Role of Acid-Sensing Ion Channels in Pulmonary Vascular Smooth Muscle Store-Opera

Nikki Jernigan博士获得了新墨西哥州大学（UNM）生物医学科学博士学位， 作为博士后研究员在该部门接受培训。他是密西西比大学和新墨西哥大学的生理学教授。博士 Jernigan在高质量的同行评审期刊上发表了10篇第一作者的手稿。她是一个 UNM血管生理学小组的成员，其中包括六名具有专业知识的教员， 广泛的技术方法，从整体动物研究到分子技术。这群 拥有NHLBI资助的心血管训练补助金，并保持良好的训练记录， 研究生和博士后。步行者和雷斯塔博士将担任尼基博士的导师 杰尼根的研究计划和职业发展。卡纳吉博士，普罗斯尼茨博士，和夏特沃斯博士 杰尼根医生的顾问委员会他们都有很强的研究计划和相当丰富的经验， 指导初级教员。根据拟议的培训计划，杰尼根博士将建立在她的背景， 心血管生理学和发展电生理学和钙成像的新专业知识。其他 杰尼根的培训方面将是她的演讲，教学，写作和批评的完善 思维能力。目前的研究建议集中在一类独特的离子通道，酸敏感离子通道 通道（ASIC），以及它们在介导肺血管平滑肌（VSM）储存操作中的作用 钙进入（SOCE）。这项工作是有意义的，因为它将提供新的见解， SOCE是调节肺血管阻力的基础，在疾病状态下会发生改变 例如慢性阻塞性肺病（COPD）和睡眠呼吸暂停。长期目标是 确定ASIC介导的SOCE对肺血管阻力升高的贡献 慢性肺部疾病。 非专业相关性：与身体其他部位相比，肺循环中的压力相对较低。 慢性阻塞性肺病与肺部血压升高有关，这会给心脏带来额外的工作负荷 导致右心衰竭肺VSM基础钙和钙内流增加有助于 这是慢性阻塞性肺疾病时的高血压拟议的项目将确定一类独特的离子的作用 通道，介导钙进入肺VSM。

Dr. Nikki Jernigan earned a PhD in Biomedical Sciences from the University of New Mexico (UNM) and trained as a postdoctoral fellow in the Dept. of Physiology at the University of Mississippi and at UNM. Dr. Jernigan has published 10 first-authored manuscripts in high-quality, peer-reviewed journals. She is a member of the UNM Vascular Physiology Group, which includes six faculty members with expertise in a wide array of technical approaches ranging from whole animal studies to molecular techniques. This group holds a NHLBI-funded Cardiovascular Training Grant, and maintains an excellent record of training both graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. Drs. Walker and Resta will serve as mentors for Dr. Nikki Jernigan's research program and career development. Drs. Kanagy, Prossnitz, and Shuttleworth will serve on Dr. Jernigan's advisory committee. All have strong research programs and considerable experience in mentoring junior faculty. Under the proposed training plan, Dr. Jernigan will build upon her background in cardiovascular physiology and develop new expertise in electrophysiology and calcium imaging. Other facets of Dr. Jernigan's training will be the refinement of her presentation, teaching, writing, and critical thinking skills. The current research proposal focuses on a unique class of ion channels, acid-sensing ion channels (ASIC), and their role in mediating pulmonary vascular smooth muscle (VSM) store-operated calcium entry (SOCE). This work is significant because it will provide new insights into the mechanism of SOCE as a foundation for the regulation of pulmonary vascular resistance, which is altered in disease states such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and sleep apnea. The long-term objective is to determine the contribution of ASIC-mediated SOCE contributes to elevated pulmonary vascular resistance during chronic lung diseases. Lay Relevance: The pressure in the pulmonary circulation is relatively low compared to the rest of the body. COPD is associated with increased blood pressure in the lung which places an extra workload on the heart and leads to right heart failure. Increases in pulmonary VSM basal calcium and calcium entry contribute to this elevated pressure during COPD. The proposed project will determine the role of a unique class of ion channels, in mediating calcium entry into pulmonary VSM.