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Virend Somers, M.D., Ph.D. , is a Professor of Medicine at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, with primary appointments in the Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, and joint appointments in Physiology & Biomedical Engineering and Nephrology & Hypertension. He directs the Cardiovascular and Sleep Facilities within Mayo Clinic's Center for Clinical and Translational Science. Education: MB ChB, University of Natal D.Phil., University of Oxford Resident, Internal Medicine, University of Iowa Fellow, Cardiovascular Diseases, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics Research Interests: Dr. Somers' research centers on neural and vascular mechanisms in circulatory control, particularly in sleep disorders such as obstructive and central sleep apnea, hypertension, obesity, and heart failure. His team investigates autonomic nervous system regulation, chemoreflex responses, and vascular biology in humans. His work bridges basic physiology with clinical applications to improve cardiovascular outcomes. Publication Trends: His recent publications (2021–2025) show a strong emphasis on sleep-cardiovascular interactions, including blood pressure regulation during sleep, cardiovascular mortality in the context of comorbidities like obesity and COVID-19, and neurocardiological mechanisms in arrhythmias and syncope. His work frequently appears in high-impact journals such as Sleep , Journal of the American Heart Association , and Journal of Physiology . Scientific Awards: Alice Sheets Marriott Professor (2016) CTSA Mentor of the Year (2012) Distinguished Scientist in Cardiopulmonary Physiology, American College of Chest Physicians (2017) Stanford University World's Top 2% Scientists (2021) Lifetime Achievement Award, South African Society of Sleep Medicine (2012) Doctor Honoris Causa, Masaryk University (2007) Advising and Grants: Dr. Somers has mentored numerous trainees who have won national awards. His research is supported by four NIH R01 grants, a Dana Foundation grant, and a NATO grant. His leadership in collaborative research spans institutions in the U.S., Europe, and South Africa. Labs and Teams: He leads the Cardiovascular Facility and Sleep Facility at Mayo Clinic’s Center for Clinical and Translational Science, fostering interdisciplinary research on sleep and cardiovascular disease.

• Cardiovascular Medicine
• Sleep Apnea
• Neurocirculatory Control
• +9 more

Dr. Urs Leuenberger is a Professor in the Department of Medicine Division of Cardiology at Penn State University , serving as Associate Director of both the Penn State Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI) and Penn State Heart and Vascular Institute. His work intersects cardiovascular physiology, autonomic regulation, and translational medicine. Research Foci: Muscle Sympathetic Nerve Activity, Blood Pressure Control, Coronary Circulation, Peripheral Artery Disease, Intermittent Hypoxia, Exercise Reflexes Key Projects: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute-funded studies on circulatory control mechanisms, chemoreflex responses, and metabolic vasodilation inhibition Recent Publications (2023–2025) address: Intermittent hypoxia effects on neurocirculatory responses Dietary nitrate supplementation for coronary blood flow optimization Autonomic dysfunction in type 2 diabetes during exercise Hyperoxia impacts on cardiovascular tone Exercise hemodynamics in peripheral artery disease Collaborations span human physiology core laboratories with technical expertise in autonomic function assessment, limb blood flow measurement, and metabolic stress testing.

• Cardiovascular Physiology
• Autonomic Nervous System Regulation
• Peripheral Artery Disease
• +4 more