معرفی
Lisa A. Cassis serves as Vice President of Research and Professor of Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences at the University of Kentucky. She holds multiple leadership positions including Co-Director of the Division of Nutritional Sciences and Graduate Faculty in Nutritional Sciences. Dr. Cassis is affiliated with several research centers including the Saha Cardiovascular Research Center, Saha Aortic Center, and serves as an MD/PhD Program Mentor.
Dr. Cassis's research program has focused for over three decades on the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) in metabolic and cardiovascular diseases. Her laboratory made the seminal discovery in 1988 that adipocytes express high levels of angiotensinogen, establishing the concept of an adipocyte RAS. In 1999, in collaboration with Dr. Alan Daugherty, her team demonstrated that infusion of angiotensin II to hyperlipidemic mice increases atherosclerosis and causes abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs), with their 2000 publication in The Journal of Clinical Investigation becoming highly influential (over 500 citations). Current research emphasizes mechanisms for sex differences in AAA formation and PCB-induced diabetes, particularly examining adipocyte aryl hydrocarbon receptors as mediators of inflammation and insulin resistance. Her work has been continuously NIH-funded since 1988.
Analysis of Dr. Cassis's recent publications reveals a strong focus on sex differences in vascular pathologies, particularly abdominal aortic aneurysms. Her research integrates molecular mechanisms with physiological outcomes, emphasizing adipose tissue's role in cardiovascular disease. Recent work explores novel therapeutic targets including serotonin receptors and mitochondrial dynamics in aortic disease progression. The publications demonstrate a progression from foundational mechanistic work to translational applications, with increasing use of advanced techniques like single-cell transcriptomics.
- 1986 National Research Service Award Postdoctoral Fellowship
- 1991 IBM Supercomputer Competition, First Place
- 1992 Research Career Development Award, NIHLBI
- 2012 Women's Mentor of the Year, Council on Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology, American Heart Association
- 2012 Mentor of the year, Center for Clinical and Translational Sciences, University of Kentucky
- 2012 Council for High Blood Pressure Research Harriett Dustan Award for Excellence in Hypertension Research
Dr. Cassis has extensive experience administering major research programs including Director of a multidisciplinary graduate center focused on nutritional scientists, Chair of the Department of Nutritional Sciences, Chair of the Department of Molecular and Biomedical Pharmacology, Director of an NIH T32 on Nutrition and Oxidative Stress, and Director of the Phase II NIH Center of Biomedical Research Excellence on Obesity and Cardiovascular Diseases (COCVD). She has served in numerous leadership roles including as Project Director of a University of Kentucky Superfund Basic Science Research Program focused on polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).
Dr. Cassis leads the Saha Cardiovascular Research Center and Saha Aortic Center at the University of Kentucky, where her laboratory investigates the intersection of metabolic and cardiovascular diseases. Her team combines molecular, cellular, and physiological approaches to study sex differences in vascular pathologies, with particular emphasis on abdominal aortic aneurysms and the role of adipose tissue in cardiovascular disease.
