Clinical Specialties
Director, Circulatory Sciences, Graduate Perfusion Education

Board Certifications
American Board of Cardiovascular Perfusion

Research
The goal of my research is to define the relationship between the immune system and the left ventricular function. Recently, research activities have focused on the role of the immune system and its regulation of gene expression and enzyme function in cardiomyopathies. The models of cardiomyopathy being studied are secondary to HIV infection, infarction, rejection and aging. The hypothesis of these studies is that myocardial dysfunction secondary to an immune-cytokine event is mediated by increased iNOS and NO activity. In support of these studies, we have developed a system that can quantify the ventricular mechanics of the murine heart in vivo.

Selected Publications

• Shi J, Larson DF, Yang B, et al. Differential Effects of Acute Alcohol-Treatment on Cardiac Contractile Function in Young and Senescent Mice. Alcohol (in press).
• Larson DF, Yang B, Shi J, et al. Senescence Ventricular Dysfunction: Issues related to Cardiopulmonary Bypass. J. Extracorporeal Tech 32; 142-174: 2000.
• Holleyman C, Manz, L, Larson DF, et al. Ischemia Reperfusion of Pulmonary Artery Endothelium increases Apoptosis. Accepted J. Extracorporeal Tech 4, 2000.
• Albino HE, Larson DF. Fibrinogen binding on the surface of heparin-coated PVC tubing and correlation with hydrohyobicity. J. Extracorporeal Tech 32; 70-74: 2000.
• Gorman M, Larson DF, Yang B. Regulation of cardiac contractile function by cyclic guanosine-3, 59-monophosphate. Accepted J. Extracorporeal Tech 4, 2000.