MCS Featured Lab - December 2019

Research Description:

Dr. Rutkowski’s laboratory is interested in the lymphatic circulation as a critical regulator of tissue homeostasis. Lymphatic vessel functions are particularly important during inflammation. Dr. Rutkowski is interested both in how lymphatic physiology is impacted by disease and in how manipulating lymphatic biology or inducing lymphangiogenesis may prevent or reduce tissue pathologies. His laboratory’s research approach incorporates a vast array of tools from protein analysis and lipidomics to tissue engineering and transgenic mouse model generation. Current projects are focused on the pathophysiology of chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, lipedema, hypertension, and kidney disease.

Lab Website:

https://research.tamhsc.edu/rutkowskilab/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/@TAMU_Rutkowski

Top lesson you have learned in your career:

Not everything works as planned. Occasionally take a moment to breathe and assess where things are heading.

Recent Publications:

• Kidney-Specific Lymphangiogenesis Increases Sodium Excretion and Lowers Blood Pressure in Mice. FBalasubbramanian D, Baranwal G, Clark MC, Goodlett BL, Mitchell BM, Rutkowski JM. J Hypertens. (in press) 2019;
• Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor-D (VEGF-D) Overexpression and Lymphatic Expansion in Murine Adipose Tissue Improves Metabolism in Obesity. Chakraborty A, Barajas S, Lammoglia GM, Reyna AJ, Morley TS, Johnson JA, Scherer PE, Rutkowski JM. Am J Pathol. 2019 Apr;189(4):924-939. (PMID: 30878136 )
• Enhancing Renal Lymphatic Expansion Prevents Hypertension in Mice. Lopez Gelston CA, Balasubbramanian D, Abouelkheir GR, Lopez AH, Hudson KR, Johnson ER, Muthuchamy M, Mitchell BM, Rutkowski JM. Circ Res. 2018 Apr 13;122(8):1094-1101. (PMID: 29475981)