معرفی
Dr. Megan A. Rizzo serves as Associate Professor in the Department of Pharmacology & Physiology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, where her research integrates cell signaling, diabetes pathophysiology, and optical biosensor development. Her laboratory, situated in downtown Baltimore near the Inner Harbor, pioneers advanced imaging techniques to investigate molecular mechanisms underlying metabolic and cardiovascular diseases.
Her educational foundation includes a PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Pittsburgh (2000) and a BA from Canisius College (1996), followed by postdoctoral training at Vanderbilt University. This background established her expertise in fluorescent protein engineering and live-cell imaging methodologies.
Dr. Rizzo's research centers on glucokinase regulation in pancreatic beta cells, vascular smooth muscle contraction, and biosensor development. Her lab employs FRET-based probes and genetically engineered mice to study calcium-dependent signaling in diabetes and hypertension, with recent work focusing on RhoA/ROCK pathways during collective cell migration and metabolic coordination in islet cells. She has developed optimized fluorescent proteins like mCerulean3 for enhanced live-cell imaging.
Analysis of her 2020-2024 publications reveals dominant themes in calcium-dependent Rho-kinase activation, gap junction-mediated metabolic coordination, and standardized 3D microscopy metadata. Her work bridges fundamental cell biology with translational applications through innovative biosensor platforms.
Dr. Rizzo directs an active research program funded by multiple NIH grants including R01DK077140 (Regulatory Mechanisms of Insulin Secretion), R01HL122827 (Optical Biosensor Mice for Vascular Studies), R01MH111527 (BRAIN Initiative), and R21OD018315 (RhoA Sensor Development). Her laboratory trains graduate students and postdoctoral fellows in advanced imaging techniques and molecular physiology.
The Rizzo Lab maintains a multidisciplinary team focused on developing optical biosensors for in vivo applications, with strong collaborations across the School of Medicine in diabetes, cardiovascular research, and neuroscience. Their work on arterial calcium dynamics in conscious mice represents a significant methodological advancement for longitudinal vascular studies.
