Luisa Mestroni, MD, is a Professor of Medicine/Cardiology at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, School of Medicine. She co-directs the Molecular Genetics Program at the University of Colorado Cardiovascular Institute and serves as Principal Investigator of the International Familial Cardiomyopathy Registry. Her research focuses on the genetics of cardiomyopathies, including dilated, arrhythmogenic, and hypertrophic forms, with emphasis on genotype-phenotype correlations and therapeutic innovations using nanotechnology and bioengineering approaches. Education: MD, University of Trieste, School of Medicine, Italy (1979) BS, University of Trieste, School of Medicine, Italy (1979) Internship: University of Trieste, School of Medicine, Italy (1980) Residency in Cardiology: University of Trieste, School of Medicine, Italy (1980) Fellowship in Interventional Cardiology: University of Trieste, School of Medicine, Italy (1984) Her research integrates molecular genetics, cellular biomechanics, and clinical cardiology to identify pathogenic mechanisms in inherited heart diseases. She has established a global registry with over 2,000 subjects, supported by NIH, AHA, and international grants. Current projects explore nanotechnology applications for cardiac tissue engineering and biomechanical defects in cardiomyocytes. Publications center on genetic cardiomyopathies, arrhythmia risk stratification, and cellular pathophysiology. Recent work emphasizes desmoplakin-associated arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy, filamin C mutations, and metabolic drivers of contractile dysfunction. Articles frequently utilize advanced techniques like stem cell modeling, atomic force microscopy, and cardiac MRI. Awards: Distinguished Fellowship Award, International Academy of Cardiology (2018) Fondation Leducq Transatlantic Network of Excellence (2014) Academic Achievement Award, Western Society of Clinical Investigation (2014) Permanent Study Section Member, NIH/CRS/CCHF (2011–2017) Dean’s Mentoring Award, University of Colorado (2005) She leads multidisciplinary teams at the Molecular Genetics Program and International Familial Cardiomyopathy Registry, collaborating globally on genotype-driven clinical management. Her lab investigates cytoskeletal and sarcomeric gene mutations using cellular models and biomechanical assays.




