Biography
Dr. Naik begin his scientific career earning a Master’s degree in Exercise Physiology from the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee. This work focused on determining the cellular mechanisms mediating functional hyperemia in skeletal muscle. He continued to pursue his interest in cardiovascular physiology at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine, earning a PhD in Biomedical Sciences where he investigated the signaling pathway mediating vasodilation in response to heme oxygenase-derived carbon monoxide. Dr. Naik completed his postdoctoral training at the University of Mississippi School of Medicine where his research investigated the vascular dysfunction associated with obesity and metabolic syndrome. Dr. Naik joined the UNM SOM Department of Cell Biology and Physiology as a senior research scientist in 2011 and was promoted to the rank of assistant professor in 2017.
Personal Statement
I focus on understanding the cellular mechanisms by which endothelial and vascular smooth muscle cells communicate in order to regulated blood flow to meet the metabolic demands of body organs. My most recent work has focused on the role of endothelial-derived gaseous signaling molecules, carbon monoxide and hydrogen sulfide in endothelial-dependent dilation as well as the role of calcium microdomains in ion channel activation. This work was the first to demonstrate that H2S-induced vasodilation involves TRPV4 channels through the formation of Ca2+-sparklets and strengthens our previous observation that a novel endothelial Ca2+-activated large conductance calcium activated K+ channels participate in vasodilation in small mesenteric arteries.
Areas of Specialty
Cardiopulmonary physiology
Vascular biology
Endothelial biology
Plasma membrane cholesterol
Vascular smooth muscle biology
ion channels
Achievements & Awards
Regulation of H2S signaling in Vascular function (RO1, NIH: PI) 9/10/2022 - 6/30/2026
Vascular Smooth Muscle Function in Pulmonary Hypertension (NIH: Collaborator), 02/01/2013-04/30/2023
Dynamic Breath Gas Sensor (DBGS) for the Detection of Pulmonary Edema (NIH: collaborator), 3/1/2020 - 2/28/2021
Endothelial Cell Membrane cholesterol and TRPV4 channel function in Hypertension (CVMD: PI), 7/1/2019 - 6/30/2020
Detection of Ca2+ signaling microdomains in the intact endothelium (CVMD: PI), 7/1/2017 - 6/30/2018
Role of Ca2+-Sparks in the Pulmonary Vasculature (CVMD: PI), 7/1/2011 - 6/30/2012
Languages
- English
Research
Dr Naik’s research focuses on understanding the cellular mechanisms by which endothelial and vascular smooth muscle cells communicate in order to regulated blood flow to meet the metabolic demands of body organs. His most recent work has focused on the role of endothelial-derived gaseous signaling molecules, carbon monoxide and hydrogen sulfide in endothelial-dependent dilation as well as the role of calcium microdomains in ion channel activation. His work was the first to demonstrate that H2S-induced vasodilation involves TRPV4 channels through the formation of Ca2+-sparklets and strengthens our previous observation that a novel endothelial Ca2+-activated large conductance calcium activated K+ channels participate in vasodilation in small mesenteric arteries.
Courses Taught
Pulmonary Physiology Phase 1 Medical Curriculum
BIOM 510 - Physiology
BIOM 657 - Advanced Cellular and Systems Physiology
BIOM 659 - Seminar: Cardiovascular Biology
Research and Scholarship
Anderson JR, Morin EE, Brayer KJ, Salbato S, Gonzalez Bosc LV, Kanagy NL, Naik JS. Single-Cell Transcriptomic Heterogeneity Between Conduit and Resistance Mesenteric Arteries in Rats. Physiol Genomics. 2023 Mar 13. doi: 10.1152/physiolgenomics.00126.2022. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36912534.
Morin EE, Salbato S, Walker BR, Naik JS. Endothelial cell membrane cholesterol content regulates the contribution of TRPV4 channels in ACh-induced vasodilation in rat gracilis arteries. Microcirculation. 2022 Jul;29(4-5):e12774. doi: 10.1111/micc.12774. Epub 2022 Jun 21. PMID: 35689491.
Mendiola PJ, Naik JS, Gonzalez Bosc LV, Gardiner AS, Birg A, Kanagy NL. Hydrogen Sulfide Actions in the Vasculature. Compr Physiol. 2021 Sep 23;11(4):2467-2488. doi: 10.1002/cphy.c200036. PMID: 34558672.
Morales-Loredo H, Barrera A, Garcia JM, Pace CE, Naik JS, Gonzalez Bosc LV, Kanagy NL. Hydrogen sulfide regulation of renal and mesenteric blood flow. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2019 Nov 1;317(5):H1157-H1165. doi: 10.1152/ajpheart.00303.2019. Epub 2019 Oct 18. PMID: 31625777; PMCID: PMC6879921.
Naik JS, Walker BR. Endothelial-dependent dilation following chronic hypoxia involves TRPV4-mediated activation of endothelial BK channels. Pflugers Arch. 2018 Apr;470(4):633-648. doi: 10.1007/s00424-018-2112-5. Epub 2018 Jan 29. PMID: 29380056; PMCID: PMC5854740.