Mika Campbell
Program: Unspecified
Current advisor:
Undergraduate university: Spelman College
Research summary
Mouse models are valuable for studying the systemic effects of arrhythmia, but traditional methods
of heart pacing are invasive and technically complex. Cardiac optogenetics enables precise control
of cardiac activity using light-sensitive ion channels and has been used for tachypacing,
resynchronization, and defibrillation in animal models. We use an area illumination approach for
light stimulation through the intact chest to perform in vivo, non-invasive optogenetic tachypacing
in transgenic mice expressing ReaChR with low irradiance (<1 mW/mm2). We assess both cardiac
and cortical hemodynamic responses via echocardiography and optical intrinsic signal imaging
(OISI), to investigate the direct impact of arrhythmias on brain perfusion and oxygenation. This
work provides insight into the heart-brain connection and the broader systemic consequences of
cardiac dysfunction.
Graduate publications