Why coronary arteries struggle to heal after surgery

Fri, 14 Nov 2025 14:39:00 -0500

A new Virginia Tech study by Scott Johnstone of the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC identified a target for new therapies to improve recovery and reduce complications after stent procedures and bypass surgeries.

Virginia Tech researcher earns fellowship to explore how obesity increases the risk for heart disease

Thu, 20 Mar 2025 12:00:00 -0400

Mark Renton, a postdoctoral associate with the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC, will use the American Heart Association fellowship to investigate how the pannexin-1 protein regulates blood flow in an obesity-induced heart condition.

Postdoctoral Excellence Awards celebrate promising scientific research

The Fralin Biomedical Research Institute Postdoctoral Excellence Awards, established through the generosity of Mary Denton Roberts and David Lyerly, recognize exceptional research potential and professional development. The most recent recipients are Ignacio Aiello, Xiaobo Wu, and Mark Renton. The awards recognize the potential for impactful individual scientific contributions. Recipients are selected based on the likelihood that their research proposal will lead to novel contributions as well as their mentors' ability to enhance their professional development. Roberts taught microbiology and immunology at Radford University from 1980 to 2006. Lyerly is a co-founder and chief science officer of the Blacksburg-based medical diagnostics company TechLab Inc. He and colleague Tracy Wilkins founded the company in 1989, based on discoveries from their research on Clostridium difficile, the major cause of hospital-acquired diarrhea and colitis.

Fralin Biomedical Research Institute scientist to co-chair international forum on gap junctions

Fri, 24 May 2024 11:45:00 -0400

Co-chairs James Smyth and Silvia Penuela are bringing scientists from across the globe to Arlington to share findings in a rapidly developing field whose insights point to novel therapeutic opportunities in a wide range of disorders and complex diseases.

From healthy development to cancer treatments, Fralin Biomedical Research Institute scientists aim for impact

Mon, 29 Jan 2024 16:15:00 -0500

New Seale Innovation Fund projects fuel a broad spectrum of research focused on cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, stress, brain development, and more.

National Institutes of Health award propels translational biology, medicine, and health student on path to discovery

Tue, 23 Jan 2024 09:00:00 -0500

Meghan Sedovy, a doctoral candidate and graduate research assistant in the Johnstone Lab at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC, was awarded a Ruth L. Kirschstein Predoctoral Individual National Research Service Award to further her study of wound healing in arteries after heart surgery.

Researchers find that using patients’ own blood rather than saline helps preserve veins in coronary bypass grafts

Tue, 16 Jan 2024 13:00:00 -0500

A Fralin Biomedical Research Institute cardiovascular scientist and a Carilion Clinic surgeon team up for a clinical trial with the potential to improve health outcomes.

Thank you from the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute - #VTGivingDay

On behalf of the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC, thank you very, very much for your generosity on Giving Day. Every day your support helps us to bring to the public health the advances and innovation of our faculty, students and staff. Thank you!

Philanthropy supports pilot projects to take on health challenges such as heart disease, diabetes, cancer, stress, and chronic pain

Wed, 15 Feb 2023 10:00:00 -0500

Giving Day contributions to the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC have double the impact, unlocking $20,000 to the Seale Innovation Fund to accelerate innovation

Three translational biology, medicine, and health graduate students awarded American Heart Association fellowships

Wed, 11 Jan 2023 09:42:00 -0500

The awards are intended to enhance the research and clinical training of promising students seeking careers as scientists, physician-scientists, or clinician scientists interested in improving global cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, and brain health.

Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC Center for Vascular and Heart Research holds retreat to catalyze collaboration

Thu, 21 Jul 2022 09:00:00 -0400

The daylong retreat at The Hotel Roanoke & Conference Center and on the research institute campus included presentations by research teams about their lab’s key techniques, competencies, and equipment.

Meet Scott Johnstone, a new cardiovascular investigator at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute

As we continue our series focused on the newest faculty members working in our brand new, $90-million biomedical research addition facility, it's our pleasure to introduce Scott Johnstone – a new principal investigator who is working to understand how healthy blood vessels are altered in disease. Johnstone's lab also focuses on defining pathways to therapeutically target vascular disease.

Applications are open for the 2021 Virginia Tech Health Sciences and Technology Commercialization Fellows Program

Wed, 03 Mar 2021 07:47:00 -0500

Applications for the new program cohort are due online by 5 p.m. on March 12. Graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and research assistants and associates from across Virginia Tech who conduct health sciences and technology-related research are eligible.

Meet our Scientists: Dr. Farris, Dr. Johnstone, Dr. LaMantia, Dr. Montague, Dr. Shin, and Dr. Munson

The Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC’s researchers have diverse backgrounds. Learn more about their research, hobbies, backgrounds, and why they became scientists in our 2021 weekly video series.

New Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC scientist pursues heart disease treatments

Wed, 11 Nov 2020 11:09:00 -0500

Scott Johnstone’s team is designing drugs that interrupt protein interactions to curb pathological cell division.

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