David J Durgan, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor

Email

durgan@bcm.edu

Positions

Assistant Professor: Integrative Physiology & Anesthesiology
Baylor College of Medicine
Houston, TX, US

Addresses

BCM-315B (Office): Houston, TX, 77030
United States

BCM 307/315B (Lab): Houston, TX, 77030
United States

Education

PhD from University of Alabama at Birmingham: 12/2011 - Birmingham, AL

MS from California Polytechnic State University: 03/2005 - San Luis Obispo, CA

BS from University of Wyoming: 06/2000 - Laramie, WY

Professional Interests

Role of the gut microbiota in cardiovascular disease

Professional Statement

Ongoing research in my laboratory is focused on the role of the gut microbiota in cardiovascular diseases. We are particularly interested in how these bacteria residing in the gut influence host blood pressure. We have shown that disrupting the bacterial population in the gut leads to hypertension, and that various methods to normalize gut bacteria can be therapeutic. Using rodent models, in vitro assay, and muli-omics approaches we are working to understand the mechanisms of communication between the gut microbiota and host that are involved in blood pressure regulation.

Websites

VIICTR Publications List

Selected Publications

Shi H, Zhang B, Abo-Hamzy T, Nelson JW, Ambati CSR, Petrosino JF, Bryan RM Jr, Durgan DJ.. " Restructuring the Gut Microbiota by Intermittent Fasting Lowers Blood Pressure " Circ Res. 2021 ;
Pubmed PMID: 33596669.
Nelson JW, Phillips SC, Ganesh BP, Petrosino JF, Durgan DJ, Bryan RM. " The gut microbiome contributes to blood-brain barrier disruption in spontaneously hypertensive stroke prone rats. " FASEB J. 2021 Feb ;
Pubmed PMID: 33496989.
Durgan DJ, Lee J, McCullough LD, Bryan RM Jr.. " Examining the Role of the Microbiota-Gut-Brain Axis in Stroke. " Stroke. 2019 Aug ;
Pubmed PMID: 31272315.
Ganesh BP, Nelson JW, Eskew JR, Ganesan A, Ajami NJ, Petrosino JF, Bryan RM Jr, Durgan DJ.. " Prebiotics, Probiotics, and Acetate Supplementation Prevent Hypertension in a Model of Obstructive Sleep Apnea. " Hypertension. 2018 Nov ;
Pubmed PMID: 30354816.
Durgan DJ. " Obstructive Sleep Apnea-Induced Hypertension: Role of the Gut Microbiota " Hypertens Rep.. 2017 ;
Pubmed PMID: 28365886.
Adnan,S.;Nelson,J.W.;Ajami,N.J.;Venna,V.R.;Petrosino,J.F.;Bryan,R.M.,Jr;Durgan,D.J.;. " Alterations in the gut microbiota can elicit hypertension in rats. " Physiol Genomics.. 2016 ;
Pubmed PMID: 28011881.
Durgan DJ, Ganesh BP, Cope JL, Ajami NJ, Phillips SC, Petrosino JF, Hollister EB, Bryan RM. " Role of the Gut Microbiome in Obstructive Sleep Apnea-Induced Hypertension. " Hypertension. 2016 ;
Pubmed PMID: 26711739.
Durgan DJ, Crossland RF, Bryan RM.. " The rat cerebral vasculature exhibits time-of-day-dependent oscillations in circadian clock genes and vascular function that are attenuated following obstructive sleep apnea. " J Cereb Blood Flow Metab.. 2016 ;
Pubmed PMID: 27798273.
Lloyd EE, Durgan DJ, Martini SR, Bryan RM.. " Pathological effects of obstructive apneas during the sleep cycle in an animal model of cerebral small vessel disease. " Hypertension. 2015 ;
Pubmed PMID: 26259594.
Durgan DJ, Crossland RF, Lloyd EE, Phillips SC, Bryan RM.. " Increased cerebrovascular sensitivity to endothelin-1 in a rat model of obstructive sleep apnea: a role for endothelin receptor B. " J Cereb Blood Flow Metab. 2015 ;
Pubmed PMID: 25425077.
Crossland RF, Durgan DJ, Lloyd EE, Phillips SC, Reddy AK, Marrelli SP, Bryan RM.. " A new rodent model for obstructive sleep apnea: effects on ATP-mediated dilations in cerebral arteries. " Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol.. 2013 ;
Pubmed PMID: 23761641.
Durgan DJ, Bryan RM. " Cerebrovascular consequences of obstructive sleep apnea. " J Am Heart Assoc.. 2012 ;
Pubmed PMID: 23130152.
