Featured Researcher: Matthew Hakimi

What is your professional background? 
I attended UC Berkeley to study bioengineering and molecular and cell biology, and I received my medical degree from UCLA. After completing my residency training in internal medicine, I spent two years in a clinical fellowship in hypertension and translational research in vascular biology.

In which division do you work, and who is your mentor? 
I work in the Division of Cardiology, and my mentor is Dr. Alicia Lyle.

Briefly describe your research. Why is it important?
I study mechanisms underlying new blood vessel formation in response to injury. My research focuses on proteins called osteopontins that have extensive roles in neovascularization. I would like to apply and build on what is known about them from hematology/oncology into cardiovascular disease. Investigating these special proteins could have therapeutic implications in wound healing and in complications of vascular disease, such as heart attacks and strokes.

What do you like most about Emory?
I find Emory to be a model academic institution for its collaborative culture and excellence in arts and sciences. The beautiful campus and facilities, and Atlanta as a city, are the most welcoming environment to train and to live.

What is your favorite movie or TV show? 
My favorite television shows are “Goliath” and “Cash Cab,” and my favorite movie is “Inception.”

What do you like to do in your spare time?
I like to run and visit the many hole-in-the-wall coffee shops and restaurants that Atlanta, much like LA, has to offer.

 

Related Links

• Nominate a Featured Researcher
• Emory Department of Medicine Research Newsletter (“What’s Up”)
• Emory Department of Medicine – Office of Research
• Emory University Department of Medicine
• Emory University Division of Cardiology

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