1:05-1:25: Thiago Bruder do Nascimento (Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh)

NLRP3 inflammasome on the vascular phenotype in hypertension

Adipose tissue has been shown to be a major conductor for the “cardiovascular symphony”. We investigate how the adipose tissue and its derived products (adipokines) contribute to cardiovascular health and disease, especially in obesity, diabetes and lipodystrophy.

1:25-1:45: Debroah Osikoya (Stella Goulopoulou Laboratory, Department of Physiology and Anatomy, University of North Texas Health Science Center)

Exosome-like vesicles facilitate intercellular communication between uterine artery smooth muscle cells and perivascular adipose tissue

Ms. Oluwatobiloba (Deborah) Osikoya is a PhD whose main research focus in the Goulopoulou lab is maternal vascular physiology in normal pregnancy and pregnancies with preeclampsia. The goals of the Goulopoulou lab research program are: 1) To determine the mechanisms underlying the crosstalk between the placenta and the maternal cardiovascular system in preeclampsia, 2) To determine the molecular triggers of uterine blood flow adaptations during pregnancy, 3) To establish the role of pregnancy complications in maternal risk for future cardiovascular disease. This research is funded by the National Institutes of Health, the American Heart Association, and intramural grants. Deborah Osikoya will be presenting recent unpublished data on the role of exosomes in the communication between uterine arteries and perivascular adipose tissue in rats.

1:45-2:05: Cameron Morse (Dylan Olver Laboratory, Biomedical Sciences, University of Saskatchewan)

Neuropeptide Y and Cerebrovascular Physiology: An Ordered Affair

Working under the supervision of Dr. T. Dylan Olver, my research focuses on enhancing the understanding of basic mechanisms involved in cerebral vasomotor control. Specific projects I am working on include studying the role of neuropeptide Y on vascular function across the pial artery tree, as well as examining the pathways involved in CB1-receptor mediated cerebral vasodilation. To accomplish this work, we study blood flow control under in vivo conditions using humans and animal models. To pursue mechanisms of interest, we also study isolated arterial function under ex vivo, in vitro conditions. Functional vascular experiments are complemented routinely by basic biochemical analyses to provide further mechanistic insight and enhance our understanding of cerebrovascular physiology.  

2:05-2:25 Astha Mittal and Peter Park (Pooneh Bagher Laboratory, Department of Medical Physiology, Texas A&M University)

Gut Feeling: Are Humans More like Mice or Rats in our mesenteric neural composition?

Resistance arteries, comprised of vascular smooth muscle cells, endothelial cells, and perivascular nerves regulate blood flow through changes in diameter. They do so via the release of various neurotransmitters, which can differ across species. Dr. Pooneh Bagher’s laboratory is currently interested in identifying the neurotransmitters released in mesenteric arteries from C57BL/6J mice and Wistar rats - two common animal models used to study human pathology.  Being able to identify the specific neurotransmitters released from perivascular nerves in these two species will allow researchers to select the appropriate animal model for pre-clinical studies of human diseases.