Dr. DeWayne Townsend’s laboratory utilizes an integrative approach to study the pathophysiological mechanisms of heart failure, with a specific focus on dystrophic cardiomyopathies. Interestingly, several of the proteins associated with these dystrophic cardiomyopathies have also been implicated in heart failure resulting from more common causes (i.e. ischemic heart disease).

His group studies heart disease at varying levels of biological complexity, from intact animals to individual adult cardiomyocytes. They also probe molecular physiology, utilizing biochemical methodologies, transgenesis, and in vivo gene transfer. This highly integrated approach provides unique insights into the pathophysiology of heart disease and ultimately will enable us to develop novel therapeutic approaches.

Adam Goodwill received his PhD in the laboratory of Dr. Jefferson Frisbee at the West Virginia University School of Medicine in Morgantown WV. He performed his post-doctoral work in the laboratory of Dr. Johnathan Tune at the Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis IN. Dr. Goodwill has held an academic appointment at Indiana University School of Medicine since 2015. The primary focus of Dr. Goodwill’s research career has focused on vasomotor deficits and vascular remodeling in the context of the metabolic syndrome. More recently, his work has focused on the the coordination of coronary blood flow with cardiac function under a variety of disease conditions.

Ongoing projects by his research group intend to develop new and innovative large animal models of heart failure under varying conditions. The lab’s studies routinely include a series of experimental approaches utilizing both in vivo (chronically instrumented conscious and/or acute open-chest swine) and in vitro (isolated artery rings, pressurized arterioles, Western blot, RT-PCR, immunohistochemistry, confocal microscopy) methodologies.