Maury Strauss Distinguished Public Lecture
Robert Gourdie, Ph.D., FAHA, AIMBE
Dr. Robert Gourdie’s Maury Strauss Distinguished Public Lecture will take the audience on a journey from the basics of how heart cells talk to each other, all the way to new treatments that can improve lives. He will explain how his team’s discoveries about cell-to-cell connections—tiny structures called gap junctions and the perinexus—have changed the way scientists think about how heartbeats are coordinated and how irregular heart rhythms start. Gourdie will show how this understanding inspired his team to develop specialized molecules, which are now being tested to help heal wounds, protect the heart after injury, and even fight cancer. He will share real-life stories about how basic science from the lab grew into biotechnology companies and treatments. He will also describe how turning research into real-world health solutions benefits everyone— especially when supported by public funding.
Date: Sept. 18, 2025
Time: 5:30 – 6:30 pm
In-person: Room M203, 2 Riverside Circle, Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC
Virtual: Join via Zoom
This is a free event hosted by Dr. Michael Friedlander and the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute. For more information, please call 540-526-2059.
Date: September 18, 2025
Start Time: 5:30 pm
Organizer: Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC