Heart and Vascular Center of Excellence

The Heart and Vascular Center of Excellence is directed by Robert Phillips, MD, PhD.  There are several areas of interest to the Cardiovascular Center that are in alignment with UMass expertise and priorities.

• Ira Ockene, MD leads a program focused on the prevention and management of Type 2 diabetes in underserved populations.
• John Keaney, MD received a grant from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute to study how normal blood vessels produce low levels of free radicals (by an enzyme called Nox) that seem to be important for growing new blood vessels.
• Marcus Cooper, MD is a young clinical investigator investigating therapies that promote brown versus white fat development.