Dr. Kim Tran is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine, Iowa, USA. He received his MD from the University of Medicine and Pharmacy at HoChiMinh City, Vietnam, a PhD in Vascular Biology and Clinical Cardiology Fellowship from Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Japan. He then obtained postdoctoral training at the University of Missouri, USA, followed by a research instructor position at the same institution. He is a member of the AHA, ASPET, and ASBMB, and has formerly served as President of the Iowa Chapter of the American Physiological Society.
Dr. Kim Tran’s laboratory is interested in conditions associated with menopause, hypertension and heart failure. A primary current focus is the regulation and therapeutic targeting of several G Protein-Coupled Receptors (GPCRs) involved in these conditions. They use a combination of molecular, biochemical and cellular approaches in conjunction with animal and human studies to investigate the mechanisms of action and therapeutic potential for these receptors. Current areas of emphasis include:
1. Role of estrogen in cardiovascular pressor responses
2. Role of calmodulin in GPCR functions
3. Regulation of cardiovascular Ca2+ signaling by GPER
