific example includes endocannabinoid signaling in heart muscle cells.
• Mechanisms of defective artery function in hypertension, and effects of candidate dietary interventions.

Why is this work important?

In medical practice, emphasis is now routinely placed on dietary modification as a preventative measure to forestall cardiovascular disease. Unfortunately, fully exploiting the preventative value of nutritional intervention is posing a huge challenge given the complex interaction between diet and bodily function. We need more information about specific dietary approaches and how they work. The goal of our research program is to understand how risk factors for cardiovascular disease, especially diabetes, hypertension, and cardiac hypertrophy, promote the development of heart failure. Our ultimate aim is to identify new therapies, from a nutritional perspective, that prevent or slow the onset of heart failure.

What techniques and equipment are used in this laboratory?

• in vivo study of cardiovascular disease: echocardiography, tail-cuff plethysmography
• in vitro study of cardiac hypertrophy: cell culture, confocal microscopy, planimetry, promoter-reporter assays, biochemical assays (immunoblotting, immunoprecipitation, etc)
• in vitro study of arteries: pressure myography

About Hope Anderson

Dr. Hope Anderson is the Associate Dean, Research and Professor of Pharmacy at the University of Manitoba. She also serves as Vice Dean, Graduate Studies (Rady Faculty of Health Sciences). The goal of her research program is to understand how risk factors for cardiovascular disease, especially hypertension (high blood pressure), cardiac hypertrophy (abnormal growth of the heart), and arrhythmia promote the development of heart failure. Her ultimate aim is to identify new therapies, perhaps from a nutritional perspective, that prevent or slow the onset of heart failure. To achieve this aim, Dr. Anderson’s laboratory at the St. Boniface Hospital Research Centre uses several models of cardiovascular disease of escalating complexity ranging from cultured heart muscle cells, to isolated hearts and arteries, to hearts and arteries in vivo.

For more information, please contact:

Dr. Hope Anderson
Tel. (204) 235-3587
Fax. (204) 237-4018
Email. handerson@sbrc.ca