Virend K. Somers, MD, PhD

Dr. Virend K. Somers is a consultant cardiologist in the Department of Cardiovascular Diseases at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, with joint appointments in the Division of Nephrology and Internal Medicine and the Department of Physiology and Biomedical Engineering. Dr. Somers also directs the Cardiovascular Facility and the Sleep Facility within the Center for Clinical and Translational Science. He holds the academic rank of professor of medicine, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, and is recognized with the distinction of a named professorship, the Alice Sheets Marriott Professorship.

Dr. Somers’ translational research program focuses on the role of the autonomic nervous system in cardiovascular regulation, with an emphasis on normal and disordered sleep. The team also studies vascular and adipocyte biology, examining how changes in neural mechanisms may influence the local control of blood vessels and adipocyte function. His research utilizes an integrated physiologic approach to studying cardiovascular function relevant to sleep, obesity and cardiovascular disease.