Kaushal Laboratory

Researchers at Stanley Manne Children’s Research Institute’s Kaushal Laboratory are leading studies in the use of cardiac mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to address cardiac stem cell therapies for heart failure. Their basic science research includes, among others, studies of: intravenous administration of neonatal mesenchymal stem cells (nMSCs) and its effect on functional recovery in a renal ischemia-reperfusion injury rodent model; nMSCs and cardiac functional recovery in a porcine model of acute myocardial infarction; and GDF-15’s function in preserving MSC-mediated right ventricular function in a porcine pressure-overload model.

These bench research studies, among others, form the basis for potential clinical trials using cardiac stem cells to address heart failure secondary to dilated cardiomyopathy, heart failure due to cardiomyopathy secondary to single ventricle anatomy or following myocardial infarction, and using cardiac mesenchymal stem cells to ameliorate the deleterious effects of cardiopulmonary bypass by decreasing post-bypass inflammatory response and improving left ventricular function.

Research Topics

Heart Failure
Cardiac Stem Cell Therapies
Cardiac Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs)
Neonatal Mesenchymal Stem Cells (nMSCs)

Contact

Sunjay Kaushal, MD, PhD
SKaushal@luriechildrens.org 

Research Highlights

REMODELING OF THE IMMUNE RESPONSE IN ISCHEMIC ORGANS (E.G., HEART, KIDNEYS) OF RODENT AND LARGE ANIMAL MODELS – FOCUS ON MECHANISM OF ACTION

DECREASING INFLAMMATION THAT TRIGGERS DISEASE, INCLUDING ALZHEIMER'S AND CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE – FOCUS ON NEUROLOGICAL OUTCOMES

DILATED CARDIOMYOPATHY IN A LARGE ANIMAL TITIN MODEL – FOCUS ON STEM CELL EFFECT

REMODELING OF HEARTS WITH DILATED CARDIOMYOPATHY AND HYPOPLASTIC LEFT HEART SYNDROME USING INDUCED PLURIPOTENT STEM CELLS (ISPCS) – FOCUS ON AMELIORATION OF THE DISEASE PROCESS IN THESE CONDITIONS

Principal Investigator

Lab Members

Agata Bilewska, MD, PhD

Research Scientist

Riley Boyd

Research Fellow

Ling Chen, MD, PhD

Research Associate Professor

Xuebin Fu, PhD

Research Assistant Professor

Zhi-Dong (Wilson) Ge, MD, PhD

Research Associate Professor

Muthukumar Gunasekaran, PhD

Research Assistant Professor

Sameer Guru, PhD

Postdoctoral Associate

Progyaparamita Saha, PhD

Research Assistant Professor

Artur Stefanowicz, MD, PhD

Research Fellow

Sarah Zaida

Research Technologist II

Shaneh Zarinebaf

Research Technologist II