Our lab welcomes members from many backgrounds and experiences. The goal of our lab is to foster a collaborative and supportive environment where we all succeed.
Kurt Prins, MD, PhD
Kurt Prins received his Ph.D. in Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biophysics at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities. He also received his MD at the University of Minnesota Medical School. After completing his residency at the University of Alabama-Birmingham and fellowship at the University of Minnesota, Dr. Prins opened the lab in 2018. Dr. Prins is dedicated to understanding right ventricular (RV) dysfunction in pulmonary hypertension.
Dr. Prins enjoys spending time with his family and friends, riding his Peloton, and swimming with his daughters in his free time.
Felipe Kazmirczak, MD
Dr. Kazmirczak is an assistant professor at the University of Minnesota. He completed his MD at Lutheran University of Brazile in Canoas Brazil, his internal medicine training at University of California-San Diego, and his cardiology and advanced cardiovascular imaging fellowship at the University of Minnesota. Dr. Kazmirczak was named a finalist for the ACC Young Investigator Award in Basic and Translational Science.
Dr. Kazmirczak is interested in integrating his interest in cardiac imaging and metabolism in RV failure. In his free time, Dr. Kazmirczak enjoys cooking, fine dining combined with periods of fasting, travel, and good company.
Sasha Prisco, MD, PhD
Dr. Prisco is a post doctoral scholar in the Prins lab. She completed her MD/PhD training at the Medical College of Wisconsin. She in the physician-scientist training program at the University of Minnesota. Dr. Prisco has won numerous awards for her excellence in research including the ACC Young Investigator Award, the AHA Cournand and Comroe Early Career Investigator Award, and the Northwestern Cardiovascular Young Investigator Forum. Dr. Prisco was also the recipient of a F32 post-doctoral fellowship from the NHLBI.
Lynn Hartweck, PhD
Dr. Hartweck is a senior scientist in the Prins lab. Dr. Hartweck oversees new lab member training, is an expert in molecular biology, cell culture, and mitochondrial analysis using Seahorse.
In her free time, Lynn enjoys gardening, camping at the boundary waters, and she is particularly proud of her garden tomatoes.
Jenna Mendelson, BS
Jenna is a graduate student in the Integrative Biology and Physiology program, and she is the leader of our porcine studies of RV dysfunction. Jenna was awarded the People's Choice Award for best poster at Cardiopalooza (2023) and named an ACC Young Investigator Award in Basic and Translational Science (2023).
In her free time, Jenna enjoys multiple sports including Ohio State University football and competing in marathons.
Neal Vogel, MS
Neal is a technician in the Prins laboratory and is the master animal handler for numerous projects. Neal is working on multiple projects in the lab but is leading a project on ferroptosis modulation.
Neal is an avid traveler and leads the lab in frequent flyer miles.
Anna Park
Anna is an undergraduate scholar in the laboratory and she is working on understanding the interaction between junctophilin-2 and mitofusin-2. Anna was awarded the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program award twice and is planning to start medical school in 2023.
Rashmi Raveendran
Rashmi is an undergraduate scholar in the laboratory and she is working on novel approaches for drug delivery. Rashmi is an alumnus of the Lillehei Summer Scholar Program where she was awarded the top poster award in the summer of 2022. She is currently enrolled at Emory and is hoping to pursue medical school after she completes her studies.
Madelyn Blake
Madelyn is an undergraduate scholar in the laboratory and a previous Lillehei Summer scholar. Madelyn has also received funding from the Undergraduate Research Opportunity program for her project that is evaluating the effects of ketones on RV inflammation and function in preclinical and clinical studies. Madelyn is interested in a MD/PhD training program after she completes her triple major.
Jacob Sternbach
Jake is an undergraduate scholar in the laboratory and a winner of the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program Grant. Jake is working with Jenna on our porcine projects. He is looking to start veterinary school after completing his undergraduate students. Jake is the enforcer of the lab with his history of hockey stardom.
Jackson Barnes
Jackson is an undergraduate scholar in the laboratory. Jackson is working with Neal and gaining experience with bioinformatics approaches integrating hemodynamics with proteomics and transcriptomics data. He is hoping to start graduate school after completing his undergraduate studies.
Prins Lab Alumni
- Lauren Rose, MD: Dr. Rose worked in the Prins lab during her medical school time. She is now in her internal medicine residency at the University of Michigan.
- Jennifer Keen, MD: Dr. Keen worked in the Prins lab during her pulmonary fellowship. She is now at Penn doing a Pulmonary Hypertension clinical fellowship.
- Megan Eklund, BA: Megan was an undergraduate school and research technician in the Prins lab. She currently works at Oak Street Health in Chicago.
- Kenneth Martinez, BS: Kenneth was in the LSSURP program during his undergraduate training and he is currently in a MD/PhD Program at the University of Texas-Southwestern.
- Stephanie Deng, BA: Stephanie was a Lillehei Scholar in the Prins lab in summer of 2019. She is currently working in Dr. Catherine Wu's laboratory at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute before applying to MD/PhD programs.