Carl Tong

Dr. Carl Tong is an Associate Professor in the Department of Medical Physiology at Texas A&M University School of Medicine and Director of the Division of Cardiac Biology. His research focuses on elucidating mechanisms of heart failure, particularly the role of cardiac myosin binding protein-C (cMyBP-C) in cross-bridge dynamics and diastolic dysfunction. He holds an MD/PhD from Texas A&M HSC College of Medicine (2002) and advanced clinical certifications in Advanced Heart Failure and Cardiovascular Disease.

Research interests include:

• Mechanisms linking cMyBP-C phosphorylation to improved cardiac function
• Development of 3D human-induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) engineered heart tissue models
• Biomarker discovery using circulating cMyBP-C levels

Key contributions include demonstrating cMyBP-C's role in cross-bridge kinetics and proposing its phosphorylation as a therapeutic target for heart failure. His lab employs advanced imaging techniques (e.g., speckle tracking) and machine learning for diagnostic innovation. He actively mentors 10+ research assistants and collaborates on translational cardiovascular projects.

Awards: Fellow of the American College of Cardiology (FACC).
Grants: NIH-funded studies on aging-related heart dysfunction and statin efficacy genetics.