About the Visible Heart® Laboratories

Dr. Paul A. Iaizzo has been at the University of Minnesota since 1990, performing research and teaching graduate and undergraduate courses. In 1997, Dr. Iaizzo and his coworkers began working on large mammalian isolated heart models, and thus the Visible Heart® Laboratories were created in collaboration with Medtronic. Today, these labs are a premiere place to perform translational systems physiology research which ranges from cellular and tissue studies to organ and whole body investigations. The Visible Heart® Laboratories embody a creative atmosphere which is energized by some of the best and brightest students at the University. Our lab staff has over 100 years of collective research experience and functions as a highly efficient and productive team.

Collaborators

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Collaborators

University of Minnesota Collaborators

Dr. Greg Beilman, Department of Surgery: Force assessment in the ICU and the induction of mild hypothermia in the fibrile patient.

Dr. John Bischof, Departments of Urological Surgery and Mechanical Engineering: Ablation therapies and cellular thermal injury.

Dr. William Durfee, Department of Mechanical Engineering: New product design and body mechanics.

Dr. Arthur Erdman, Department of Mechanical Engineering: New product design and cervical traction.

Dr. Michael Loushin, Department of Anesthesiology: Malignant hyperthermia, force assessment in humans and in vitro force studies of isolated human left ventricular trabeculae; the use of opioids to prevent acute ischemic damage.

Collaborations with Other Institutions

Dr. James Coles, Medtronic, Inc.: Cardioprotection and voltage clamp of cardiac myocytes.

Dr. Hans Ginz, Anesthesiology, University of Basel/Kantonsspital, Basel, Switzerland: Force assessment in the anesthetized patient.

Dr. Alexander Hill, Medtronic, Inc.: Functional and comparative cardiac anatomy.

Dr. Timothy Laske, Medtronic, Inc.: The Visible Heart®, alternate site cardiac pacing.

Dr. Daniel Sigg, Cardioprotection and voltage clamping of cardiac myocytes.

Dr. Nicholas Skadsberg, Medtronic, Inc.: Alternate site cardiac pacing, repolarization, electrical and mechanical restitution dynamics.