Marco Pessoa, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
correapessoa@marshall.edu

Research Interest

My research interests focus on novel membrane dynamics and non-canonical functions of Na/K-ATPase in cardiac cell metabolism. I am exploring new ways to modulate myocardial metabolism to improve adverse cardiovascular remodeling in heart failure or stimulate cardiac tissue regeneration. These studies combine unbiased omics approaches and techniques such as myocardial infarction in the mouse, intramyocardial injections, echocardiography, human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) culture and differentiation, and Seahorse Real-Time Cell Metabolic Analysis.

The approaches applied in my laboratory include molecular, cellular, and integrative methodologies. These methods include west blot, real-time PCR, mass spectrum, microRNA sequencing, nanosight tracking analysis (NTA), flow cytometry, etc. Animal surgery methods (MCAO, telemetric probe, osmotic minipump, microinjection) are also used in my research. The animal models used in my research include a spontaneous hemorrhagic stroke model induced in the rennin/angiotensinogen double transgenic (R+A+) hypertensive mice, collagenase-induced focal hemorrhagic stroke model, middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO)-induced ischemic stroke, the db/db and STZ-induced diabetic mouse models. Additionally, I use clinical samples from translational studies of diabetes and stroke patients through collaboration with clinicians.