In many human conditions such as atherosclerosis, leukocytes play a pivotal role in disease progression. For this reason, our research efforts have focused on understanding the molecular basis of inflammation and wound healing in cardiovascular disease. Our laboratory has incorporated emerging proteomics and metabolomics technologies to help identify novel signals derived from leukocytes, endothelial cells, or from the myocardium. In ongoing translational studies, we apply these methodologies directly to samples from well-phenotyped human cohorts to identify candidate biomarkers, returning again to the bench to define functional roles. Our research incorporates basic molecular and cell biology, chemistry and mass spectrometry, bioinformatics, all with a foundation in clinical medicine. Our overall goal is to identify new metabolites and proteins that mark disease activity, shed insight into disease progression, and ultimately provide targets for therapeutic intervention.