CaSTL Seminar by John Williams

Protein-protein interactions within the myocardium have been investigated for over a century, and new information is being elucidated regarding the mechanisms that underlie cardiac contractions.  As such, this area of research continues to grow as scientists find novel mechanisms, proteins, and methods of analysis to investigate this process. As a faculty member at Albany State University, Dr. Williams also mentors students in undergraduate research that focuses on the visualization of myocardial ultrastructure through the use of scanning electron microscopy.  This set of projects seeks to determine whether regional variations within the myocardium in terms of high stress and low stress areas can be identified using SEM. This presentation focuses on the nature of this research, specifically as it relates to myosin crossbridge formation and its effects on cardiac contractions, and how this has led to the possibility of newer targets for understanding cardiac muscle. Also, this presentation will focus on the current progress made in visualizing myocardial structures as a training project for undergraduates in the Department of Biological Sciences at Albany State University.