Research in the Hutcheson Cardiovascular Matrix Remodeling Lab (CMRL) focuses on the mechanisms through which tissues are built and maintained and the pathological changes that lead to disease. Our primary focus is on cardiovascular disease–the leading cause of death in Western societies. Our research combines advanced imaging, materials science, biomechanics, and molecular biology to connect cellular processes to tissue function. By understanding the ways that cells sense and respond to each other and to changes in their environment, we can develop new ways to detect initiators of disease and find interventions that restore tissue to a normal state. Accomplishing these goals requires an interdisciplinary effort with researchers working at the interface between bioengineering and molecular biology.