VHL Team

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 (VHL) 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 VHL embodies 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.

Faculty
Javier Navarro Rueda, VHL Faculty

Javier Navarro Rueda, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Surgery
[email protected]
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Staff

John Brigham

John Brigham, MILS  
Heart Library Curator  
[email protected]
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Kara Heinle

Kara Heinle, BBA, MA 
Lab Coordinator  
612-624-3959  
[email protected]
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Abigail Theis

Abigail Theis, BA
Researcher 1
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gary

Gary Williams, BCpE  
Applications Programmer  
612-624-3161  
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Extended Staff

Erik

Erik Donley

Rachel Nelson

Rachel Larson, BA, RDCS  
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Audrey Wethington

Audrey Wethington, MS
Researcher
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Madeline Wethington

Madeline Wethington, MS
Researcher
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Adjunct Professors, Postdoctoral Fellows

Michael Eggen

Michael Eggen, PhD 
Sr. Research Manager- Cardiac Implantables Research and Technology, Medtronic

Alexander Hill

Alexander Hill, PhD 
Sr Product Development Program Director at 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

Postdoctoral Fellows

Kevin Muneton

Kevin Muneton, MD
[email protected]
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Emma Schaffer

Emma Schaffer, MD
[email protected]
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Doctoral Students

David Buyck

David Buyck 
Bioinformatics and Computational Biology
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Gino Dimatteo

Gino DiMatteo
Biomedical Engineering
612-624-8742
[email protected]
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Kayla Molina

Kayla Molina
Biomedical Engineering
612-624-8742
[email protected]
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Ryan Nadybal

Ryan Nadybal 
Biomedical Engineering 
612-624-8742
[email protected]
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James Villar-Mead

James Villar-Mead
Biomedical Engineering
612-624-8742
[email protected]
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Master Students

Cece Anders

Cece Anders
Biomedical Engineering
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Harikrishna Krishnadas

Harikrishna Krishnadas
Mechanical Engineering
[email protected] 
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Shivangi Pandey

Shivangi Pandey
Mechanical Engineering
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Tori Schrimpf

Tori Schrimpf
Biomedical Engineering
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Anders Torp

Anders Torp
Mechanical Engineering
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Medical Students, Visiting PhD Students, Volunteers

Nevin Gupta

Nevin Gupta
Medical Student
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Asif Abul Hassan

Asif Abul Hassan
Medical Student
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Camilo Perez Cualtan

Camilo Perez Cualtan
PhD Cardiovascular Researcher
[email protected]
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Amelia Carrizales

Amelia Carrizales
Biology
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Jordan Erickson

Jordan Erickson
Human Physiology
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Taylor Isabel

Taylor Isabel
Biomedical Engineering
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Luke Ruegemer

Luke Ruegemer
Biochemistry
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Paul Iaizzo

Paul A. Iaizzo, PhD, FHRS, FIEEE

Director, Visible Heart® Laboratories
Professor, Dept. of Surgery

612-624-7912