معرفی
Dr. Peter Zahradka is a Professor in the Departments of Physiology and Pathophysiology and Human Nutritional Sciences at the University of Manitoba and Principal Investigator at the Canadian Centre for Agri-food Research in Health and Medicine (CCARM). He leads the Molecular Physiology laboratory, focusing on vascular health mechanisms and metabolic disease interactions.
He earned undergraduate and graduate degrees in Biochemistry from the University of Western Ontario, followed by postdoctoral training at Stanford University (Laboratory of Experimental Oncology) and the University of Guelph (Molecular Biology and Genetics). After two years as an assistant professor at Guelph, he joined the University of Manitoba's Department of Physiology at St. Boniface Research Centre, rising to tenured full professor as the division evolved into the Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences.
His research investigates how obesity and diabetes impair vascular function through adipose hormone dysregulation, leading to atherosclerosis. He pioneers nutritional interventions using plant-derived bioactives, employing cell cultures (vascular, liver, adipose tissues), animal models, human clinical trials, and advanced vascular assessment equipment. His work demonstrates that short-term dietary changes significantly impact vascular health, providing translational pathways for preventing heart disease and stroke.
Dr. Zahradka expanded CCARM from 3 to 12 scientists during his 2006-2012 tenure as Team Leader and served as Head of Endocrinology and Metabolic Disease (2012-2018), integrating clinical and research expertise to bridge laboratory discoveries with public health applications in cardiovascular nutrition.
