Sati Alexander
I am interested in the function of the kidneys during angiotensin II dependent hypertension and specifically how sex differences influence the efficacy of treatment. My current project has shown that males and females respond differently to a mineralocorticoid receptor inhibitor, spironolactone, where females appear to have a better response to treatment. I would like to investigate the sex-specific mechanisms for these sex differences.
Mentor: Dr. Mykola Mamenko
Vadym Buncha
I am interested in studying the vascular dysfunction in pathological states. My current work is focused on the question - how pulmonary vascular dysfunction contributes to pathogenicity of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction.
Mentor: Dr. Zsolt Bagi
Emily Burns
My research interest revolves around better understanding salt-sensitive hypertension through examining how sodium contributes to immune dysregulation. Current work focuses on the involvement of the CD14/TLR4 complex pro-inflammatory response and how immune cell-derived ROS production drives exacerbation of hypertension and renal damage as a result of a high salt diet.
Mentor: Dr. David Mattson
Casey Derella
My overall research interest is to better understand how various diseases impact the vascular health of humans and contribute to cardiovascular disease. My current work focuses on better understanding the factors contributing to microvascular and skeletal muscle dysfunction in people with type 1 diabetes.
Mentor: Dr. Ryan Harris
Katie Anne Fopiano
I am interested in studying microvasculature dysfunction within heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). My current project focuses on the glycoprotein CD44 and how different variants of this protein can potentially play a role in the coronary microvascular dysfunction and endothelial inflammation seen in HFpEF.
Mentor: Dr. Zsolt Bagi
Yonghong Luo
My research interests revolve around better understanding the underlying molecular mechanisms that cause impaired wound healing in diabetes mellitus. I am currently investigating the role of a transporting protein aquaporin-3 in wound healing and how its expression is regulated in an in vitro diabetes model.
Mentor: Dr. Wendy Bollag
Elisabeth Mellott
Ongoing projects seek to determine the regulation and function of the hormone leptin in the development of cardiovascular and fetal consequences of preeclampsia. Elisabeth utilizes novel rodent models as well as patient-derived tissues to determine the mechanism whereby placental leptin increases in preeclampsia. Elisabeth also seeks to investigate whether anti-hypertensive therapies inhibit leptin-induced hypertension, vascular dysfunction and fetal growth restriction in rodent models of preeclampsia.
Mentor: Dr. Jessica Faulkner
Sam Melnyk
My research interest is in wound regeneration in the cornea. My current work focuses on investigating factors that lead to the impairment of corneal epithelial wound healing observed in diabetes mellitus.
Mentor: Dr. Wendy Bollag
Desmond Moronge
Ongoing projects include investigation of the mechanisms whereby history of acute kidney injury induces hypertension and fetal growth restriction. Desmond seeks to characterize the development of renal, vascular and immune dysfunction in a novel rat model of pregnancy following renal-ischemia-reperfusion injury. In addition, Desmond utilizes the reduced uterine perfusion pressure mouse model to determine the role of endothelial mineralocorticoid receptors in preeclamptic pregnancy.
Mentor: Dr. Jessica Faulkner
Samuel Walton
I am interested in the mechanisms behind pathogenic diseases, specifically ones associated with alterations either from or to the immune system. My interests are focused on the areas that provide potential therapeutic advantages not only for one disease but other related diseases. What are the biochemical pathways involved, what proteins are being affected, all the way to which elements are interacting? Each of these provides a pivotal role in the disease phenotype, so it only seems appropriate to link them together to better understand the corresponding problem, also linking together with other diseases with similar pathogenic backgrounds. I currently am researching the effects that the immune system has on salt-sensitive hypertension and the corresponding changes to renal hemodynamics.
Mentor: Dr. Dave Mattson
