Office Address

Henry Ford Hospital, E&R Bldg., 7015, 2799 W. Grand Blvd.

Position Title

Professor

Areas of Interest

Renal physiology: vasoactive hormones and blood pressure regulation; cardiovascular remodeling-normal & during hypertension; immunoinflammatory cells-hypertension

Narrative Bio

We are interested in the role of vasoactive hormones in the regulation of blood pressure and cardiovascular remodeling under normal conditions and during hypertension. Recently we have focused on an endogenous peptide known as Ac-seryl-aspartyl-lysyl-proline (Ac-SDKP), a natural inhibitor of cell proliferation that is widely distributed in the body. It is primarily destroyed by angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), and thus some of the beneficial effects of ACE inhibitors may be due to Ac-SDKP. We are investigating how this substance reduces cardiac and/or vascular scarring in vivo by studying the pharmacology and biochemistry of this molecule, its precursor (thymosin-?4), and its signal transduction cascades. Identifying, cloning and characterizing Ac-SDKP's receptor(s) is one of our main aims in this mega project.

In another project, we are studying how changes in the balance of the immuno-inflammatory cells (stemming from numerous factors, among them rheumatoid arthritis, influenza, asthma, allergies, gum disease, and inflammatory bowel disease) may be related to hypertension and hypertension-associated cardiovascular injury and dysfunction. We are particularly interested in characterizing the role of Th1, Th2 and Th17 cells in hypertension and target organ damage using available transgenic mice with and without adoptive transfer of particular T cells and that are subjected to different models of hypertension.

I will consider new MS and PhD students for the 2023-2024 academic year.

Publications

 A complete list of Dr. Rhaleb's publications can be found at PubMed-Rhaleb

Education

B.Sc., Microbiology, University of Sherbrooke, Canada 1982-1985 
M.Sc., Pharmacology, University of Sherbrooke, Canada 1985-1987 
Ph.D., Pharmacology, University of Sherbrooke, Canada 1988-1992 

Category Information

• role of vasoactive hormones in the regulation of blood pressure
• cardiovascular remodeling under normal conditions & during hypertension
• immuno-inflammatory cells-possible relation to hypertension & hypertension-associated cardiovascular injury and dysfunction

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