The Stern Lab focuses on translational cardiology and genetic discovery across many species. In particular, we investigate three main areas: genetic discovery, pharmacogenomics, and novel drug development.

• Genetic Discovery: We are committed to identifying underlying genetic mutations that cause cardiovascular disease in companion animals. Through our genetic discovery research we have developed robust genetic sequencing libraries from hundreds of dogs and cats with and without cardiovascular disease. We maintain these libraries and a bioinformatics pipeline that permits rapid genetic discovery and mutation screening across many disease processes and in conjunction with collaborating laboratories and medical specialties.

• Pharmacogenetics/Pharmacogenomics: With a special interest in cardiovascular disease, the SternLab investigates the underlying genetic etiology of variable drug response. This work permits an individualized medicine approach to cardiovascular drug therapy and highlights the need for alternate dosing or drug management plans on a per-patient basis.

• Novel Drug Therapies: The SternLab is committed to moving the needle on bringing novel therapies to clinical practice. We are actively engaged in the benchtop; pre-clinical and clinical investigation of several novel therapies aiming to treat and reverse devastating cardiac disease in pets and people. In particular, the laboratory has a special interest in therapies for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) and was instrumental in bringing the first myosin modulating compound to FDA approval for humans with this disease. Since that time, the laboratory has worked to investigate additional therapies and move them forward into human and veterinary clinical trials.