Vascular Medicine Institute

We are the Heart, Lung, Blood, and Vascular Medicine Institute at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine

[PittDeptofMed @PittDeptofMed]

For many patients with porphyria, the path to a diagnosis can take over 15 years.

This #GlobalPorphyriaDay, we're highlighting our researchers and clinicians that are working to change that reality.

From recent national honors received by Drs. Roy Smith and Yvette Yien to emerging therapies derived from groundbreaking research in theDivision of Classical Hematology and the VMI, Pitt is at the forefront of porphyria care.

🔗Read more about how the DOM is improving the outlook for patients with this understudied disorder: https://t.co/eBJE6glrmy

[PittDeptofMed @PittDeptofMed]

Congratulations to Dr. Stephen Chan on being named a 2026 Harrington Scholar-Innovator by the @HarringtonDI_UH.

Dr. Chan was honored for his work on developing a new therapeutic approach for pulmonary hypertension, a progressive and often fatal lung disease. 🫁

🔗 Read more about this year's honorees: https://t.co/1Ll8R3vcZH

[Matt Feinstein @MattFeinsteinMD]

Great time in Ann Arbor for the our @AHAScience @AHAMeetings Inflammation SFRN! Outstanding engagement from all Centers - NU/IU/CSU, Pitt/PAMU, and UM/MGH/Oakland. Thanks @rosenzweig_a for hosting! @JSawallaGusehMD @chansteve73 @thorplab @IUCVInstitute @ParthaDuttaLab + more

[Babak Razani, MD, PhD Laboratory @RazaniLab]

Thanks @JeffHsuMD. And thanks @ATVBCouncil Early Career Committee for having us. Great questions and looking forward to the new generation of leaders stepping up to research and care for patients with #CVD and #metabolism disease.

[Babak Razani, MD, PhD Laboratory @RazaniLab]

Huge congratulations to @XiangyuZ0321 of @PittDeptofMed @PittVMI receiving his 1st #NIH R01 to study #macrophage #leucine manipulation as diagnostic & therapeutic strategy in #CVD #atherosclerosis. A force in @RazaniLab for years now becoming our alumni & starting Zhang Lab! 🤩🥳

[Babak Razani, MD, PhD Laboratory @RazaniLab]

Fun times for @RazaniLab members with cameo appearance from Razani family to create 2 Marathon Relay Teams for the @PGHMarathon yesterday. Teams were appropriately called "#Lysosome Lightning" and "#FoamCell Fighters" 🤩. Guess which team won?

[Matt Feinstein @MattFeinsteinMD]

Great to have @chansteve73 @PittVMI in Indy! Fun catching up and talking all things inflammation as we work on @AHAScience SFRN collaborations and beyond. @IUCVInstitute @IUMedSchool @IUIntMed

[St. Hilaire Lab @StHilaireLab]

And as part of this @American_Heart SFRN - we're hiring postdocs! Please apply here: https://t.co/D87p2xTH1K

[Pitt Hematology @PittHematology]

🩸 Join us at 2:30pm on Tuesday, April 28, for the next Sickle Cell Disease Research Seminar!

Lara Abdelmohsen will present: "Investigating Cerebral Hemodynamics in Adults with Sickle Cell Disease using MRI-informed Computational Fluid Dynamics"

[PittDeptofMed @PittDeptofMed]

Congratulations to Cynthia St. Hilaire, PhD, who has been named director of a new Center for Aortic Valve Disease Prediction and Integrated Research as part of a @American_Heart initiative.

The center will focus on:
• Predicting disease risk using machine learning
• Understanding how genetic and biological factors drive progression
• Identifying new therapeutic targets to prevent valve calcification

By bringing together engineering, biology, and clinical insight, this work aims to shift aortic stenosis care from reactive surgery to proactive prevention.

🔗 Read more: https://t.co/Dj24JPYCqC

#H2P #ResearchMatters

[PittDeptofMed @PittDeptofMed]

Are early birds healthier? 🐦

New research from the Kelly Lab suggests they might be.

Using wearable data, his team linked circadian timing to risk for diabetes and other conditions.

🔗Read more: https://t.co/znbrzNnUc2

[Journal of Physiology @JPhysiol]

In an All of Us Research Program analysis, Zachary M. Chan (@PittVMI) and colleagues observed that heart rate phase is an indicator of chronotype-relevant #circadian shifts associated with human disease 🫀 🕜️

Read the #Research:
📜 https://t.co/6yz2wUMOiV

[Vascular Medicine Institute @PittVMI]

🔬 Join us at noon on Wednesday, April 22, for the next VMI/HVI Research Conference!

Dr. L. Ashley Cowart will present: "Atypical Sphingolipids in Health and Disease"

[Vascular Medicine Institute @PittVMI]

🔬 Join us at noon on Wednesday, April 15, for the next VMI/HVI Research Conference!

Dr. Trista North will present: "Microenvironmental regulation of hematopoietic stem cell formation and
function in the vertebrate embryo"

[Vascular Medicine Institute @PittVMI]

🔬 Join us at noon on Wednesday, April 8, for the next VMI/HVI Research Conference!

Dr. Yael Nechemia-Arbely will present: "The Goldilocks Histone: How Genomic Stability Requires Centromeres to Be Epigenetically ‘Just Right’"

[PittDeptofMed @PittDeptofMed]

🪻The Spring 2026 edition of Code Blue & Gold is here! 🌷

Read about all of the latest news, discoveries, and highlights from the Pitt DOM.

🔗https://t.co/bOjsUP6Thk

[PittDeptofMed @PittDeptofMed]

White coats, big brains, and even bigger hearts. 💛💙

Happy #NationalDoctorsDay to all of our physicians, who are advancing care, asking bold questions, and showing up for patients every day 🩺

[Vascular Medicine Institute @PittVMI]

🔬 Join us at noon on Wednesday, April 1, for the next VMI/HVI Research Conference!

Dr. Guang Li will present: "Beating in a Dish: Modeling Human Heart Development and Diseases with hiPSC-Derived Heart Organoids"

[Babak Razani, MD, PhD Laboratory @RazaniLab]

Proud of @yushengyeh of @RazaniLab & CIM for multi-achievements: A newly minted Instructor in @PittDeptofMed & recipient of @American_Heart Career Development Award & @PLRC_PittLiver P&F Grant 🎉🥳 Keep eye out for his exciting research on #Adipose tissue, #lipolysis, #obesity 💪

[PittDeptofMed @PittDeptofMed]

The abstracts are in, the judges are ready, and the stage is set for the the Department of Medicine’s finest research on April 27 & 28 at the Pete! 🏟️

Register now to secure your spot for two days of discovery, awards, and a keynote from Dr. Wolfram Goessling.

🔗https://t.co/doWkN1MVlq

#DOMResearchDay #PittResearch