Thomas M Vondriska

Thomas M Vondriska is a Professor in the School of Medicine at the University of California Los Angeles, with joint appointments in the Departments of Anesthesiology, Medicine, and Physiology. His research focuses on understanding the epigenomic basis of heart disease, particularly how chromatin structure and regulation contribute to cardiac pathophysiology. Dr. Vondriska leads multiple NIH-funded research projects exploring novel therapeutic targets for heart failure and cardiac remodeling.

Dr. Vondriska's research interests center on cardiovascular epigenomics, chromatin structure, and gene regulation in heart disease. His laboratory investigates how epigenetic modifications influence cardiac development, growth, and response to stress. Specific areas of focus include histone modifications, DNA methylation patterns, non-coding RNA regulation, and the three-dimensional organization of chromatin in cardiac cells. His work bridges basic molecular mechanisms with clinical applications in heart failure and cardiac hypertrophy.

Analysis of Dr. Vondriska's recent publications reveals a strong emphasis on the intersection of epigenetics and cardiac physiology. His research demonstrates how chromatin architecture regulates cardiac gene expression during development and disease, with particular attention to heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), cardiac fibrosis, and arrhythmias. His work increasingly incorporates single-cell technologies, computational approaches, and translational studies connecting basic mechanisms to clinical applications.

Dr. Vondriska has secured substantial NIH funding as Principal Investigator for multiple projects including "Epigenomic basis of resilience to heart failure" (R21HL150667), "Small molecule therapies targeting chromatin architecture in heart failure" (R01HL150225), and "Novel Mechanisms of LncRNA Mediated Epigenetic Regulation in Cardiac Hypertrophy" (R01HL143058). His research program has been continuously funded by NIH since 2006, reflecting the significance and productivity of his work in cardiovascular epigenomics.

Dr. Vondriska leads a research laboratory focused on cardiac epigenomics and systems biology. His team employs advanced techniques including chromatin conformation capture, single-cell sequencing, proteomics, and computational modeling to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying heart disease. The laboratory collaborates extensively with clinical researchers to translate basic findings into potential therapeutic approaches for cardiovascular conditions.