Curriculum Vitae

A. PERSONAL STATEMENT

For over 25 years my group has researched the cellular, biochemical and molecular mechanisms that regulate adrenal steroid hormone biosynthesis. During that time we have had continuous federal funding for adrenal related projects. Our group has published over 200 peer-reviewed or invited articles, most of which relate to the adrenal or gonadal steroidogenesis. I have served on NIH study sections and acted as an editor or editorial board member for leading journals in the endocrine field. Most recently I acted as the chairperson for the International Aldosterone Conference, the premier annual congress focusing on all aspects of aldosterone research. Much of my group’s past research has been to define the molecular mechanisms controlling transcription of the genes encoding human adrenal steroid metabolizing enzymes. One of these, aldosterone synthase (CYP11B2), is the best-characterized marker of the adrenal zona glomerulosa as well as the adrenal-related disease, primary aldosteronism (PA). My laboratory takes a bench to bedside approach to defining the following: 1) the molecular mechanisms that cause PA, 2) improved diagnostics that would facilitate screening for PA and 3) novel strategies for imaging the adrenal tumors that cause PA. My laboratory moved to the University of Michigan (UM) in November 2012 in order to join the already strong adrenal group. In the year since my move, we have solidified a multidisciplinary adrenal research program comprised of faculty from endocrinology, cardiology, pathology, radiology and surgery. The move to UM has greatly enhanced our translational research program, particularly with regard to PA research. Our past studies have shown that mutations leading to altered adrenal cell calcium handling represent a key cause of aldosterone excess.  The current application makes use of UM faculty expertise to define the molecular mechanisms leading to PA.   

B. POSITIONS and HONORS

Positions and Employment

1988 - 1990

UT Southwestern

Departments of Ob-Gyn and Cell Biology

Research Instructor

1990 - 1996

UT Southwestern

Departments of Ob-Gyn and Cell Biology

Assistant Professor

1996 - 2003

UT Southwestern

Departments of Ob-Gyn and Cell Biology

Associate Professor

2003 - 2005

UT Southwestern

Departments of Ob-Gyn and Cell Biology

Professor

2005 - Present

Georgia Health Sciences University

Department of Physiology, Regents' Professor

Other Experience and Professional Memberships

1988-present               Member, Endocrine Society

1998-present               US Managing Editor for Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology

1999-2003                   Member of the NIH Cardiovascular and Renal Study Section

2002-2011                   Member, Society for the Study of Reproduction

2003-2007                   Editorial board member of Journal of Molecular Endocrinology

2005-2006                   Member of the NIH Integrative and Clinical Endocrinology and Repro Study Section

2006-2010                   Editorial board member of Seminars in Reproductive Medicine

2006-present            Member, American Heart Association

2006-present            Fellow of the American Heart Association High Blood Pressure Council

2006-present            Member of the Faculty 1000 of Medicine, Diabetes and Endocrinology Section

2007-present            Member, FASEB

2007-present            Member, American Physiological Society

2010-present            Editorial board member for the journal Endocrinology

2011-present            Editorial board member for the journal CardioRenal Medicine

2013                            Chairperson for the International Aldosterone Conference

Honors

1983-1986                   Samuel Roberts Noble Graduate Student Fellowship

1987-1988                   Fogarty International Fellowship

2000                            Visiting Research Fellowship from Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia

2002, 2007, 2010       Visiting Scientist Award from Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan

2005-2012                   Appointed as a Regents Professor at Medical College of Georgia (MCG)

2009                            Outstanding Basic Science Research Award, MCG

2009                            MCG Exemplary Teaching Award

2011                            Outstanding Faculty Award, MCG College of Graduate Studies

2011                            Mahesh Distinguished Research Award, MCG Research Institute

2011                            Gastone G. Nussdorfer Lecture Award, University of Padua, Italy

2013                            Appointed as the inaugural University of Michigan Jerome Conn Professor

2013                            Elected to the Executive Committee for the International Aldosterone Conference

2014                            Visiting Senior Research Fellowship from University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia