Natalie R. Bauer

Natalie R. Bauer, Ph.D., serves as Associate Professor with Tenure in the Department of Pharmacology at the University of South Alabama's Frederick P. Whiddon College of Medicine. She concurrently holds the administrative position of Assistant Dean for Admissions for the College of Medicine.

Dr. Bauer specializes in pulmonary vascular disease research with a critical focus on pulmonary hypertension (PH), where average post-diagnosis survival is only 5 years. Her laboratory pioneered the discovery that extracellular vesicles (EVs) circulating in PH induce inflammatory molecules on pulmonary endothelial cells, driving disease progression. Current work centers on cAMP-enriched EVs as therapeutic agents to reverse endothelial dysfunction and improve PH outcomes through targeted vascular repair mechanisms.

Analysis of her publication record reveals consistent emphasis on EV biology across diverse contexts - from bacterial membrane vesicles to human pulmonary vascular applications. Her research trajectory demonstrates increasing translational focus, evolving from fundamental EV mechanisms toward engineered EV drug delivery systems for PH therapy.

Dr. Bauer maintains active leadership in academic medicine through service as former Gastrointestinal Module Director and Signal Transduction Course Director. Her collaborative work includes significant contributions to workforce development initiatives for basic scientists in clinical departments.