John Osborn, PhD

Research in my laboratory is directed towards gaining an integrative understanding of the role of the central nervous system in the long-term regulation of arterial pressure and the pathogenesis of hypertension. At the present time we are investigating how circulating hormones, such as angiotensin II and aldosterone, are monitored by specialized sites within the brain called circumventricular organs. We are investigating how these regions influence ongoing sympathetic nerve discharge and ultimately the regulation of arterial pressure. Our long-term goal is to understand, in a quantitative way, the role of such hormonal-sympathetic interactions in normal physiology and the pathophysiology of hypertension. Specifically, we are studying how such interactions are influenced by alterations in dietary salt in hopes of understanding the neurogenic basis of salt-dependent hypertension. A variety of experimental approaches are employed to address these issues including state-of-the-art long-term monitoring of cardiovascular hemodynamics and application of cellular/molecular neurobiological techniques. We have also initiated a collaborative project with the Department of Mathematics to begin developing new mathematical models of how the nervous system regulates cardiovascular function over long periods of time.