麻豆社

Dr. Susana Cavallero鈥檚 dedication to unraveling the complexities of vascular biology is matched only by her passion for mentoring the next generation of scientists. Dr. Cavallero鈥檚 work not only advances our understanding of vascular systems but also inspires and guides students as they embark on their own research journeys.

Q: Can you describe your journey to becoming a faculty member in your department at 麻豆社?

I grew up in a peaceful rural town of only 300 people in Argentina, with dirt roads and many trees. My mother was an elementary school teacher, and my father and grandfather ran a small family business. I don鈥檛 recall hearing about science or any scientist as a kid. I became interested in chemistry and biology late in high school and started considering a career in clinical chemistry to work in a diagnostic lab. I moved to Buenos Aires at 18 to study at the School of Pharmacy and Biochemistry at the University of Buenos Aires. During the first year, I loved the Cell Biology and Histology course, and I joined one of the research groups in the Department. My initial tasks included washing the glassware, obtaining tissue sections with a microtome, and performing simple histological stains. My first mentor was Dr. Ana Maria Puyo. She taught me all the basic skills that are fundamental to getting your foot into bench science, from pipetting and taking notes to understanding a research paper or presenting a poster at a conference. I was inspired at scientific meetings, imagining that I could make great discoveries one day.

After completing my undergraduate studies in biochemistry and pharmacy, I obtained a doctoral fellowship under the supervision of Dr. Belisario Fernandez, a wonderful mentor who played a key role in my career. My focus was on studying the cardiac natriuretic peptides ANP and BNP, which are important for regulating blood pressure and eliminating excess sodium from our body. Those years of my doctoral work were challenging times following the major collapse of the Argentinian economy in 2001. After completing my PhD, I sought postdoctoral opportunities abroad. At the time, stem cell biology was an emerging field, and I was interested in studying stem cells or developmental biology. I ultimately chose to pursue research in Los Angeles in Henry Sucov’s laboratory at the USC Stem Cell Center. During my postdoctoral training, I gained expertise in developmental biology, mouse genetics, and experimental approaches for studying heart development, with emphasis on the establishment of the coronary vasculature 鈥� the blood vessels that supply oxygen and nutrients to the heart muscle. Our work led to the identification of a key signaling pathway, CXCL12/CXCR4, which is crucial for the normal development of the coronary system during gestation.

I was then a project scientist in the Division of Cardiology of UCLA and the VA Department of Medicine in Dr. Tzung Hsiai’s laboratory, working alongside experts in bioengineering, bioinformatics, and biology. My project focused on mechanotransduction in blood vessels 鈥� the process through which mechanical signals from the movement of blood are translated into biological responses. In a recent publication, we discussed how exercise affects endothelial cells within blood vessels, increasing metabolites that promote vascular health and protect against atherosclerosis. Within a multidisciplinary team, I mentored junior trainees and enhanced my skills in grant writing and research documentation, including IRB and IACUC protocols.

I began collaborating with 麻豆社 in 2017 as an external research mentor for students in the Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences program at COSH. This new chapter in my career, coming to 麻豆社, has materialized my dream of becoming a faculty member. I am grateful to my mentors for believing in me and for their support because they provided me with the inspiration and the skills to become a scientist, and to many other collaborators and colleagues that helped me in many ways.

I am very excited and thankful to 麻豆社 for giving me the opportunity to establish my research group in the Department of Health and Life Sciences at COSH and the Urban Health Institute, and I look forward to new scientific collaborations and mentoring opportunities at 麻豆社.

Q: What motivated you to pursue this career path?

Cardiovascular diseases remain a leading cause of mortality worldwide. I became interested in the cardiovascular system as an undergraduate and I still find understanding the intricacies of the heart and the vasculature fascinating. I am happy when I am in the lab. The lab tasks are dynamic, and you don鈥檛 do the same things every day. I have been fortunate to work with outstanding mentors, and now I can pass on the advice and experience I gained to the younger generations.

Mentoring is one of the most rewarding aspects of a scientific career. Students come to the lab without knowing who they are or what they want to be, with little knowledge about science, and somehow, there is a spark that leads them to follow a career in science or medicine. It is a privilege and a joy to facilitate this growth and help them find their own path.

Q: Could you share a particularly rewarding or challenging experience from your career that significantly influenced your approach to research and/or teaching?

When I moved to the US, I had to overcome difficulties with communicating in English. I felt very anxious every time I delivered a presentation in front of an audience, and I remember a few presentations that did not go very well. I am grateful to those who corrected my mistakes and gave me constructive criticism, because they pushed me to improve. By attending many seminars and presentations over the years, I have always paid attention to the scientific content and the way it is presented. I implement strategies from good speakers to become more confident. Even though my lab is still very new, we have already started weekly journal clubs and research discussions so that the students can enhance their communication skills, which are fundamental for their careers.

