The pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases, such as hypertension, cardiac, aortic and renal hypertrophy and hyperplasia. Focus on identifying quantitative trait loci (QTLs) using a combined approach of genetics, genomics, congenics, transgenics, knockouts, in situ hybridization, gene profiling and any new technology that is appropriate for gene identification. Moreover, we are interested in analyzing QTL-QTL interactions (see Hypertension 49:740, 2007 and other recent publications on Medline).

The specific animal model tested in our lab is the Dahl salt-sensitive hypertensive rat. At present, our group is the primary research centre in the world that is employing this model for hypertension QTL identifications and for QTL-QTL interactions.