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Dr. Jay Naik
RAGE over endothelial dysfunction
in obesity/metabolic syndrome |
| The long-term goal of our laboratory is to define the mechanisms linking blood
flow to the metabolic state of the tissue, and how these mechanisms are altered in disease states. Obesity
is associated with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes, a collection of conditions referred
to as metabolic syndrome. All arteries are lined with a single layer of cells called the endothelium. One
responsibility of these cells is to regulate the diameter of the artery and hence tissue blood flow.
Dysfunction of the endothelium is a major component of metabolic syndrome. The endothelium produces a
number of substances that dilate the artery (e.g., endothelial-derived hyperpolarizing factor [EDHF]).
The effectiveness of EDHF is reduced in metabolic syndrome. However, the mechanism(s) responsible for
the reduced EDHF responses have not been established. High blood sugar and elevated free radical generation
may be important factors in the impaired EDHF function. These experiments will provide new insight into how
arterial function is altered in metabolic syndrome. |
| Dr. Jay Naik is an Assistant Professor in New Mexico Tech's Biology Department.
His research concentrates on vascular physiology and endothelial function. In 2005, Dr. Naik won the
Merck New Investigator Award for high blood pressure research. He was previously an Instructor and
Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Mississippi Medical School. He earned his Ph.D. in Biomedical
Sciences at UNM, and his Master's and Bachelor's degrees at the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee. |
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