I encountered rejections at each step: fellowship, grants, job applications, and people who made negative comments or were not supportive of my dreams. The path to a faculty position was not smooth, but I have been very persistent throughout many years because this is what I wanted to do. Katalin Kariko, who recently won the Nobel Prize with 麻豆社 Weissman said: 鈥淒on鈥檛 focus on what you cannot change. Focus on what鈥檚 next because that鈥檚 what you can change.鈥� I have this advice on a piece of paper on the lab wall as a daily reminder to be grateful for having the job that I love, avoid holding grudges and negative thoughts, and to focus on the things where I can make a positive impact.

Q: Considering the evolving landscape of cardiovascular research, how do you stay updated on emerging trends and technologies to keep your teaching and research practices current?

I am actively involved in the North American Vascular Biology Organization (NAVBO). I am part of a group of editors that curate a selection of published papers in vascular biology for a monthly newsletter. That way, I am updated on the newest developments. As I say to my students, it is important to know the leaders in your research area, recognize who made this or that contribution, and understand the progression of the field over the years. I am aware of new publications through PubMed and journal websites, but I also 鈥渇ollow鈥� journals and lab pages on LinkedIn and X (Twitter). Researchers are very eager to let the world know when a publication is accepted, even if it is at the preprint stage (i.e. on BioRxiv). By scrolling through social media, you quickly learn about the most recent advances.

The way of communicating science has evolved. Nowadays, many more resources are available online, such as webinars, tutorials, and even videos of experiments that you can use as a learning tool. Since the pandemic, NAVBO has hosted many online seminars and journal clubs in cardiovascular biology. It is only possible to attend a limited number of seminars or conferences in person. Still, sometimes I find recorded conference talks on YouTube, or I can see the conference program and the presented abstracts. In general, I just Google everything and see what comes up!

There are ongoing initiatives in the scientific community and online mentoring programs aimed at promoting best mentoring practices. The goal is to foster individual growth and research success, and to eradicate adverse environments and stereotypes associated with academic laboratories. I constantly try to develop connections with people in academia and the biotech industry. I attend a few local biotech events, and even if I feel like an outsider, it helps me view things through different lenses and recognize other perspectives. As a mentor, I must be aware of what鈥檚 happening outside the walls of academia to better prepare my students to network professionally, and acquire the skills they need if they aspire to be successful in other work environments.

Q: Are there any upcoming projects or initiatives in the cardiovascular field that you are particularly excited about or that you think the university community should be aware of?

Vascular biology has experienced tremendous growth in recent years due to the advances in imaging and 鈥渙mics鈥� technologies. We can now obtain tridimensional views of the vasculature within tissues and organs and see how the blood vessels interact with the surrounding structures. It is also possible to obtain a piece of tissue and separate all the individual cells, then study the gene expression profile of each cell type. The vasculature was traditionally considered to be rather homogeneous, consisting of arteries, veins, and capillaries. However, these technologies revealed that the blood vessels of different body organs are structurally and functionally heterogeneous, leading to the concept of 鈥渙rgan-specific vasculature鈥�, and adding more layers of complexity to our studies.

One of the areas that I am interested in exploring in my lab is the effect of exercise on the vasculature. Exercise helps keep our blood vessels young and healthy and protects against diseases such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. It also helps to grow new blood vessels through a process called angiogenesis. But for many people, exercising isn鈥檛 just a matter of motivation. Some individuals have physical disabilities, while others may not have the time due to multiple jobs or caregiving obligations or may not have a safe nearby space to do physical activity. Some studies relate these barriers to ethnicity and socioeconomic background, creating health disparities in access to exercise interventions.

One important resource is the Molecular Transducers of Physical Activity Consortium (MoTrPAC), a national research consortium supported by the NIH Common Fund. It is an extensive multi-omics and multi-organism study that seeks to understand the mechanisms of how physical activity improves health and prevents disease. By studying the myriad of molecules present in the blood or in the tissues resulting from cellular metabolism we can better understand the molecular pathways elicited by exercise. Using this information, we can think about therapies to mimic the beneficial effects of exercise for those individuals who cannot perform physical activity. 

Q: What are the future goals and/or plans for growth of your core at 麻豆社?

I am very excited to contribute to 麻豆社鈥檚 great mission to address health disparities in the community and create opportunities for underrepresented students. Getting settled in a new institution takes some time, so I am still learning about 麻豆社 and its ongoing programs and initiatives. The overall goal of my lab will be to investigate how shear stress and exercise modulate endothelial metabolism in development and disease. I have several other ideas and subprojects related to vascular regenerative medicine to develop in the upcoming years. Starting a lab comes with the challenge and responsibility to obtain external funding and build a functioning and productive research team. I have already met extraordinary young people with much potential to contribute innovative ideas. I hope to create opportunities for high school, undergraduate, master鈥檚 students, and 麻豆社 medical students who want laboratory experience to become the next generation of cardiovascular researchers.