Physiology Seminar Series Returns AUGUST 21 with DR. ANNET KIRABO, Vanderbilt Clinical Pharmacology/Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics

The Department of Physiology Weekly Seminar Series returns this FALL beginning Thursday, August 21! Please join us in welcoming

ANNET KIRABO, DVM, MSc, PhD, FAHA, Chancellor Faculty Fellow, Associate Professor of Medicine, Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Associate Professor of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics, Vanderbilt University.

Dr. Kirabo will present her seminar titled "Immune Mechanisms of Salt-Sensitive Hypertension: From Lipid Metabolism and Oxidation to Vascular Dysfunction" from 3:30 - 5:00 pm in the Cancer Research Building Auditorium, Room 114. Refreshments will be provided.

Summary: Excess dietary salt is a well-established risk factor for hypertension and cardiovascular disease, yet the mechanisms underlying salt sensitivity remain incompletely understood. Our research has revealed that antigen presenting cells play a central role in mediating salt-induced immune activation, contributing to vascular dysfunction and kidney injury. This presentation will highlight our recent findings on the role of oxidative lipid modifications in vascular and lymphatic dysfunction and the downstream impact on blood pressure regulation and target organ damage.

Brief Bio: Dr. Annet Kirabo is a tenured Associate Professor of Medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in the Division of Genetics and Clinical Pharmacology, with joint appointments in the Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics at Vanderbilt and at Meharry Medical College. Her NIH-funded laboratory focuses on understanding immune and metabolic mechanisms that drive hypertension and kidney disease. She is a 2024 Chancellor Faculty Fellow and has received numerous accolades for her work, including the AHA Harry Goldblatt Award. Dr. Kirabo serves as a permanent member of the NIH.