Maria Alicia Carrillo Sepulveda specializes in vasculo-metabolic physiology. Sepulveda received her B.S in Nursing from the University State of Campinas (UNICAMP, Brazil), and her Specialization in Cardiology from the Heart Institute at the University of Sao Paulo (Brazil). After 4 years in clinical practice, Sepulveda transitioned to a scientific career and received her Ph.D from the University of Sao Paulo (Brazil) where she investigated the mechanisms by which thyroid hormones affect vascular function. Sepulveda obtained a total of 5 years post-doctoral training in hypertension from Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine at the University of Iowa (USA) and in vascular physiology from the Medical College of Georgia (USA), where she developed an expertise in cardiovascular physiology and pharmacology.
While transitioning to Assistant Professor at NYITCOM in 2015, Sepulveda established an independent research program in vascular physiology and metabolism. Sepulveda’s lab focuses on understanding mechanisms by which metabolic disorders such as obesity and diabetes alter key molecular mediators that are essential for maintaining vascular integrity. Sepulveda’s group has recently identified that lysine acetylation, a posttranslational modification (PTM), is linked to obesity-induced vascular dysfunction, and that perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT) undergoes phenotypic modulation during obesity and weight loss conditions, resulting in changes on vascular function. Moreover, in collaboration with a research group under the leadership of Martin Gerdes, Ph.D., her lab has investigated how thyroid hormones can directly modulate vascular function.
Sepulveda’s laboratory utilizes pre-clinical mice models of obesity and diabetes, as well as knock-in mice models, and utilizes an integrative in vitro (vascular primary cells), ex vivo (vascular preparations for functional studies) and in vivo (hemodynamic parameter measurements in mice) approaches. Trainees in the lab receive extensive training ranging from molecular and cellular biology to integrated cardiovascular physiology.
Active Projects and Research
- Sex Differences in Western Diet-induced Obesity and Hypertension.
- The Role of Posttranslational Modifications (PTMs) in the Vasculature from Diabetic and Obese Mice Models.
- Thyroid Hormones Effects in the Vascular System.
- Perivascular Adipose Tissue (PVAT) Phenotypic Modulation during Obesity and Weight Loss Conditions and Its Effects on Vascular Function.
Recent Projects and Research
- 09/15/2018 – 08/31/2019: R56HL131547 (Savinova) NIH National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Tissue-nonspecific Alkaline Phosphatase (TNAP) Induced Vascular Calcification and Atherosclerosis.
- 07/14/2017 – 07/14/2018: Cardiovascular Disease Fellowship from American Heart Association (Sepulveda & Kramer) - Long-Term Exposure to Western Diet Increases Vascular Levels of Lysine Acetylation: A Potential Key Marker of Endothelial Dysfunction.
- 09/01/2015 – 09/01/2016: In-House NYIT Grant (Sepulveda) – Thyroid Hormone and Endothelial Dysfunction in Type 2 Diabetes.
Publications
- Carrillo-Sepulveda MA, Spitler K, Pandey D, Berkowitz D, Matsumoto T. Inhibition of TLR4 attenuates vascular dysfunction and oxidative stress in diabetic rats. Journal of Molecular Medicine. 2015 July.
- Carrillo-Sepulveda MA, Keen HL, Davis DR, Grobe JL, Sigmund CD. Role of vascular smooth muscle PPARy in regulating AT1 receptor signaling and angiotensin II-dependent hypertension. PlosOne. 2014 August.
- Hardigan T, Spitler K, Matsumoto T, Carrillo-Sepulveda MA. Activation of Toll-like receptor 3 increases mouse aortic vascular smooth muscle cell contractility through ERK1/2 pathway. Pflugers Arch European Journal of Physiology. 2015 March.
- Gerdes AM, Carrillo-Sepulveda MA. Thyroid Hormone: A Therapy for Diabetic Vascular Complications? Thyroid Disorders & Therapy. 2015 January.
- Carrillo-Sepulveda MA, Matsumoto T, Nunes KP, Webb RC. Dysregulated G protein-coupled receptors in diabetes-associated vasculopathy. Acta Physiologica. 2014 March.
View a complete list of publications
Honors and Awards
- Recognition Award for a Young Investigator from American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics and Experimental Biology, 2014
- Council New Investigator Travel Award from High Blood Pressure Research-American Heart Association, 2013
- Post-Doctoral Fellowship from American Heart Association, 2012
- Kidney Council New Investigator Travel Award from High Blood Pressure Research-American Heart Association, 2011
- Recognition Award for Meritorious Research by a Young Investigator from the American Physiological Society Cardiovascular Section and Experimental Biology, 2011
Courses Taught at New York Tech
- Cardiovascular Physiology
- Gastrointestinal Physiology
- Endocrine Pancreas