The research goal of my laboratory is to understand the molecular motions of muscle proteins that finely-tune the heart’s contractile performance. We then use these insights from our mechanistic studies to design novel molecular therapies for heart failure and cardiovascular disease. Using site-directed spectroscopy, with high resolution in both space and time, we decipher the molecular dynamics in these proteins involved with controlling the strength and speed of cardiac muscle contraction. We attach fluorescent probes to track protein motions and myosin cross-bridge orientation in muscle fibers, and assess the associated functional characteristics including protein binding and force development in the muscle cell.