Phone: (706) 721-9785
Fax: 706) 721-7299

Email: mbrands@mcg.edu
Office: CA-3098

Cardiovascular-renal integrative physiology and hypertension. Longstanding interest in renal and hormonal mechanisms for chronic blood pressure and circulatory system control in states of insulin resistance, hyperinsulinemia, and diabetes. New research area focuses on mechanisms through which IL-6 and other inflammatory cytokines influence acute and long-term blood pressure control.

Mechanisms through which angiotensin II and nitric oxide control glomerular filtration rate and renal blood flow, and thereby control blood pressure in metabolic syndrome and at the earliest stages of diabetes.

Mechanisms through which interleukin-6 mediates the chronic hypertensive effect of angiotensin II and the acute hypertensive response to psychosocial stress.

Graduate Student Supervision (as major advisor):

Hicham Labazi, Graduate Student

J.R. Cleghorn, Research Assistant

Vanessa Springfield, Research Assistant

Go to PubMed

Brands, M.W., C. Fleming, T.D. Bell, L.C. Sturgis, R. Janardhanan, and H. Labazi. Lack of blood pressure salt-sensitivity supports afferent arteriolar action of nitric oxide in Type I diabetes. Clin. Expr. Pharm. Physiol. In Review.

Brands, M.W., T.D. Bell, N.A. Rodriguez, C. Fleming, V. Springfield, and P. Polavarapu. Progressive decrease in continuously-measured renal blood flow during chronic glucose infusion in dogs. Diabetes In Review.

Rojas, M., T.D., L.C. Sturgis, R. Janardhanan, C. Fleming, and M.W. Brands. Blood pressure control early in diabetes requires a balance between glomerular filtration rate and the renin-angiotensin system. Am. J. Hypertension In press.

Bell, T.D., G.F. DiBona, Y.Wang, and M.W. Brands. Mechanisms for renal blood flow control early in diabetes as revealed by chronic flow measurement and transfer function analysis. J. Am. Soc. Nephrol. 17:2184-2192, 2006.

Lee, D.L., L.C. Sturgis, H.Labazi, J.B. Osborne, Jr., C. Fleming, J.S. Pollock, M. Manhiani, J.D. Imig, and M.W. Brands. Angiotensin II hypertension is attenuated in interleukin-6 knockout mice. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 290:H935-H940, 2006.

Lee, D.L., R.C. Webb, and M.W. Brands. Sympathetic and angiotensin dependent hypertension during cage-switch stress in mice. Am. J. Physiol.Regul Integr Comp Physiol 287:R1394-R1398, 2004.

Lee, D.L, R. Leite, C. Fleming, J. Pollock, R.C. Webb, and M. W. Brands. The hypertensive response to acute stress is attenuated in interleukin-6 knockout mice. Hypertension 44:259-263, 2004.

Brands, M.W., T.D. Bell, and B. Gibson. Nitric oxide may prevent hypertension early in diabetes by counteracting renal actions of superoxide. Hypertension 43:57-63, 2004.

Brands, M.W. and L.J. Cloud. Chronic angiotensin II clamp prevents hypertension in L-NAME-treated diabetic rats. Am J. Hypertens. 16:600-603, 2003.

Claxton, C.R. and M.W. Brands. Nitric oxide may suppress sympathetic nervous system activity in glucose-induced hypertension. Hypertension 41:274-278, 2003.