Multiscale imaging of the human heart: Building the foundation for human systems physiology and translational medicine

The development of human cardiovascular systems physiology is inhibited by the lack of multiscale functional physiological data, which represents human heart physiology at the molecular, cellular, tissue, organ, and system levels. We have developed an experimental approach to study explanted human hearts in vitro at multiple physiological scales with a wide array of imaging modalities. This approach has already yielded data indicating significant differences between animal models of diseases and actual human heart disease. Our data provides a quantitative foundation for multiscale physiological models of the cardiovascular system and will allow improvement in translation of medical technology and pharmacology from animal models to therapy.