Katherine Wood, PhD

Research Associate

Dr. Wood’s current research in the Straub lab is focused on determining the role of a novel reduction-oxidation (redox) regulation mechanism — the CyB5R3-dependent reduction of sGC — in the control of NO sensitivity in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) and its impact on SCD vasculopathy. SCD vasculopathy is multifactorial and the pathogenesis remains incompletely understood, although both clinical and experimental evidence concludes that reduced NO bioavailability and/or responsiveness are contributing factors. Dr. Wood researches the impact of this signaling pathway on the development of cardiopulmonary vasculopathy in the humanized transgenic sickle cell mouse (Townes) and chimeras transplanted into tamoxifen-inducible Cre-Lox smooth muscle specific CyB5R3 knock-out and loss of function CyB5R3 T117S polymorphic variants. The overall goal of the research is to test personalized and precision medicine approaches to improve the health of individuals with SCD-associated pulmonary hypertension. Considering the defining role of sGC in NO signaling and the fact that the oxidation state of sGC may predict responses to new classes of sGC activator and stimulator medications, is research aims to significantly impact our understanding of biology, precision therapeutics (right drug for the right patient) and pharmacogenetics (polymorphism based drug selection).

woodkc@pitt.edu  |  412-648-9921

Shuai Yuan, PhD

Postdoctoral Associate

yuans2@upmc.edu | 412-648-9921

Scott Hahn, MS

Research Technician, Microvascular and Hypertension Core

Scott earned both his bachelors and masters degrees in Kinesiology from Kansas State University. His research experience prior to joining the Straub lab in 2014 included the study of necrotizing enterocolitis, angiogenesis, cancer, obesity and diabetes. His main focus in the lab is the use of myography to study vascular reactivity in disease states and genetic modifications. Additionally, he performs a multitude of in vivo procedures in mice to study real time blood pressure and heart rate, heart hemodynamics, and various other surgical procedures.

sch63@pitt.edu  |  412-648-9921

Megan Miller

Lab Manager

Megan focuses on understanding the role of cytochrome b 5 reductase 3 (cyb5R3) in nitric oxide (NO) signaling in smooth muscle cells and endothelial cells.  Cyb5R3 has dual functions in the vascular wall;  1) regulating NO diffusion from endothelial cells to smooth muscle cells by reducing hemoglobin in the myoendothelial junction and 2) sensitizing soluble guanylate cyclase to NO in smooth muscle cells by reducing it to its ferrous state.  Megan employs a number of biochemical and in vitro  cell culture based techniques to address the functional roles of Cyb5R3.

mpl8@pitt.edu  |  412-648-9921

Atinuke “Oyin” Dosunmu-Ogunbi

Graduate Student

Dosunmu-Ogunbi.Atinuke@medstudent.pitt.edu  |  412-648-9921

Joseph Galley

Graduate Student, Interdisciplinary Biomedical Graduate Program

There are many different isoforms of the forkhead box (FOX) transcription factors found throughout the body and while many of them are essential for proper tissue differentiation and development, there are a number of FOX transcription factors that have been recently implicated as promoters of longevity and cellular survival.  One such protein, FOXO3a has been shown to help regulate cellular quiescence, and downregulation of FOXO3a activity is often seen in cancer.  In addition, FOXO3a is commonly upregulated in most centenarians in humans, and its homologs, daf-16 and dFOXO in C. elegans and Drosophila melanogaster have been shown to be associated with increased longevity.  Joe is interested in the regulatory mechanisms by which FOXO3a may be contributing to better survival outcomes and the methods by which it is able to regulate the proliferation of vascular cell types

jcg59@pitt.edu  |  412-648-9921

Heidi Schmidt

Graduate Student

  hes81@pitt.edu |  412-648-9921