Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death in the United States. Understanding the basic and pathological mechanisms underlying cardiovascular disease and searching new ways to prevent and treat cardiovascular disease is a major focus of the Department of Physiology. Faculty in the department study the cardiovascular system from multiple perspectives. The Department offers and advanced Cardiovascular Physiology and Pharmacology course.
Chairman Dr. R. Clinton Webb directs an NIH-funded Program Project Grant examining the role of inflammation in cardiovascular disease. His laboratory also has a long-term interest in the mechanisms of vascular smooth muscle reactivity, including erectile dysfunction.
Dr. Michael Brands: Integrative cardio-renal physiology in diabetes and inflammation.
Dr. Adviye Ergul: Effect of diabetes on vascular remodeling in stroke.
Dr. Edward Inscho: Purinergic signaling in the kidney.
Dr. William Rainey: Hyperaldosteronism in clinical hypertension.
Dr. Ann Schreihofer: Autonomic regulation of blood pressure.
Dr. Derek Schreihofer: Estrogen and phytoestrogens neuroprotection in stroke.
Dr. David Stepp (VBC): Cardiovascular dysfunction in obesity.
Dr. Tsugio Seki: Genetics of vascular dysfunction and hypertension.
Dr. Javier Stern: Hypothalamic autonomic regulation
Dr. Mong Wang: Eicosanoids in the regulation of renal function and blood pressure.
Close coordination with members of the Vascular Biology Center and Georgia Prevention Institute ensures a highly collaborative environment. 
(Above: Laser speckle image of the rat cerebral blood flow during induction of
experimental stroke. The oval red area represents high blood flow in
the left cerebral cortex. As stroke is induced with injection of a
vasoconstrictor, flow decreases as seen by less red and more green
and blue moving left to right over about 5 minutes.)
