Jeff D. Molkentin

Jeff D. Molkentin enjoys all areas of science but eventually focused on biological medical research. He finds science fascinating and was always drawn to biomedical research. At Cincinnati Children’s, where he leads the Division of Molecular Cardiovascular Biology, he looks for new molecular mechanisms of disease that might lead to new treatments.

His research interests include heart disease, muscular dystrophy, tissue fibrosis, calcium handling, ER stress signaling, cardiac hypertrophic signaling pathways, and COVID-19 disease mechanisms.

The laboratory has made significant contributions to the area of stem cell therapy for the heart. They have shown that presumed adult stem cells do not regenerate the heart. Instead, direct injection of these cells into the injured heart has a protective effect by altering the innate immune response and the activity of healing macrophages.

He has been a full investigator with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute since 2008. For his work, he has been awarded the Basic Research Prize from the American Heart Association.

He takes great pride in helping young scientists who wish to pursue careers in biomedical research. Dozens of his past trainees have gone on to principal investigator roles at academic institutions.