Air pollution exposure is linked to adverse cardiac outcomes, including heart failure exacerbation and sudden cardiac arrest. In Dr. John Godleski’s inhalation toxicology laboratory, Dr. Carll studies the biological mechanisms by which air pollutants weaken and stiffen the heart, impair cardiac conduction, and compromise hemodynamics. He is particularly interested in whether dysregulation of the autonomic nervous system mediates the cardiovascular toxicity of air pollutants. He also applies stress tests to determine how air pollutants enhance cardiovascular susceptibility to physiological stressors. His recent studies have found near-ambient PM exposure promotes hypertension and concomitant arrhythmia, autonomic imbalance, blunted baroreflexes, and respiratory dysfunction. As well, Dr. Carll has researched several rodent models of cardiovascular disease (chiefly cardiomyopathy and metabolic syndrome), with which he has affirmed epidemiologic observations that diseased individuals are particularly sensitive to air pollutant exposure’s adverse cardiovascular effects.

Dr. Carll has found that acute diesel exhaust (DE) inhalation impairs left ventricular filling and ejection in rats, with likely mediation by autonomic neural imbalance. His most recent studies indicate that sub-chronic exposure to traffic-related particulate matter (PM) recapitulates these effects. He is currently investigating whether specific cell signaling cascades mediate pollutant-induced myocardial remodeling.