Hypertension

Research Focus:
Improve identification and diagnosis of target organ damage in youth with primary hypertension.

Center Director:
Elaine Urbina, MD, MS, FAHA

Training Director:
Mark Mitsnefes, MD
Richard Becker, MD, FAHA

Principal Investigators:

• Richard Becker, MD, FAHA
  Influence of Regulatory Genome on Target Organ Damage in Youth with Primary Hypertension


• Joseph Flynn, MD, MS
  Hemodynamic and Metabolic Predictors of Target Organ Damage in Youth with Primary Hypertension


• Elaine Urbina, MD, MS, FAHA
  Threshold for Development of Blood Pressure-Related Target Organ Damage in Youth

Research Focus:
Study epigenetic changes throughout the genome in humans and animals with hypertension to identify new approaches for controlling high blood pressure.

Center Director:
Mingyu Liang, MB, PhD

Training Director:
Allen W. Cowley, Jr., PhD

Principal Investigators:

• David L. Mattson, PhD, FAHA
  Epigenetic Modification of Immune Mechanisms in Salt-Sensitive Hypertension and Renal Damage


• Srividya Kidambi, MD, MS
  Epigenomics of Hypertension in Monozygotic Twins and Effect of Salt Intake


• Theodore A. Kotchen, MD, FAHA
  Epigenomic Modifications in Hypertension and Hypertension-Related Cardiovascular Diseases

Research Focus:
Determine how blood pressure patterns over 24 hours impact risk for cardiovascular and renal disease.

Center Director:
Paul Muntner, PhD, MHS, FAHA, FASH

Training Director:
Suzanne Oparil, MD, FACC, FAHA, FASH
David Pollock, PhD

Principal Investigators:

• Jennifer Pollock, PhD, FAHA
  Novel Mechanisms of Salt-sensitivity and Diurnal Blood Pressure Rhythm


• David Calhoun, MD, FAHA
  Mechanisms of Nocturnal Hypertension and Non-dipping Blood Pressure


• Paul Muntner, PhD, MHS, FAHA, FASH
  Racial Differences and US population estimates of Nocturnal Hypertension and Non-dipping

Research Focus:
Aim to find a reliable early predictor of pre-eclampsia to help doctors in areas with lower levels of obstetric care identify the highest-risk patients as early as the sixth week of pregnancy.

Center Director:
Curt D. Sigmund, PhD, FAHA

Training Director:
Kimberly K. Leslie, MD

Principal Investigators:

• Justin L. Grobe, PhD, FAHA
  Molecular Mechanisms of Vasopressin-Induced Preeclampsia


• Gary L. Pierce, PhD
  Early Vascular Dysfunction and Elevated Copeptin in Human Preeclampsia


• Mark K. Santillan, MD, PhD, FACOG, FAHA
  Predicting Preeclampsia via Copeptin: Underrepresented Minorities & Synergy with Other Biomarkers