Laboratory for Cardiovascular-Renal Research
Research Information
Our laboratory focuses on the central neural control of fluid and electrolyte homeostasis and blood pressure regulation. We have identified a novel brain G-alpha-i2 subunit protein-gaged pathway that is essential to mediate endogenous GPCR-activated pathways that regulate central sympathetic outflow, fluid and electrolyte homeostasis, and systemic blood pressure regulation.
There are several ongoing projects within the laboratory:
- The role of PVN specific G-alpha subunit protein gated pathways in mediating the neural control of kidney function via the renal sympathetic nerves
- The role of PVN specific G-alpha subunit protein gated pathways in sodium activated neuronal activity and systemic arterial blood pressure regulation in salt-resistant vs. salt-sensitve phenotypes
- The role of enhanced sympathetic outflow and sodium intake on the expression and activity of renal sodium transporters in salt-resistant vs. salt-sensitve phenotypes
People
Principal Investigator
Graduate Students
Alissa Frame
Alissa is an M.D./Ph.D. student. Her
research focuses on the integrated central neural and renal mechanisms regulating blood pressure with the goal of identifying potential targets in hypertension.
Alissa joined the Lab in the fall of 2015 and presented her a poster at her first national meeting, the American Heart Association’s Council on Hypertension 2016 Scientific Sessions in September in Orlando, Florida. Her poster on “Impaired Central, Renal, and Blood Pressure Responses to Alterations in Fluid and Electrolyte Homeostasis in Aged Sprague-Dawley Rats” was awarded Best Poster.
Jonique George
Jonique is a Ph.D. candidate, and joined the lab in 2017 as a second-year student with an interest in diabetes and cardiovascular research.
Franco Puleo
Franco is a Ph.D. candidate, and joined the lab in 2017 as a second-year student with an interest in understanding the role of the kidney in salt sensitive hypertension.
Lab Alumni
Casey Y. Carmichael, Ph.D.
Current Position: Business Associate, ZS Associated, Los Angeles, CA
Kathryn R. Walsh, Ph.D.
Current Position: Scientist – Preclinical Pharmacology in Intellia Therapeutics, Inc.
Selected Publications
New Publications
- Chaudhary P, Velkoska E, Wainford RD. An exploratory analysis of comparative plasma metabolomic and lipidomic profiling in salt-sensitive and salt-resistant individuals from The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension Sodium Trial. J Hypertens. 2021 10 01; 39(10):1972-1981. PMID: 34001808.READ AT: PubMed
- PUBLISHED ON 7/1/2021Farris CW, Killiany RJ, O’Donoghue E, Koo BB, Wainford RD, Moss MB, Rosene DL, Moore TL. The relationship of age and hypertension with cognition and gray matter cerebral blood volume in a rhesus monkey model of human aging. Behav Neurosci. 2021 Oct; 135(5):680-692. PMID: 34197136.READ AT: PubMed
- PUBLISHED ON 2/16/2021Gnanenthiran SR, Borghi C, Burger D, Charchar F, Poulter NR, Schlaich MP, Steckelings UM, Stergiou G, Tomaszewski M, Unger T, Wainford RD, Williams B, Rodgers A, Schutte AE. Prospective meta-analysis protocol on randomised trials of renin-angiotensin system inhibitors in patients with COVID-19: an initiative of the International Society of Hypertension. BMJ Open. 2021 02 16; 11(2):e043625. PMID: 33593784.READ AT: PubMed
- PUBLISHED ON 11/30/2020Chaudhary P, Wainford RD. Neuroanatomical characterization of Gai2-expressing neurons in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus of male and female Sprague-Dawley rats. Physiol Genomics. 2021 01 01; 53(1):12-21. PMID: 33252993.READ AT: PubMed
- PUBLISHED ON 9/28/2020Puleo F, Kim K, Frame AA, Walsh KR, Ferdaus MZ, Moreira JD, Comsti E, Faudoa E, Nist KM, Abkin E, Wainford RD. Sympathetic Regulation of the NCC (Sodium Chloride Cotransporter) in Dahl Salt-Sensitive Hypertension. Hypertension. 2020 11; 76(5):1461-1469. PMID: 32981364.READ AT: PubMed
- PUBLISHED ON 8/28/2020Poulter NR, Borghi C, Burger D, Castillo RR, Damasceno A, Ito S, Jose AP, Kruger R, Morgan T, Nilsson PM, Schlaich MP, Schutte AE, Stergiou G, Unger T, Wainford RD, Beaney T. May Measurement Month 2018: results of blood pressure screening from 41 countries. Eur Heart J Suppl. 2020 Aug; 22(Suppl H):H1-H4. PMID: 32884454.READ AT: PubMed
- PUBLISHED ON 7/13/2020Chaudhary P, Wainford RD. Association of urinary sodium and potassium excretion with systolic blood pressure in the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension Sodium Trial. J Hum Hypertens. 2021 07; 35(7):577-587. PMID: 32661268.READ AT: PubMed
- PUBLISHED ON 6/1/2020Unger T, Borghi C, Charchar F, Khan NA, Poulter NR, Prabhakaran D, Ramirez A, Schlaich M, Stergiou GS, Tomaszewski M, Wainford RD, Williams B, Schutte AE. 2020 International Society of Hypertension global hypertension practice guidelines. J Hypertens. 2020 06; 38(6):982-1004. PMID: 32371787.READ AT: PubMed
- PUBLISHED ON 5/18/2020Beaney T, Schutte AE, Stergiou GS, Borghi C, Burger D, Charchar F, Cro S, Diaz A, Damasceno A, Espeche W, Jose AP, Khan N, Kokubo Y, Maheshwari A, Marin MJ, More A, Neupane D, Nilsson P, Patil M, Prabhakaran D, Ramirez A, Rodriguez P, Schlaich M, Steckelings UM, Tomaszewski M, Unger T, Wainford R, Wang J, Williams B, Poulter NR. May Measurement Month 2019: The Global Blood Pressure Screening Campaign of the International Society of Hypertension. Hypertension. 2020 08; 76(2):333-341. PMID: 32419505.READ AT: PubMed
- PUBLISHED ON 5/6/2020Unger T, Borghi C, Charchar F, Khan NA, Poulter NR, Prabhakaran D, Ramirez A, Schlaich M, Stergiou GS, Tomaszewski M, Wainford RD, Williams B, Schutte AE. 2020 International Society of Hypertension Global Hypertension Practice Guidelines. Hypertension. 2020 06; 75(6):1334-1357. PMID: 32370572.READ AT: PubMed
Contact
Richard D. Wainford, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Departments of Pharmacology & Experimental Therapeutics and Medicine
Member, the Whitaker Cardiovascular Institute
Boston University School of Medicine
Mailing Address:
The Whitaker Cardiovascular Institute
700 Albany Street, W-602
Boston, MA 02118
Phone: 617-414-2648
Email: rwainf@bu.edu
Recent Lab News
- Richard Wainford Recipient of the 2014 Arthur C Guyton Award
- Richard Wainford receives 2013 Endocrine Society New Early Investigator Award (June 15)
- Richard Wainford selected as finalist for American Heart Association Council on High Blood Pressure Harry Goldblatt Award.
- Richard Wainford Elected as Early Career Member of the American Heart Association Council on High Blood Pressure Leadership Council (Term 2013-2016).
