Dean Franklin Young Investigator Award

Ashley Walker, Ph.D.,University of Oregon

Research Interests: Dr. Walker's primary research interest is vascular aging. The decline in vascular function with advancing age contributes to the increased risk for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Dr. Walker’s research seeks to determine the molecular mechanisms that lead to age-related vascular dysfunction, such as the role of inflammation and telomere dysfunction. In addition, she is interested in determining the functional consequences of age-related vascular dysfunction, with a particular focus on the development of atherosclerosis and Alzheimer’s disease.

Jessica Faulkner, Ph.D., Augusta University, Augusta, GA

Research Interests: Research that tests the hypothesis that increases in endothelial cell mineralocorticoid receptor expression underlie leptin-induced, obesity-associated cardiovascular diseases in premenopausal females. In addition, we have demonstrated that high leptin levels in obese pregnant woman may predispose them to hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, notably preeclampsia, via activation of endothelial mineralocorticoid receptors.

Jorge F. Giani, Ph.D., Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA

Research Interests: Underlying mechanisms in the development of insulin resistance and studying the role of the renal renin-angiotensin system in hypertension. 

Tengis Pavlov, Ph.D., Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, MI

Research Interests: Polycystic kidney disease (PKD) therapeutic approaches and targets, epithelial sodium channels in autosomal recessive PKD, cyst progression and treatment with PKD, and additional areas involving kidney physiology. 

Aaron Polichnowski, Ph.D., East Tennessee State Univeristy, Jackson City, TN

Research Interests: Acute kidney injury and chronic kidney disease, reduced nitric oxide availability and susceptibility to hypertensive kidney disease, and regulation of renal blood flow. 

Timo Rieg, MD, University of South Florida,Tampa, FL

Research Interests:The physiology and pathophysiology of the kidney and intestine, with focuses on the characterization of channels, transporters, receptors and signaling molecules of the kidney including arterial hypertension. 

Eric Belin de Chantemèle, Ph.D., Georgia Regents University, Augusta, GA

Research Interests: Understanding how metabolic dysfunctions, particularly obesity, affect the cardiovascular system to trigger hypertension.