Brian Ratliff

Brian Ratliff, Ph.D., serves as Program Director for the Accelerated Interdisciplinary Biomedical Sciences MS Program and holds dual appointments as Associate Professor of Physiology in the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and Associate Professor of Medicine in the School of Medicine at New York Medical College (NYMC). His academic journey includes a Ph.D. from Eastern Virginia Medical School and Old Dominion University, with undergraduate studies at Chowan University.

• Program Director, Accelerated Interdisciplinary Biomedical Sciences MS Program
• Associate Professor, Physiology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
• Associate Professor, Medicine, School of Medicine

Dr. Ratliff's research focuses on understanding the mechanisms responsible for acute and chronic kidney failure and associated vascular impairment. His laboratory investigates four primary areas: (1) fetal and developmental programming that leads to susceptibility to kidney disease and hypertension; (2) the role of oxidative stress in kidney disease progression; (3) pro-damage signaling 'alarmins' like HMGB1 that trigger inflammation after cellular stress; and (4) therapeutic efficacy of stem cells and pharmacological agents for kidney and vascular tissue regeneration. His work bridges developmental biology, nephrology, and vascular physiology to understand how early life events impact adult organ function.

The most recent publications reveal consistent themes across Dr. Ratliff's research trajectory, demonstrating a sophisticated understanding of how developmental programming influences adult renal and vascular disease. His work increasingly integrates molecular mechanisms of oxidative stress, inflammatory signaling, and cellular damage responses with physiological outcomes. Recent publications show a progression from basic mechanistic studies toward translational applications, particularly in stem cell therapies and potential pharmacological interventions for kidney damage prevention and regeneration. The research demonstrates strong interdisciplinary connections between developmental biology, nephrology, vascular biology, and redox signaling pathways.

Dr. Ratliff actively contributes to medical education as Co-Director of the Pulmonary Module and Renal Module in the School of Medicine, as well as Co-Director of the Physiology Course in the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. His teaching responsibilities reflect his expertise in both basic physiological mechanisms and their clinical applications in renal and pulmonary medicine. Through these educational roles, he directly impacts the training of future physicians and biomedical scientists.

Dr. Ratliff's laboratory maintains a strong focus on the developmental origins of kidney disease, with particular emphasis on how maternal undernourishment impacts fetal development and subsequent adult disease susceptibility. His team utilizes sophisticated murine models to investigate the molecular pathways connecting early life events to later organ dysfunction, with special attention to oxidative stress mechanisms and inflammatory signaling cascades. The laboratory's work on HMGB1 signaling and stem cell therapies represents innovative approaches to understanding and potentially treating kidney damage.