Mark Ormiston
- Scientist, KGHRI
- Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Regenerative Cardiovascular Medicine and Assistant Professor, Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, Medicine and Surgery, Queen’s University
- Pulmonary arterial hypertension
- Vascular growth and repair
- Cardiovascular immunology
- Regenerative medicine
Dr. Ormiston is an Assistant Professor at Queen’s University and a Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Regenerative Cardiovascular Medicine. Prior to beginning his position at Queen’s, he obtained a PhD from the University of Toronto under the supervision of Drs. Duncan Stewart and David Courtman (2005-2009), followed by CIHR and British Heart Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowships at the University of Cambridge in the laboratory of Professor Nicholas Morrell (2009-2015).
- British Heart Foundation Intermediate Fellowship, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- CIHR Postdoctoral Fellowship, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- PhD (Biomedical Engineering and Cardiovascular Sciences), University of Toronto and St. Michael’s Hospital, Toronto
- MASc (Chemical and Biomedical Engineering), University of Toronto
- BScE (Chemical Engineering), Queen’s University
Dr. Ormiston’s research centres on the cellular mechanisms governing vascular remodeling in health and disease, particularly on the capacity of circulating cells of the immune system to regulate the integrity, growth and repair of blood vessels. This interest is rooted in his study of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension, a disease of pathological vascular remodeling and right heart failure that is linked to immune dysfunction.
His specific interest is in the capacity of innate lymphocytes, such as Natural Killer (NK) cells, to influence vascular growth and repair. Beyond their traditional role as the cytotoxic effector cells of innate immunity, there is a growing body of literature supporting a role for NK cells in the regulation of vascular remodelling, particularly in pregnancy. His ongoing work focuses on determining how these cells influence pulmonary vascular health and disease, and clarifying the impact of the genetic mutation BMPR-2 on these processes.
