Congratulations to Sam Barrick, COBRE “pipeline faculty”, recipient of an American Heart Association Award

Samantha Barrick, assistant professor of biochemistry at UMaine, received a $231,000 Career Development Award from the American Heart Association to investigate how defects in force-sensing proteins impact the heart’s ability to pump blood. The three-year grant will support Barrick’s research as she measures the force generated by individual heart muscle cells with and without mutations of metavinculin, a protein found in muscles. Barrick aims to better understand the role of force sensing in heart disease progression. The results could inform early diagnostics and expand future treatment options for patients affected by force-sensing protein mutations, aligning with the AHA’s mission to improve heart health and save lives.

Learn more about Barrick’s research and lab: View her faculty profile