Home > Louis Dell'Italia, M.D.

Dr. Dell'Italia's research program focuses on the mechanisms of remodeling of the heart in heart failure defined by three-dimensional magnetic resonance imaging, changes in cardiomyocyte morphology and extracellular matrix, and the regulatory role of the cardiac renin-angiotensin system. Dr. Dell'Italia's current research program studies: 1) the mechanisms of angiotensin II (ANG II) formation in the normal and hypertrophied heart; 2) the effects of blockade of the renin angiotensin system on LV myocardial remodeling in the dog and human using three-dimensional magnetic resonance imaging and tissue tagging; 3) the contribution of tissue angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) to ANG II formation and LV myocardial remodeling using transgenic mice with variable copies of the ACE gene; 4) the interaction of the renin angiotensin system and noradrenergic system in hypertrophy and heart failure; and, 5) the effect of 1-4 on intracellular calcium regulation in the hypertrophied cardiomyocyte. With a better understanding of these mechanisms, Dr. Dell'Italia and associates plan to investigate targeted adjunctive therapies in patients having surgical reconstruction of the LV to reduce wall stress and improve function in the failing heart.