معرفی
Maritza Romero Lucas is a Researcher at Augusta University's Medical College of Georgia, with appointments in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology and the Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine. She is based at the Vascular Biology Center, where she conducts translational research on vascular and metabolic complications of diabetes, renal diseases, and inflammatory lung injury.
Her research focuses on the interplay between arginase and nitric oxide synthase in diabetic vasculopathy, the role of GHRH receptor signaling in dyslipidemia and impaired incretin function in diabetes, and endothelial dysfunction in acute lung injury. She has published in high-impact journals such as PNAS and has contributed to understanding the therapeutic potential of GHRH antagonists like MIA-602 in type 1 diabetes.
The recent articles (2019–2024) highlight her work on endothelial sodium channels (ENaC), TNF signaling, oxidative stress, and vascular barrier integrity in diabetes and infectious lung injury. These studies span pulmonary, renal, and cardiovascular systems, emphasizing inflammatory mechanisms and therapeutic interventions. Her work combines in vivo models, molecular signaling, and translational applications.
Scientific Awards:
- Antagonizing GHRH Signaling as a Novel Approach Toward Dyslipidemia in Type 1 Diabetes, Pilot Study Research Program (PSRP00082), PI, Office of Vice-President for Research at Augusta University, 2015
Dr. Romero Lucas has extensive experience mentoring undergraduate and graduate students in laboratory techniques and scientific reasoning. She has served on PhD student evaluation panels and participated in teaching graduate courses such as VBIO8010 and VBIO8130. She has also been a member of the Pharmacology Research Graduate Symposium and served as a poster judge at the Annual Graduate Research Day.
She is actively involved in professional service as a reviewer for journals including European Journal of Pharmacology, Frontiers in Immunology, and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. Her collaborative work with Dr. Rudolf Lucas and Dr. Michael Madaio is supported by NIH/NIDDK and ADA grants, focusing on diabetic nephropathy and pulmonary complications in diabetes.
She is a member of the Vascular Biology Center research team, contributing to interdisciplinary studies on endothelial dysfunction, inflammation, and metabolic disease.
