Department of Physiology and Pharmacology

Camilla F. Wenceslau, PhD
Principal Investigator 

Research Interest
The overarching goal of my laboratory is to understand vascular physiology in cardiovascular and renal diseases. Specifically, we study the mechanisms associated with vascular dysfunction during hypertension, inflammation, trauma (e.g., sepsis and SIRS), diabetes and chronic kidney diseases. The laboratory employs a wide range of cutting-edge techniques and multidisciplinary in vivo and in vitro experimental approaches including clinically relevant diseased mouse models, radio telemetry, vascular isobaric and isometric force measurement, and biochemical and molecular biology methods.

For more information about Dr. Wenceslau, please see her faculty profile.

Nicole R. Bearss, BA
Research Associate
Lab Manager

Research Interest
Novel treatments for sepsis and SIRS.

Highlighted Previous Publications
C.M. Howard, N. Bearss, B. Subramaniyan, A. Tilley, S. Sridharan, N. Villa, C.S. Fraser, D. Raman. The CXCR4-LASP1-eIF4F Axis Promotes Translation of Oncogenic Proteins in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer. Frontiers in Oncology, 2019. 

R.S. Khupse, J.G. Sarver, J.A. Trendel, N.R. Bearss, M.D. Reese, T.E. Wiese, S.M. Boue, M.E. Burow, T.E. Cleveland,  D. Bhatnagar, P.W. Erhardt.  Biomimetic Syntheses and Antiproliferative Activities of Racemic, Natural (-), and Unnatural (+) Glyceollin I. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 54, 3506-3523, 2011.

Graduate Students

Jonnelle M. Edwards, BS
PhD Trainee

Research Interest
N-formyl peptides and hypertension

Achievements

2019 APS Martin Frank Diversity Fellowship Awardee
Oral Presentation at 2019 Experimental Biology
Oral Presentation at 2019 AHA Council on Hypertension
Oral Presentation at 2019 Gull Lake Hypertension Meeting
2020 APS Caroline tum Suden/Hellebrandt Professional Opportunity Awardee
Oral Presentation at 2020 Graduate Research Forum (not presented due to COVID-19)
2020 AFHRE Underrepresented Minorities Awardee
Oral Presentation at 2020 AHA Council on Hypertension

Funded by National Science Foundation- NOA-AGEP: #1432878

Favorite things to do when not in the lab
Spend time with my family 

Emily Waigi, MSc
MSBS Graduate Student

Research Interest
 Vascular remodeling

Achievements
2018 Internship, Novartis
2019 Fulbright Fellow, UT
Oral KEMRI Annual Scientific Conference

Favorite things to do when not in the lab
road trips, watching series, practicing cooking

Postdocs

Janara Furtado, MD
Endocrinologist

Research Interest
Vascular Physiology focused on pre clinical and human studies. 

Favorite things to do when not in the lab
Spend  time with my kids and family; travelling.

PAST LAB MEMBERS

Vaishnavi Aradhyula, BS
MSBS Graduate Student

Research Interest
Effect of intrinsic aerobic capacity on regulation of vascular inflammation   

Achievements
2020 APS Poster Presentation at Experimental Biology
2020 Caroline tum Suden/Frances Hellebrandt Professional Opportunity Award
2020 3MT Competition Finalist
2020 3MT Competition Honorable Mention Winner 

Favorite things to do when not in lab
Singing/recording covers, running, and collecting souvenirs from traveling

Soyoung Cheon, BA
MSBS Graduate Student

Research Interest
Effect of Opioids on Vasculature

Achievements
2020 ASPET Daily Datablitz at Experimental Biology
2020 ASPET Student/Postdoc Poster Competition at Experimental Biology 

Favorite things to do when not in the lab
Playing the piano, doing jigsaw puzzles, reading literary novels 

Shaunak Roy, MS
MD Candidate

Research Interest
The impact of intrinsic exercise capacity on perivascular adipose tissue morphology and function.

Oral Presentations
2019 Gull Lake Hypertension Meeting
2019 AHA Hypertension Scientific Sessions

Awards
2019 Caroline tum Suden/Frances Hellebrandt Professional Opportunity Award for Meritorious Research
1st Place Poster Presentation at 46th Annual Pharmacology Colloquium (2019)
2019 Recipient of the AHA Hypertension Trainee Advocacy Committee New Investigator Travel Grant

Jeremy Tomcho, MD
Internal Medicine Resident

Research Interest
The influence of acute and chronic opioid use on vascular function and remodeling. 

Oral Presentations
2019 Gull Lake Hypertension Meeting