Randal J. Westrick

Randal J. Westrick is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Oakland University. He joined the university in 2013 with funding from an American Heart Association Scientist Development grant and maintains an active research laboratory focused on cardiovascular genetics.

Dr. Westrick holds a Ph.D. and is an internationally recognized researcher in the genetics of thrombosis, hemostasis, and cardiovascular disease whose work has been cited over 4,000 times. His research primarily focuses on the genetics of cardiovascular disease, with particular emphasis on thrombosis and hemostasis. His laboratory employs genome wide mutagenesis approaches in mice with genetically lethal blood clotting disorders to identify and characterize genetic variants that restore survival. His work explores how these variants alter biological activities such as cytoskeletal regulation, lipid biology, and extrinsic blood coagulation, providing innovative therapeutic targets for reducing blood clot risk. A significant portion of his research has centered on identifying genetic loci controlling the expression of platelet plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (pPAI-1).

Dr. Westrick's publication record shows a consistent focus on cardiovascular genetics with increasing emphasis on genomic approaches. His recent work (2021-2023) demonstrates expansion into tumor biology and RNA splicing mechanisms while maintaining his core focus on thrombosis and hemostasis. The integration of genomic techniques with traditional cardiovascular research represents a cutting-edge approach to understanding complex disease mechanisms.

• Fellow of the American Heart Association (FAHA)

Dr. Westrick actively mentors students at various levels, with multiple undergraduate and graduate students contributing to his research publications. His laboratory is supported by multiple grants including: American Heart Association Strategically Focused Research Network Center on Inflammation in Cardiac and Neurovascular Disease, NIH R15 grant investigating Arl6ip5's roles in suppressing thrombosis, NSF grant on data analytics in STEM education, NIH U2C/TL1 Institutional Network Award, and American Heart Association undergraduate research programs. His lab occupies space in Dodge Hall rooms 301, 304, and 307 and includes graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and undergraduates working collaboratively on projects related to cardiovascular genetics and thrombosis.