People
Ana Omoto, PhD
 | Assistant Professor |
Areas of expertise
- General: Cardiovascular and integrative physiology
- Specific: Mechanisms involved in the pathophysiology of myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury and therapeutic strategies; central nervous system control of cardiovascular function; leptin-melancortin system; interorgan crosstalk.
Research methods and techniques
Cardiovascular disease models in rodents; chronic instrumentation for long-term cardiovascular studies in rodents; cardiac function evaluation by echocardiography and ventricular pressure methods; molecular biology techniques (e.g. western blot, RT-qPCR and immunofluorescence); techniques for mitochondrial function studies; histopathological evaluation of cardiac tissue; cell culture; extracellular vesicles isolation and characterization.
Research Interests: Integrative Approaches to Cardiovascular Disease: Targeting Central Nervous System Pathways and Interorgan Communication to Improve Heart Function and Metabolims
Research Description: A major focus of my research program is to elucidate the role of brown adipose tissue (BAT)-derived extracellular vesicles in mediating the cardioprotective effects of the leptin/melanocortin 4 receptor (MC4R) signaling pathway. Obesity is a well-established risk factor for ischemic heart disease, and emerging evidence suggests that targeting central energy-regulating pathways can yield systemic benefits beyond weight management. Given that MC4R agonists have already been approved by the FDA for the treatment of rare genetic forms of obesity, my studies aim to generate critical pre-clinical data on the potential repurposing of these agents to improve cardiac outcomes in obese patients. By investigating the molecular mechanisms by which BAT-derived extracellular vesicles contribute to interorgan communication and cardiac repair, my research seeks to identify novel therapeutic strategies that enhance heart function and metabolic health in the context of obesity and ischemic injury.