Lab Members

Steven Goldman, MD

Professor, Department of Medicine
Professor, Sarver Heart Center

C Leonard Pfeiffer Endowed Chair in Cardiovascular Medicine

Steven Goldman, M.D., holds the C. Leonard Pfeiffer Endowed Chair in Cardiovascular Medicine at the UA Sarver Heart Center, University of Arizona. Dr. Goldman has won numerous awards for teaching over the years. In 2008, Dr. Goldman was named the Founders Day Speaker at the University of Arizona College of Medicine - Tucson. This award is given each year to a faculty member with a long successful research career at the University of Arizona. In 2010, he was awarded the Charles W. Hall, Jr. Memorial Cardiology Fellowship Teaching Award. His research laboratory has received funding from the Sarver Heart Center, the Tech Launch Arizona, the Veterans Administration, National Institutes of Health, American Heart Association, the Arizona Biomedical Research Commission, the biotechnology industry, and private foundations. His laboratory has supported the development of several young investigators.

Bio Link

Daniel Benson, MEng

PhD Student

Daniel is a PhD student in biomedical engineering at the University of Arizona and has been working with the Goldman Lab since 2023. Daniel earned his bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Louisville in bioengineering focusing on drug delivery, cell therapies, and tissue engineering applications for diseases. Here at the Sarver Heart Center, Daniel focuses on methods for clinical translation of novel immunomodulatory therapeutic approaches to modifying diseases using endogenous mechanisms of repair in patient populations using tissue engineering strategies. More specifically, the large population of chronic heart failure patients which lack therapies focused on the pathologic cause of disease, loss of functioning cardiomyocytes due to fibrosis.

Adrian Grijalva, MS

Lab Manager

Jacob Ref, BS

MedCat Early Assurance Medical Student Researcher

Jacob Ref is a medical student and researcher at the University of Arizona College of Medicine - Tucson, working in the Goldman Lab since 2019. As a Student Lab Technician and the former Interim Project Manager, he focuses on cardiac therapeutics in swine models, analyzing MRI and angiography data, and assisting with surgeries. Over the years, Jacob has helped manage lab operations, oversee student projects, and contribute to data analysis and scientific writing.

Eli Lefkowitz, BS

Medical Student Researcher

Eli Lefkowitz is a first-year medical student at the University of Arizona College of Medicine - Tucson. His research focuses on characterizing cardiac remodeling with MRI and creating models of volumetric muscle loss (VML) injuries.

Fox Bravo, BS

Medical Student Researcher

Fox is a third-year medical student at the University of Arizona College of Medicine - Tucson, in the Goldman Lab he works with both small and large animal models. His focus is on developing a consistent and reproducible swine model of persistent atrial fibrillation through device development. Fox's contributions include assisting with surgeries, analyzing electro and echocardiographic data, conducting data analysis, and scientific writing, with his work aimed at advancing therapeutic interventions for complex cardiovascular disorders.

Pouria Mostafizi, BS

Research Technician

Pouria Mostafizi holds a BSc in Physiology and Medical Sciences and is a dedicated research technician at the Goldman Lab, focusing on advancements in cardiovascular science. With four years of laboratory experience, he brings both expertise and passion to his work, contributing significantly to cardiac health and emergency medicine research. As a large animal surgical technician in the Kern-Acharya CPR study, Pouria provides critical technical support in complex surgical procedures. His strong foundation in physiology, combined with his commitment to the scientific process, has made him a valuable team member in the pursuit of improving outcomes in critical care.

Dierdre O'Donnell

Student Researcher

Deirdre is an undergraduate student majoring in Physiology at the University of Arizona. Since joining the lab in 2023, her work has focused on utilizing immunohistochemistry and imaging techniques to investigate tissue remodeling and cellular activity in cardiac injury models

Jesse T. Riemenschneider

Undergraduate Student Researcher

Jesse is a Biomedical Engineering major and has been an undergraduate researcher in the Goldman Laboratory since 2023. His work centers on implantable device design and wireless power for cardiac applications, bridging engineering and medicine to turn rigorous prototypes into practical tools for patients. He collaborates closely with clinicians and engineers on translational device development and rigorous testing. His academic interests span both cardiovascular and neural engineering.

Liz Zozobrado