Molecular Cardiology Research Institute Boston

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A researcher working in his lab — Researchers + staff

Our team is comprised of investigators, physician-scientists, staff and engaged trainees.
Learn about our researchers and staff

Orange and red test tubes — Innovation and discovery

Scientists from around the world collaborate to explore the biological mechanisms of heart disease.
Learn about our 20 years of discovery

Overview

The Molecular Cardiology Research Institute (MCRI) at Tufts Medical Center in downtown Boston, MA studies the molecular mechanisms of common cardiovascular diseases including heart attack, stroke, heart failure, and high blood pressure then translates these discoveries into new clinical strategies for diagnosis and therapy. Our mission also emphasizes training and mentoring physicians and scientists committed to careers in cardiovascular research.

The MCRI staff is comprised of 13 talented investigators and physician-scientists and more than 40 gifted researchers and trainees from around the world. They work closely together on four contiguous floors of state-of-the art research facilities on the campus of Tufts Medical Center and Tufts University School of Medicine in downtown Boston.

Founded in 1997, MCRI is led by Executive Director Iris Jaffe, MD, PhD, a vascular biologist and cardiologist. Dr. Jaffe is the recipient of numerous awards and honors for her contributions to cardiovascular research, including the Established Investigator Award from the American Heart Association (AHA) and election as a member of the American Society of Clinical Investigation (ASCI). She is also currently the chair of the NIH Vascular Cell and Molecular Biology (VCMB) Study Section.

Improving cardiovascular health through groundbreaking research

MCRI applies advanced molecular methods to understanding mechanisms important in human biology and disease. The ultimate goal of MCRI researchers is to translate ground breaking basic findings into new clinical strategies for diagnosis and therapy, with a focus on small molecule drug discovery, device development, and molecular predictive strategies.

Ongoing studies include investigations of novel mechanisms driving ischemic cardiovascular disease such as angina and myocardial infarction, as well as other major cardiovascular disorders, especially hypertension, congestive heart failure, pulmonary hypertension and disorders of cardiac electrophysiology.

Continually investing in people, discovery and technology

To fulfill our objectives of conducting basic research for translation into new diagnostics and therapies and educating the next generation of cardiovascular researchers, MCRI has invested in four principal areas:

Recruiting scientists and physician-scientists with exceptional training, knowledge and accomplishments
Establishing and expanding specialized programs in cardiovascular research across 17 laboratories
Building and continually upgrading state-of-the-art Core facilities, including a whole-animal mouse physiology facility and a fully equipped transgenic mouse facility
Developing and delivering pre-doctoral, graduate and post-graduate training and education that attracts brilliant minds from all over the world, including students from the Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences

Research capabilities and focus areas

The MCRI programmatic areas of focus include vascular biology, cardiomyocyte biology, electrophysiology, human genetics and genomics, molecular pharmacology, and signal transduction. Members of the MCRI work closely and collaboratively with clinical cardiologists and cardiovascular surgeons, biochemists, neuroscientists, pharmacologists, geneticists and epidemiologists at Tufts Medical Center and Tufts University to further research in all facets of cardiovascular diseases.