Durgan DJ, Pat BM, Laczy B, Bradley JA, Tsai JY, Grenett MH, Ratcliffe WF, Brewer RA, Nagendran J, Villegas-Montoya C, Zou C, Zou L, Johnson RL, Dyck JR, Bray MS, Gamble KL, Chatham JC, Young ME.. " O-GlcNAcylation, novel post-translational modification linking myocardial metabolism and cardiomyocyte circadian clock. " J Biol Chem.. 2011 ;
Pubmed PMID: 22069332.
Durgan DJ, Tsai JY, Grenett MH, Pat BM, Ratcliffe WF, Villegas-Montoya C, Garvey ME, Nagendran J, Dyck JR, Bray MS, Gamble KL, Gimble JM, Young ME. " Evidence suggesting that the cardiomyocyte circadian clock modulates responsiveness of the heart to hypertrophic stimuli in mice. " Chronobiol Int.. 2011 ;
Pubmed PMID: 21452915.
Durgan DJ, Young ME. " The cardiomyocyte circadian clock: emerging roles in health and disease. " Circ Res.. 2010 ;
Pubmed PMID: 20203314.
Durgan DJ, Pulinilkunnil T, Villegas-Montoya C, Garvey ME, Frangogiannis NG, Michael LH, Chow CW, Dyck JR, Young ME. " Short communication: ischemia/reperfusion tolerance is time-of-day-dependent: mediation by the cardiomyocyte circadian clock. " Circ Res.. 2010 ;
Pubmed PMID: 20007913.
Tsai JY, Kienesberger PC, Pulinilkunnil T, Sailors MH, Durgan DJ, Villegas-Montoya C, Jahoor A, Gonzalez R, Garvey ME, Boland B, Blasier Z, McElfresh TA, Nannegari V, Chow CW, Heird WC, Chandler MP, Dyck JR, Bray MS, Young ME.. " Direct regulation of myocardial triglyceride metabolism by the cardiomyocyte circadian clock. " J Biol Chem.. 2010 ;
Pubmed PMID: 19940111.
Lockridge JB, Sailors ML, Durgan DJ, Egbejimi O, Jeong WJ, Bray MS, Stanley WC, Young ME.. " Bioinformatic profiling of the transcriptional response of adult rat cardiomyocytes to distinct fatty acids. " J Lipid Res.. 2008 ;
Pubmed PMID: 18387886.
Durgan DJ, Young ME.. " Linking the cardiomyocyte circadian clock to myocardial metabolism. " Cardiovasc Drugs Ther.. 2008 ;
Pubmed PMID: 18274886.
Bray MS, Shaw CA, Moore MW, Garcia RA, Zanquetta MM, Durgan DJ, Jeong WJ, Tsai JY, Bugger H, Zhang D, Rohrwasser A, Rennison JH, Dyck JR, Litwin SE, Hardin PE, Chow CW, Chandler MP, Abel ED, Young ME. " Disruption of the circadian clock within the cardiomyocyte influences myocardial contractile function, metabolism, and gene expression. " Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol.. 2008 ;
Pubmed PMID: 18156197.
Kung TA, Egbejimi O, Cui J, Ha NP, Durgan DJ, Essop MF, Bray MS, Shaw CA, Hardin PE, Stanley WC, Young ME.. " Rapid attenuation of circadian clock gene oscillations in the rat heart following ischemia-reperfusion. " J Mol Cell Cardiol.. 2007 ;
Pubmed PMID: 17959196.
Durgan DJ, Moore MW, Ha NP, Egbejimi O, Fields A, Mbawuike U, Egbejimi A, Shaw CA, Bray MS, Nannegari V, Hickson-Bick DL, Heird WC, Dyck JR, Chandler MP, Young ME.. " Circadian rhythms in myocardial metabolism and contractile function: influence of workload and oleate. " Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol.. 2007 ;
Pubmed PMID: 17616739.
Durgan DJ, Trexler NA, Egbejimi O, McElfresh TA, Suk HY, Petterson LE, Shaw CA, Hardin PE, Bray MS, Chandler MP, Chow CW, Young ME. " The circadian clock within the cardiomyocyte is essential for responsiveness of the heart to fatty acids. " J Biol Chem.. 2006 ;
Pubmed PMID: 16798731.
Durgan DJ, Smith JK, Hotze MA, Egbejimi O, Cuthbert KD, Zaha VG, Dyck JR, Abel ED, Young ME.. " Distinct transcriptional regulation of long-chain acyl-CoA synthetase isoforms and cytosolic thioesterase 1 in the rodent heart by fatty acids and insulin. " Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol.. 2006 ;
Pubmed PMID: 16428347.
Durgan DJ, Hotze MA, Tomlin TM, Egbejimi O, Graveleau C, Abel ED, Shaw CA, Bray MS, Hardin PE, Young ME.. " The intrinsic circadian clock within the cardiomyocyte. " Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol.. 2005 ;
Pubmed PMID: 15937094.

Memberships

American Heart Association

American Physiological Society

Texas Medical Center Digestive Disease Center