Team

Our Labs

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.

Staff

Current staff


John Brigham
Heart Library Curator
cole0882@umn.edu


Kara Heinle
Lab Coordinator
612-624-3959
heinl044@umn.edu


Samanta Toczyl
Researcher 1
toczy004@umn.edu


Weston Upchurch
Researcher 3
612-626-3956
wupchurc@umn.edu


James Villar-Mead
Researcher 1
villa679@umn.edu


Gary Williams, BCpE
Applications Programmer
612-624-3161
willi067@umn.edu

 

Extended Staff


Andrew Boelter


Erik Donley


Celia Gonzalez


Jeeho Hong


Monica Mahre

Adjunct Assistant Professors, Postdoctoral Fellows

Adjunct Assistant Professors

Michael Eggen

Michael Eggen, PhD 
Principal Scientist Medtronic

Alexander Hill

Alexander Hill, PhD 
Sr Program Director - Medtronic

Timothy Laske

Timothy Laske, PhD
Vice President of Research and Business Development - Medtronic AF Solutions

Nicholas Skadsberg

Nicholas Skadsberg, PhD
Sr. Commercial Marketing Director - Brady at Medtronic

 

 

Visiting Professors

Matej Rebersek

Matej Reberšek
Matej.Rebersek@fe.uni-lj.si

 

 

 

Postdoctoral Fellows

Susana Arango

Susana Arango
Postdoctoral associate
arang023@umn.edu

Joerg Reifart

Jörg Reifart
Postdoctoral associate
reifa001@umn.edu

Enrique Vergara Escudero

Enrique Vergara Escudero
Postdoctoral associate
everesc8@umn.edu

Doctoral Students


Michael Bielecki
Biomedical Engineering
612-624-8742
biele039@umn.edu


Renee Brigham
Biomedical Engineering
612-624-8742
brigh146@umn.edu


Amanda DeVos
Biomedical Engineering
612-624-8742
devos014@umn.edu


Neal Duong
Biomedical Engineering
612-624-8742
duong148@umn.edu


Masha Gundershaug
Bioinformatics and Computational Biology
iasso001@umn.edu


David Ramirez
Biomedical Engineering
ramir356@umn.edu


Weston Upchurch
Researcher 3
612-626-3956
wupchurc@umn.edu


Jorge Vergen
Bioinformatics and Computational Biology
verge020@umn.edu

Master Students


Amr El-Bokl, MD
Pediatric Cardiology Fellow
aelbokl@umn.edu


Leo Mose
Mechanical Engineering / Biomedical
mosex008@umn.edu


Ryan Nadybal
Biomedical Engineering
nadyb001@umn.edu


Andrew Wang
MD/MS
wang4952@umn.edu

Volunteers, Undergrad, Directed Research

Sophia Boman

 
Sophia Boman
Biology
boman044@umn.edu


Jack Burt
Nutrition sciences
jburt6159@gmail.com


Nick Larson
Human Physiology
lars6943@umn.edu


Audrey Wethington
Biology
wethi009@umn.edu


Josh Zipf
Applied Kinesiology
zipfx006@umn.edu