Gregory Milburn
Connect
gnmi223@uky.eduPositions
- PhD Candidate, Campbell Laboratory
College Unit(s)
Biography and Education
Education
I grew up in Louisville, Kentucky and graduated from the University of Kentucky with degrees in Biology and Chemistry. As an undergraduate I conducted cardiovascular and muscle physiology research as a member of Dr. Kenneth Campbell Lab's in the Department of Physiology. During this time I studied the effects of small molecule drugs on muscle mechanics and the development of cardiac fibrosis in heart failure patients. My PhD research focuses on the effects of left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) on the biochemical and biophysical properties of human myocardium.
Summary:
Current Year: G4 B.S. Biology, B.S. Chemistry - University of Kentucky Hometown: Louisville, KYResearch
My research is centered on heart failure and muscle mechanics. Utilizing contractile assays, we are able to examine the physical parameters of cardiac muscle contraction, such as force, stiffness, and calcium sensitivity. In particular, I am interested in how these physical parameters of muscle contraction are altered in heart failure. Additionally, we examine the biochemical regulators of contractile function, including sarcomeric protein phosphorylation and isoform switching.
In addition to biophysics experiments, our lab maintains a biorepository of over 10,000 human myocardium samples from cardiac surgeries, including heart transplants and left ventricular assist device (LVAD) placements. With these samples, we are able to correlate a patient's clinical information with the contractile and biochemical properties of their myocardium. Using these samples, my research investigates how LVAD placement influences the contractile properties of the myocardium in patients with heart failure.