Ghugre, Nilesh

Biography

Dr. Nilesh Ghugre is a Scientist in the Schulich Heart Program at Sunnybrook Research Institute with a focus on imaging in cardiovascular disease. His interest is to develop novel experimental models, coupled with new imaging biomarkers to understand the underlying pathophysiology of disease. Acute myocardial infarction (or a heart attack) occurs when blood supply to the heart muscle is interrupted. This can destroy heart cells and severely compromise pumping action, resulting in progression toward heart failure. Dr. Ghugre’s research focus is to utilize advanced cardiac MRI biomarkers to characterize the post-infarct “remodeling” process and determine efficacy of novel therapeutic interventions to prevent heart failure. To this end, he is involved in exploring novel experimental models that represent clinical manifestation of heart disease. His lab is developing MRI tools to probe cardiac pathophysiology parameters including viability, edema and inflammation, hemorrhage, perfusion, strain and microvascular integrity and function. Quantitative T1, T2 and T2-star MRI relaxation mechanisms form the basis for this in vivo tissue characterization, allowing for intra- and inter-subject comparisons. Another focus has been the in vivo assessment of microvascular dysfunction, including abnormal blood flow and perfusion reserve in patients with diabetes or severe infarction. This assessment is done using cardiac blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) imaging and arterial spin-label imaging. His lab is also advancing image-guidance technologies for cardiac regenerative medicine. Given that the human heart lacks regenerative capacity, stem cell-based therapies are a revolutionary means to repopulate lost cells in scar tissue and regain lost contractile function. The lab aims to develop MRI-based technologies that will facilitate minimally invasive and accurate cell delivery to the infarct scar, and image cell fate, tissue response and outcomes, all within the same framework. Dr. Nilesh Ghugre is a Scientist in the Schulich Heart Program at Sunnybrook Research Institute with a focus on imaging in cardiovascular disease. His interest is to develop novel experimental models, coupled with new imaging biomarkers to understand the underlying pathophysiology of disease. Acute myocardial infarction (or a heart attack) occurs when blood supply to the heart muscle is interrupted. This can destroy heart cells and severely compromise pumping action, resulting in progression toward heart failure. Dr. Ghugre’s research focus is to utilize advanced cardiac MRI biomarkers to characterize the post-infarct “remodeling” process and determine efficacy of novel therapeutic interventions to prevent heart failure. To this end, he is involved in exploring novel experimental models that represent clinical manifestation of heart disease. His lab is developing MRI tools to probe cardiac pathophysiology parameters including viability, edema and inflammation, hemorrhage, perfusion, strain and microvascular integrity and function. Quantitative T1, T2 and T2-star MRI relaxation mechanisms form the basis for this in vivo tissue characterization, allowing for intra- and inter-subject comparisons. Another focus has been the in vivo assessment of microvascular dysfunction, including abnormal blood flow and perfusion reserve in patients with diabetes or severe infarction. This assessment is done using cardiac blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) imaging and arterial spin-label imaging. His lab is also advancing image-guidance technologies for cardiac regenerative medicine. Given that the human heart lacks regenerative capacity, stem cell-based therapies are a revolutionary means to repopulate lost cells in scar tissue and regain lost contractile function. The lab aims to develop MRI-based technologies that will facilitate minimally invasive and accurate cell delivery to the infarct scar, and image cell fate, tissue response and outcomes, all within the same framework.

Research Interest

Development and validation of quantitative cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) techniques Establishing Image-guidance technologies for cardiac regenerative medicine Development of cardiac blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) imaging Detection of microvascular dysfunction in heart disease Development of novel preclinical models of heart disease