Profile
Dunpeng Cai, PhD, studies why blood vessels and heart valves become diseased and how medicine can stop it. His lab team examines conditions such as bulging aortas, clogged arteries and hardened heart valves to understand what triggers these problems and where intervention can make the greatest impact.
Dr. Cai’s lab uses advanced imaging and gene tools to study living cells and tissues in real time. They then test new ideas in models that mimic what doctors see in the clinic. Each step is designed to bring potential treatments one step closer to helping patients.
Through education, innovation and collaboration, Dr. Cai’s lab is committed to landmark discoveries that could lead to cures for heart valve and vascular diseases, saving and improving lives in Missouri and around the world.
Academic Information
Office
1 Hospital Dr
M702
Columbia, MO 65201
United States
Research Interests
- Aneurysm
- Aortic Valve diseases
- Atherosclerosis
- Marfan Syndrome
- Heart diseases
Areas of Expertise
- Microsurgery
Education & Training
Degrees
2021 PhD, University of Missouri
Fellowship
2021-2024 University of Missouri
Awards & Honors
- 2025 Winner, Jay D. Coffman Early Career Investigator Award Competition, Council on Peripheral Vascular Disease. American Heart Association
- 2024 Finalist, Vivien Thomas Early Career Investigator Award Competition, Council on Cardiovascular Surgery and Anesthesia (CVSA).. American Heart Association
- 2023 Winner, CVSA Early Career Investigator Abstract Award Competition, Council on Cardiovascular Surgery and Anesthesia (CVSA). American Heart Association
- 2023 First Place, Young Investigator Award, ACRC/CAAC/CNAHA Joint Research Symposium 2023
- 2022 ATVB Scientific Sessions Travel Grant for Early Career Investigators, Council on Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology
- 2021 Postdoc Award, University of Missouri
