The research interests of Virend Somers, M.D., Ph.D., include neural and vascular mechanisms in circulatory control in health and disease.

Dr. Somers directs the Cardiovascular Facility and the Sleep Facility within Mayo Clinic's Center for Clinical and Translational Science. His team's research focuses on the role of the autonomic nervous system in cardiovascular regulation in humans, with an emphasis on normal and disordered sleep. The team is also involved in studies of vascular biology in humans, examining how changes in neural mechanisms may influence the local control of blood vessels.

Extensive collaborative interactions within and outside Mayo Clinic are fundamental to the successful evolution of Dr. Somers' research program. Current collaborations include studies with investigators at the University of Iowa and the University of Cincinnati and joint projects with academic medical centers in Italy, Poland, the Czech Republic, Germany and Belgium.

Support for Dr. Somers' research consists of four R01 grants from the National Institutes of Health, a Dana Foundation grant and a NATO grant.