Kurt J. Varner, PhD
Varner Laboratory
Graduate Students:
Kevin Lord
Sylvia Shenouda
Staff:
Megan Pollman
Elizabeth McIlwain
Research interests
Research interests involve determining the mechanisms by which oxidative stress produces cardiac dysfunction. There are currently 2 major areas of research interest in my laboratory. 1) Our major project involves the examination and characterization of the cardiac, cardiovascular, cardiovascular reflex and sympathetic nerve responses elicited by the acute and chronic administration of sympathomimetic stimulants. Biochemical, molecular biological and proteomic approaches are being used to identify the mechanisms underlying stimulant induced cardiac dysfunction. 2) We have also recently begun to characterize the effects of aerosolized air pollutants (ultra fine particles) on cardiac function. These studies are addressing the hypothesis that these particles produce cardiac toxicity by increasing oxidative stress in the heart. In addition, I am the director of the Cardiovascular Function Core Facility in the Department of Pharmacology at LSUHSC.
Selected publications:
Hicks, A.R., Kaupsta, D.R. and Varner, K.J. Mechanisms underlying the sympathomimetic cardiovascular responses elicited by γ-hydroxybutyrate. J. Cardiovasc. Pharm. 44:1-8, 2004.
Gerak, L.R., Hicks, A.R., Winasuer, P.J. and Varner, K.J. Interaction between 1, 4-butanediol and ethanol on operant responding and the cardiovascular system. Eur. J. Pharm. 506:75-82, 2004.
Gottlieb, H.B., Varner, K.J., Cabral, A.M. and Kapusta, D.R. Differential cardiovascular and renal responses produced by microinjection of the {kappa}-opioid U-50488H [(trans-3,4-dichloro-N-methyl-N-[2-(1-pyrrolidinyl)cyclohexyl]-benzene-acetamide) methane sulfonate] into subregions of the paraventricular nucleus. J. Pharm.Exp.Ther. 312:678-685, 2005.
Liles, J.T., Dabisch, P.A., Hude, K.E., Pradhan, L., Varner, K.J., Porter, J.R., Hicks, A.R., Correll, C., Baber, S.R. and Kadowitz, P.J. Pressor responses to ephedrine are mediated by a direct mechanism in the rat. J. Pharm. Exp. Ther. 316:95-105, 2006.
Cardiovascular Function Core
Dr. Varner is also the director of the Cardiovascular Function Core Facility in the Department of Pharmacology. This core facility is funded in part by the COBRE grant (P20-RR018766) directed by awarded to Drs. Daniel Kapusta and Pamela Lucchesi. This core facility was established to provide in vivo models to study cardiovascular function. The following techniques are routinely used in our facility.