[MIM Roster]

The Myocardial Ischemia and Metabolism [MIM] Study Section reviews applications involving basic and applied aspects of myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (regional or global), coronary circulation, and myocardial metabolism. It includes the review of studies using molecular, genetic, cellular, biochemical, pharmacological, genomic, proteomic, and physiological approaches to define normal and pathological processes and to develop therapeutic strategies are reviewed. MIM examines investigations at all levels of organization, ranging from in vitro models of simulated ischemia in isolated cells to whole animal models.

Specific areas covered by MIM:

• Regional and global myocardial ischemia/reperfusion: mechanisms of ischemia/reperfusion tissue injury, myocardial stunning, infarction, hibernation and the effects of aging. 
• Alterations in regional function and flow and perfusion/contraction relations; post-ischemic coronary vascular abnormalities; development of collateral circulation in response to myocardial ischemia.
• Myocardial ischemia-induced changes in gene expression including analysis of DNA arrays with respect to myocardial ischemia induced apoptosis.
• Prevention, and treatment of post-ischemic ventricular remodeling and/or inflammation. Prevention and treatment approaches may include pharmacological, gene therapeutic, preconditioning, stem cell and other cell-based approaches.
• Organ preservation during cardiac surgery including transplantation and during cardiac arrest and resuscitation.
• Signal transduction mechanisms of myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury, preconditioning, and inflammation, including changes in receptor function, kinase activity, and transcription factor activity.
• Pathophysiology and mechanism of myocardial remodeling and/or inflammation in response to ischemia/reperfusion.
• Role of reactive oxygen species, nitric oxide and other reactive nitrogen species, cytokines, chemokines, and white blood cells in myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury.
• Metabolism and energetics in normal myocardium and in acquired heart disease: carbohydrate and lipid metabolism, glycolysis, oxidative phosphorylation, substrate interaction, regulation of substrate transport and fluxes, and mitochondrial function.
• Insulin action and signaling in the myocardium including diabetic cardiomyopathy.
• Regulation of coronary flow in normal and diseased states.

MIM has the following shared interests within the CVS IRG:

There is shared interest in arrhythmias, mediators of inflammation, oxidative stress, nitric oxide biology, signaling, gene regulation, cell-based cardiac repair, and angiogenesis with other study sections in this IRG. Assignment to MIM will be on the basis of a primary focus on myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury and on the repair of its sequelae.  Specific shared interest may occur with applications dealing with:

• With Electrical Signaling, Ion Transport and Arrhythmias [ESTA]:  Altered electrical behavior in acquired heart disease; e.g. remodeling related to ischemia, may be assigned to ESTA.  Studies that examine ventricular remodeling following myocardial infarction are appropriately assigned to MIM.

• With Cardiac Contractility, Hypertrophy, and Failure [CCHF]:  Systolic and diastolic dysfunction and heart failure, including metabolic adaptations are appropriate for assignment to CCHF.  When transplantation is studied only in relation to assessment of myocardial function, applications may be assigned to CCHF.  Transplant related organ preservation is appropriately assigned to MIM.  Also, when arrhythmias are studied as an etiology of heart failure and myocardial remodeling, including therapeutic effects of pacing on ventricular hemodynamics, the application is appropriately assigned to CCHF. Applications on metabolic studies relating to ischemia-reperfusion and arrhythmias are appropriately assigned to MIM. Studies that examine ventricular remodeling following myocardial infarction are also appropriately assigned to MIM.

• With Hypertension and Microcirculation [HM]:  Applications that examine regional hemodynamics in relation to ischemia are appropriately assigned to HM. Studies that focus on general coronary circulation would be assigned to MIM.
• With Atherosclerosis and Inflammation of the Cardiovascular System [AICS]:  Transplantation biology including transplant related arrhythmias, graft vasculopathy, atherosclerosis, and transplant immunobiology are appropriately assigned to AICS. Aspects of vascular biology related directly to processes of vascular inflammation, and to atherogenesis and atherosclerosis regression will also be assigned to AICS.  Transplant related organ preservation is more appropriately assigned to MIM.  Applications that study inflammation of the myocardium secondary to ischemia and the role of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, cytokines, and chemokines in myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury are appropriately assigned to MIM.

• With Clinical and Integrative Cardiovascular Sciences [CICS]: Applications that examine myocardial ischemia/reperfusion in the context of focused clinical, population, and integrative studies may be appropriately assigned to CICS.  Studies that focus on the mechanism of myocardial injury and/or myocardial preservation are more appropriately assigned to MIM.

MIM has the following shared interests outside the CVS IRG:

• With the Cell Biology [CB] IRG: Shared interests include cellular and molecular examination of metabolism and energetics in normal myocardium and in acquired heart disease.  When the focus is a general cellular or molecular understanding, assignment could be to the CB IRG. When the focus is an understanding of metabolism and energetics in normal myocardium, assignment could be to CB.

• With the Biology of Development and Aging [BDA] IRG:  Studies on aging where the primary focus is on regional and global myocardial ischemia/reperfusion could be assigned to MIM.  Studies on the cardiovascular system that are testing hypotheses about mechanisms of aging that affect multiple systems or non-cardiovascular tissues could be assigned to the BDA IRG.  Studies on cardiovascular function or properties that are part of research on multiple age-related changes in physiology or body composition (e.g., fat, cardiovascular and bone) could be assigned to the BDA IRG.
• With the Genes, Genomes & Genetics [GGG] IRG:  Studies of myocardial genetics focusing on myocardial ischemia or myocardial metabolism could be assigned to MIM.  Studies of myocardial genetics focusing on quantitative genetics, genetic epidemiology and genetic analysis of complex traits, and genetically engineered animals could be assigned to the GGG IRG.
  
• With the Biobehavioral and Behavioral Processes [BBBP] IRG:  Studies emphasizing the effects of acute or chronic psychological stress on cardiovascular endpoints, including ischemia, may be assigned to the BBBP IRG. Research on psychoneuroimmune and psychoneuroendocrine mechanisms in cardiovascular function, exercise as a moderator of the effects of stress on cardiovascular function, and interactions between emotion, personality, psychopathology and cardiovascular function (including reactivity) may be assigned to the BBBP IRG. Applications on the diseases, disorders, or functional consequences of behaviors that contribute to myocardial ischemia could be assigned to MIM.

• With the Immunology [IMM] IRG:  The IMM IRG may be assigned applications that focus on the immune system. Studies of inflammation in response to myocardial ischemia/reperfusion could be appropriate for review in MIM.

• With the Endocrinology, Metabolism, Nutrition and Reproductive Sciences [EMNR] IRG:  Applications that focus primarily upon general glucose or lipid metabolism, or the effects of obesity, diabetes, or dietary changes on the whole body or multiple organ systems may be assigned to the EMNR IRG. Applications dealing primarily with the effects of insulin or diabetes on myocardial metabolism or blood flow may be assigned to MIM.

• With the Surgical Sciences, Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering [SBIB] IRG: Studies of myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury associated with cardiac surgery or cardiopulmonary bypass can be appropriately assigned either in the SBIB IRG or in MIM, with MIM focused more on cardiovascular evaluation of surgical or bypass procedures.

• With the Neuroscience [MDCN, IFCN, and BDCN] IRGs:  Studies of cardiac arrest and resuscitation represent a shared interest. Studies that are appropriately assigned to MIM focus on the mechanism of myocardial injury and/or myocardial preservation, whereas those applications more focused on neurological function would be assigned to one of the neuroscience IRGs.