| MadSci Network: Biophysics |
Greetings!
Thank you for your question! The very short answer to the question of
whether I know any scientists who study the heart, is YES! There are many
scientists who study various aspects of the heart, a small number of whom I
know personally. I suppose I can even classify myself in this category, as
I am researching the heart as part of my graduate studies.
There are many different topics related to the heart that scientists
investigate. Some researchers study heart development-that is, how the
heart first forms from the relatively small number of cells that comprise
the embryo. Heart development is actually a rather broad field of research
because there are many things that must happen in order for the heart to
assume its final adult form and function. Other researchers study how the
adult heart functions under "normal" circumstances, for instance how the
heart operates in healthy adult humans during average daily activities
(e.g. rest, exercise, etc.) Finally, a number of scientists study diseases
of the heart. There are a number of diseases that affect the heart
including coronary artery disease, hypertension, and cardiomyopathy to name
just a few. These researchers try to learn the details of each disease in
terms of what might cause the illness and what happens during the course of
the disease. The hope is that this information might lead to the
development of effective treatments or even cures for cardiac diseases.
Here I have discussed some of the research areas that pertain to the heart.
This is by no means an exhaustive list! The heart is a very important
organ and is studied intensively in many capacities. Below I have listed a
few internet resources that you can refer to to learn more about the
heart.
-Nikki
The development of the human heart
Cardiac-related diseases:
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