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
- Adjunct Assistant Professors, Postdoctoral Fellows
- Doctoral Students
- Master Students
- Volunteers, Undergrad, Directed Research
Current Staff
![John cole](/sites/med.umn.edu/files/johncole.jpg)
John Brigham, MILS
Heart Library Curator
cole0882@umn.edu
![Kara Heinle](/sites/med.umn.edu/files/images/karaheinle_0.jpg)
Kara Heinle, BAA, MA
Lab Coordinator
612-624-3959
heinl044@umn.edu
![Rachel Nelson](/sites/med.umn.edu/files/images/rachelnelson.jpg)
Rachel Larson, BA, RDCS
Researcher 1
nels7604@umn.edu
![Samanta Toczyl](/sites/med.umn.edu/files/images/samantatoczyl.jpeg)
Samanta Toczyl
Researcher 1
toczy004@umn.edu
![Weston](/sites/med.umn.edu/files/westonupchurch-1.jpg)
Weston Upchurch, MS
Researcher 3
612-626-3956
wupchurc@umn.edu
![gary](/sites/med.umn.edu/files/garywilliams.jpg)
Gary Williams, BCpE
Applications Programmer
612-624-3161
willi067@umn.edu
Extended Staff
![Andrew Boelter](/sites/med.umn.edu/files/images/andrewboelter_0.jpg)
Andrew Boelter
![David Buyck](/sites/med.umn.edu/files/images/davidbuyck_0.jpg)
David Buyck
![Erik](/sites/med.umn.edu/files/erikdonley.jpg)
Erik Donley
![Leo Mose](/sites/med.umn.edu/files/images/leomose.jpeg)
Leo Mose
![Samantha Niehaus](/sites/med.umn.edu/files/images/sammi_niehaus.jpg)
Samantha Neihaus
![Madeline Wethington](/sites/med.umn.edu/files/images/madelinewethington.jpg)
Madeline Wethington
Adjunct Assistant Professors
![Michael Eggen](/sites/med.umn.edu/files/images/michaeleggen.jpg)
Michael Eggen, PhD
Sr. Research Manager- Cardiac Implantables Research and Technology, Medtronic
![Alexander Hill](/sites/med.umn.edu/files/images/alexanderhill.jpg)
Alexander Hill, PhD
Sr Product Development Program Director at Medtronic
![Timothy Laske](/sites/med.umn.edu/files/images/timothylaske.jpg)
Timothy Laske, PhD
Vice President of Research and Business Development - Medtronic AF Solutions
![Nicholas Skadsberg](/sites/med.umn.edu/files/images/nicholasskadsberg.jpg)
Nicholas Skadsberg, PhD
Sr. Commercial Marketing Director - Brady at Medtronic
Postdoctoral Fellows
![Joerg Reifart](/sites/med.umn.edu/files/images/joergreifart.jpg)
Jörg Reifart, MD
Postdoctoral associate
reifa001@umn.edu
![Enrique Vergara Escudero](/sites/med.umn.edu/files/images/enriquevergaraescudero.jpg)
Enrique Vergara Escudero, MD
Postdoctoral associate
everesc8@umn.edu
![Michael Bielecki](/sites/med.umn.edu/files/images/michaelbielecki.jpeg)
Michael Bielecki
Biomedical Engineering
612-624-8742
biele039@umn.edu
![David Buyck](/sites/med.umn.edu/files/images/davidbuyck_0.jpg)
David Buyck
Bioinformatics and Computational Biology
buyc0007@umn.edu
![John Carney](/sites/med.umn.edu/files/images/johncarney.png)
John Carney
Bioinformatics and Computational Biology
carne115@umn.edu
![Amanda DeVos](/sites/med.umn.edu/files/images/amandadevos.jpeg)
Amanda DeVos
Biomedical Engineering
612-624-8742
devos014@umn.edu
![Neal Duongf](/sites/med.umn.edu/files/images/nealduong.jpeg)
Neal Duong
Biomedical Engineering
612-624-8742
duong148@umn.edu
![Kayla Molina](/sites/med.umn.edu/files/images/kaylamolina_0.png)
Kayla Molina
Biomedical Engineering
612-624-8742
molin459@umn.edu
![Ryan Nadybal](/sites/med.umn.edu/files/images/ryannadybal.jpeg)
Ryan Nadybal
Biomedical Engineering
612-624-8742
nadyb001@umn.edu
![Weston](/sites/med.umn.edu/files/westonupchurch-1.jpg)
Weston Upchurch
Bioinformatics and Computational Biology
612-626-3956
wupchurc@umn.edu
![James Villar-Mead](/sites/med.umn.edu/files/images/jamesvillar-mead.jpeg)
James Villar-Mead
Biomedical Engineering
612-624-8742
villa679@umn.edu
![Erika Casal](/sites/med.umn.edu/files/images/erika_casal.png)
Erika Casal
Biomedical Engineering
casal056@umn.edu
![Nathan Huntley](/sites/med.umn.edu/files/images/nathanhuntley.png)
Nathan Huntley
Mechanical Engineering
huntl086@umn.edu
![Audrey Wethington](/sites/med.umn.edu/files/images/audreywethington.jpeg)
Audrey Wethington
Biological Sciences
wethi009@umn.edu
![Sam Belding](/sites/med.umn.edu/files/images/sambelding.jpg)
Sam Belding
Biomedical Engineering
beldi005@umn.edu
![Jack Burt](/sites/med.umn.edu/files/images/jackburt.jpeg)
Jack Burt
Medical Student
burt0368@umn.edu
![Alexander Gherciuc](/sites/med.umn.edu/files/images/alexandergherciuc.jpg)
Alexander Gherciuc
Biochemistry
gherc002@umn.edu
![Cindy Li](/sites/med.umn.edu/files/images/cindy_li_0.png)
Cindy Li
Human Physiology
li002416@umn.edu
![Weili Lu](/sites/med.umn.edu/files/images/weililu.jpg)
Weili Lu
Lillehei Scholar
lu000366@umn.edu
![Camille Mahabadi](/sites/med.umn.edu/files/images/camille_mahabadi_0.jpg)
Camille Mahabadi
Biomedical Engineering
mahab023@umn.edu
![Mohammed Omer](/sites/med.umn.edu/files/images/mohammed_omer.jpg)
Mohammed Omer
Human Physiology
omer0030@umn.edu
![Erik Polsfut](/sites/med.umn.edu/files/images/erik_polsfut_0.png)
Erik Polsfut
Human Physiology
polsf010@umn.edu
![Maximilian Sebion Calvesio](/sites/med.umn.edu/files/images/maximilian_sebion_calvesio.jpg)
Maximilian Sebion Calvesio
Human Physiology
sebio006@umn.edu
![Kaw Zan](/sites/med.umn.edu/files/images/kaw_zan.jpg)
Kaw Zan
Genetics, Cell Biology and Development
zan00003@umn.edu