Ph.D. Professor Lee is interested in genes and factors important for vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation and contraction and in the regeneration of cardiomyocytes. Proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells is an important hallmark of atherosclerosis, and vascular smooth muscle cell contractility regulates blood pressure. He and his colleagues have identified homocysteine as a potent growth promoter for vascular smooth muscle cells and have thus established a link between increased blood levels of homocysteine and atherosclerosis. This finding may lead to a potential treatment for septic shock.
Heart failure develops after myocardial infarction because cardiomyocytes fail to regenerate.
Lee is interested in developing strategies to regenerate damaged myocardium. His group has identified genes that may have important roles in the regeneration of cardiomyocytes. Click here for a more detailed research description.