Dr. Gibbons is a nationally recognized clinician-scientist who directs NIH-funded research in the fields of vascular biology, genomic medicine and the pathogenesis of vascular diseases. He has received numerous honors such as election to the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies of Sciences as well as the receipt of more NIH research grant funding than 95% of all investigators. The innovations derived from his research have resulted in several US patents. Under the founding leadership of Dr. Gibbons, the Cardiovascular Research Institute (CVRI) has emerged as a center of excellence that is preeminent in discovery science related to the cardiovascular health of minority populations. The Institute embraces an inclusive, integrated, and multidisciplinary approach to research in cardiovascular science. The Institute includes scientists from a variety of disciplines including molecular biology, physiology, social sciences, molecular genetics, psychology, medicine, and epidemiology. The approach links the basic science disciplines that analyze the disease process within the individual such as molecular biology, genetics and physiology; with the disciplines of clinical research that recognize the individual within the context of a community such as epidemiology and community health. The ultimate goal is to translate science into service that enhances the well-being of our society’s most vulnerable citizens while advancing the health of all Americans.

One of the long-term goals of Dr. Gibbons’ research program is to utilize new genomic technologies to integrate the areas of physiologic genomics, functional genomics and human molecular genetics in the field of vascular biology and medicine. Dr. Gibbons' translational research laboratory has a longstanding interest in elucidating the molecular mechanisms involved in vascular remodeling in health and disease. His laboratory is interested in discovering novel mediators of vascular disease that may constitute candidate disease susceptibility variants. His program is actively involved in collaborative projects designed to study the functional significance of epigenetic and genomic variation and the potential role of genetic variation in promoting the susceptibility to cardiovascular disease in both clinical and community-based settings. One of the ultimate goals of his program is to take a multi-level, multi-disciplinary approach to understanding and ameliorating racial/ethnic disparities in cardiovascular health.

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