My ultimate career goal has been to become an independent scientist in the cardiovascular biology. The extensive training during my pursuit of Ph.D. degree in Tohoku University in Japan equipped me with the knowledge and skill to explore the new finding of cardiovascular pathophysiology. During my doctoral research, I focused on the pathogenesis of CTEPH. We reported that TAFI is activated in patients with CTEPH and PH model mice and rats. Importantly, TAFI-overexpressing promoted clot formation and multiple PA obstruction. After that, I started my postdoctoral research abroad at the University of Pittsburgh in 2018. Under the mentorship of Prof. Mark T. Gladwin, my basic research currently focuses on finding new mechanism of Exercise-Induced Pulmonary Hypertension (EIPH) in Heart Failure with preserved Ejection Fraction (HFpEF). We hypothesize that metabolic syndrome and oxidation of soluble guanylate cyclase β1 subunit contributes to pulmonary artery dysfunction in EIPH in HFpEF.
