More information and a recording of the talk is available below.

For questions about this event, please reach out to Mary Christie at mchristie@health.missouri.edu

"A shared mechanism of lymphatic dysfunction in Cantú Syndrome and metabolic syndrome"

Presented by: Michael Davis, PhD, Curators’ Distinguished Professor, Margaret Proctor Mulligan Professor, Dept. of Medical Pharmacology & Physiology

Description

K_ATP channels are cellular sensors of metabolic activity. Their increased activity in arterial smooth muscle aids in matching blood flow to metabolic demand. We find that K_ATP channels normally have low basal activity in the lymphatic system and that their activation is deleterious for lymphatic function. K_ATP channel hyperactivity underlies the lymphedema observed in patients with Cantú Syndrome and contributes to lymphatic contractile dysfunction in mouse models of metabolic syndrome. Lymphatic function can be rescued in part by K_ATP channel inhibitors, suggesting a potential therapeutic approach to treatment of these diseases.

Speaker Bio

Michael J Davis received a B.S. degree in Zoology from the University of California, Davis (1975) and a PhD in Physiology & Biophysics from the University of Nebraska Medical Center (1979). He did post-doctoral work at the University of Arizona before starting a faculty position in Medical Physiology at Texas A&M University (1985). He was promoted to Professor in 1996 and moved to the University of Missouri in 2005. His research has been continuously funded by the NIH since 1986 and continuously funded by multiple NIH grants since 1997. He has over 200 scientific publications. He currently holds a Margaret Proctor Mulligan Endowed Professorship and is a Curator’s Distinguished Professor at the University of Missouri.

Dr. Davis has trained 17 post-doctoral fellows, 3 PhD students and 5 Master’s students. He has trained and/or hosted 32 visiting scholars. He has served on the advisory committees of 48 PhD/MS students. His computer models of the action potential, synaptic transmission, cardiac function and other physiological processes are used by teaching faculty all over the world.

NextGen Cardiovascular, Muscle, & Metabolism (CMM) Science Seminar

he goal of this science seminar is to expose researchers across the University of Missouri System to current, transdisciplinary precision research taking place in the cardiovascular, muscle, and metabolism sciences, provide opportunities for collaboration to build their own research efforts, and promote clinician/researcher activity.

These seminars have two formats that interchange monthly. One will take place on the second Monday of every other month from noon to 1pm and will be offered live, in person from the NextGen building, and virtually, via zoom. The other will take place on the second Monday of every other month from 4:30pm – 6:00pm, in person, from the Dalton Cardiovascular Research Center. This second format will include networking time with a poster session followed by research presentations and discussion.