Dr. Allison Kuipers

Biography

Dr. Kuipers comes from Michigan State University after receiving her PhD in Epidemiology from the University of Pittsburgh. She was a NHLBI-funded post-doctoral fellow and has developed a translational research program. Her primary research focuses on the molecular determinants of vascular and cardiac chronic diseases. Dr. Kuipers' overarching research interests stem from both laboratory and epidemiologic research, including the development of translational approaches to move findings from 'the bench to the population'. Her current research is concentrated on evaluating epidemiologic predictors of cardiac structure and function, as well as subclinical measures of cardiovascular disease through a population-based longitudinal cohort study on the Caribbean island of Tobago. This study represents population-based data on cardiac structure and function among African Caribbeans, aimed at establishing risk factors and molecular predictors of concerning measures in a population with a significant burden of hypertensive disease. The overarching goal of her long-term research endeavors is to utilize a variety of banked biospecimen samples to test associations among molecular markers, genetic variations, gene expression, and protein concentrations against cardiac and vascular measures, thereby enhancing the understanding of the etiology and physiology of cardiovascular disease. Dr. Kuipers aims to harness translational molecular techniques in both clinical and population-based settings to identify novel disease mechanisms with the goal of implementing impactful improvements in human health.

Research Interests