Suuronen

THE LAB

The main goal of Dr. Suuronen’s Cardiovascular Tissue Engineering Laboratory is to develop biomaterial and cell-based therapeutic approaches for the treatment of cardiovascular disease.

Regenerative medicine, including cell therapy, has emerged as a promising treatment for cardiovascular disease. However, the translation of the research findings into the clinic is likely to require strategies to enhance the function of the therapeutic cells, and the patient’s response to them. With this in mind, tissue engineering may offer one way to help direct the repair process. Tissue engineering can be described as the use of cells, engineering and/or materials methods to replace damaged or diseased tissues (either temporarily or permanently). A better understanding of how cells interact with their environment, and how this interaction affects cell function should lead to more effective cell-material therapies. The Suuronen research group is investigating how biomaterials can improve the post-MI environment, and how the cell-material interactions can be exploited to improve heart repair.

In addition, projects are underway to develop therapies to treat the cardiovascular complications associated with diabetes. The lab is interested in studying how methylglyoxal contributes to the vascular defects that are common to diabetics. Methylglyoxal is a toxic compound that accumulates in diabetes and leads to altered protein, cell and tissue function. The lab is working to identify the targets of methylglyoxal in order to develop biomaterial-based treatments for reducing its effects. Interestingly, it was also discovered that methylglyoxal is produced and accumulates after myocardial infarction in the non-diabetic setting. Research is now underway to elucidate the role of methylglyoxal in the negative remodeling and loss of function that occurs after MI.

It is hoped that this research will constitute a major step towards making cell and tissue engineering therapies more effective for patients with heart disease.

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You can contact Dr. Suuronen directly via email. Positions available are currently limited due to the ongoing pandemic. However, applicants are encourage to inquire about potential openings.

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Quick facts about "Dr. Suuronen

Academic career
Dr. Suuronen received his Bachelor’s degree in Biology in 1996 and his PhD in Cellular and Molecular Medicine in 2004, both from the University of Ottawa, followed by a post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute.

Present position
Dr. Erik Suuronen is presently a Scientist in the Division of Cardiac Surgery at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute and Director of the BEaTS Research Program. He is also Associate Professor in the Department of Surgery, with a Cross-Appointment in the Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, at the University of Ottawa.

Research interests and hobbies
Dr. Suuronen’s Cardiovascular Tissue Engineering Laboratory is focused on the development of tissue engineering and cell-based therapeutic approaches for the treatment of cardiovascular disease. Dr. Suuronen has authored +100 scientific publications and book chapters. In 2014, he and Dr. Marc Ruel were editors of a textbook “Biomaterials for Cardiac Regeneration” published by Springer. To date, Dr. Suuronen has supervised over 70 students in the lab, who have been the recipients of over $2M in external scholarship awards. He has participated as a member of peer grant review committees for the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the Heart & Stroke Foundation of Canada (HSFC), and the Government of Ontario’s Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities, among others. Dr. Suuronen regularly acts as a reviewer of manuscripts for leading scientific journals, and of abstracts submitted to major national and international research conferences. Dr. Suuronen is also a musician and his band, The Underground Drive, has recently launched their first album.

Dr. Suuronen's Team

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