International student joins Griendling cardiovascular lab

Qian (Elsie) Xu is visiting Emory University to conduct biomedical research as part of Emory’s partnership with Xiangya School of Medicine, one of China’s leading medical programs. She works in Dr. Kathy Griendling‘s cardiovascular research lab in the Emory Division of Cardiology.

“I feel highly honored to have the opportunity to conduct research at Emory,” Elsie said. “The redox-regulation in cardiovascular diseases has been a major interest of mine since my internship at Xiangya Hospital (China). I decided to work in Dr. Griendling’s lab because she has investigated the role of the NADPH family and ROS in vasculature for decades. Currently, I’m studying the redox-regulation of actin cytoskeleton in vascular smooth muscle cell attachment, exploring the underlying redox signaling pathway during cell adhesion.”

“It has been a joy having Elsie in the lab,” said Dr. Griendling. “She is smart and enthusiastic and wants to learn as much as she can. One of the best things about science is its international flavor. I have enjoyed hosting trainees from all over the world and learning about their culture as we work together on research projects.”

Elsie is half-way through her two-year stay in Atlanta. “Traveling is my favorite activity,” Elsie said. “In the last year, I’ve visited several famous cities, including San Francisco, Los Angeles, Miami, and New York. Those cities have amazing scenery and attractions that impressed me a lot. However, Atlanta is the city I like best, because of its pleasant climate and comfortable living environment. I also really enjoy cooking, watching movies, and playing ukulele in my free time.”

After completing her research project at Emory, Elsie will return to China to complete her MD. “I hope to be a fantastic cardiologist someday, and if I get the chance, I’d love to do research at Emory again!”

 

Related Links

• Emory Division of Cardiology
• Kathy Griendling’s faculty bio
• Griendling cardiovascular lab
• Emory University Department of Medicine
• Xiangya Hospital (China)

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