Lab Members

Pedro A. Jose

Pedro A. Jose, MD, PhD

Professor of Medicine and Pharmacology and Physiology

Dr. Jose is a nephrologist and basic sciences and translational researcher. He is known for his research in the pathogenesis, genetics, and pharmacogenetics of hypertension. He has more than 380 scientific publications which are cited more than 9,000 times, with 53 articles cited 50 or more times, 19 of which are cited more than 100 times. Four of his publications are covers of scientific journals, six are the subject of editorial commentaries, and one is a featured article. His Hirsch index is 51. Dr. Jose has received several academic and research awards, including the 2003 Lewis K. Dahl Memorial Lecture (American Heart Association), 2007 Ernest H. Starling Distinguished Lecture (American Physiological Society), a 2007 MERIT award (National Institutes of Health), and 2015 Excellence Award for Hypertension Research (American Heart Association).

Ines Armando

Ines Armando, PhD

Associate Professor

Dr. Armando‘s primary research interest involves the renal dopaminergic system. She has conducted and published many studies on several aspects of the function and regulation of the renal dopaminergic system and its role in hypertension, salt sensitivity, and renal injury. She was a senior investigator of the National Research Council (Argentina), leading her own research team with funding by national and international organizations. Her research on the D2 dopamine receptor is funded by the NIDDK. She has 118 articles listed in PubMed.

Laureano D. Asico

Laureano D. Asico, DVM

Assistant Professor

Laureano D. Asico, DVM, is an assistant professor. Dr. Asico studies the role of dopamine in the kidney and gastrointestinal tract in the regulation of blood pressure. He developed techniques to study the role of the dopamine receptors expressed in the kidney and the gastrointestinal tract, independent of other organs in the regulation of blood pressure. These include the arterial infusion of siRNA of the gene of interest into the renal, celiac, or mesenteric artery to study the role of genes in the kidney, stomach, duodenum, or small intestines in the regulation of sodium balance and blood pressure. He also developed the unique technique of silencing the gene of interest in specific segments of the renal tubule by the infusion of siRNA underneath the renal capsule or the retrograde ureteral infusion of adeno-associated virus carrying the gene of interest, the latter can be used for renal tubule segment-specific gene rescue. He can also perform renal cross-transplantation to determine the role of the genes in the kidney in the regulation of blood pressure. Dr. Asico has mastered surgical techniques in crustaceans, rodents, and bigger mammals. He has 78 articles listed in PubMed.

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Hewang Lee, MD, PhD

Research Scientist

 

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Aruna R. Natarajan, MD, PhD

Guest Scientist

Dr. Natarajan studies the interaction between the renin-angiotensin and dopaminergic systems in humans. She has six articles listed in PubMed.

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Jacob Q. M. Polzin, BS

Research Assistant

 

Xiaoyan Wang

Xiaoyan Wang, MD, PhD

Guest Scientist

Dr. Wang studies the molecular and cellular mechanisms, especially those related to renal sodium transport, involved in salt-sensitive hypertension and aldosterone escape. She also studies mitochondrial function in renal epithelial cells. She has designed, characterized, and validated antibodies against many G protein-coupled receptors, sodium transporters, and reactive oxygen species-related proteins. She has 37 articles listed in PubMed.