Dr. Carolyn Carr

Biography

Carolyn Carr is an Associate Professor in the Department of Physiology, Anatomy, and Genetics at the University of Oxford. She has been a member of the department since 2003. Her research interests are focused on cardiac physiology and metabolism, specifically the use of endogenous cardiac stem cells to prevent heart failure. Carr's research has demonstrated that endogenous cardiac progenitor cells, as well as induced pluripotent stem cells, can significantly improve cardiac function following myocardial infarction. She explores diverse cell types and is deeply engaged in investigating tissue engineering solutions for effective cell delivery. Furthermore, she characterizes the metabolic changes that occur as stem cells differentiate into beating cardiomyocytes and studies the potential detection of metabolic side effects from drug compounds. Carr began her career as a chemist, earning her undergraduate degree and DPhil in Chemistry from the University of Oxford. Her industry experience includes working with MR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry at Kodak Ltd and Synaptica Ltd. Post-doctorate, she used MR imaging to assess heart function and actively investigates metabolic changes during stem cell differentiation, particularly in relation to metabolic disorders like diabetes. Additionally, she has been involved in the Outreach Board of Trustees for the Oxford International Biomedical Centre, organizing talks and engaging with local schools to promote scientific understanding.

Research Interests