[HM Membership Roster] [HM Meeting Rosters]

The Hypertension and Microcirculation [HM] Study Section reviews applications involving basic and applied aspects of cardiovascular regulation with focus on the physiology of blood pressure regulation, the pathogenesis of hypertension and the microcirculation.  It includes studies on cell surface receptors and signaling processes of various hormones, paracrine, and autocrine and their mechanisms of action as related to hypertension, neural-humoral control of circulation, regional hemodynamics, lymphatic circulation, and microcirculation. Specific areas covered by HM:

• Blood pressure regulation and systemic hypertension.  Studies may focus on various regulators of blood pressure including the kidneys, central or peripheral nervous and endocrine systems, and autocrine and paracrine factors. Studies involving surgical, drug or hormonal interventions of hypertension, environmental influences on blood pressure or end organ effects of hypertension.
• Neural mechanisms of cardiovascular regulation.  In particular, vertebrate animal studies of autonomic physiology involving all aspects of reflex arcs and central mechanisms including, physiology, pharmacology and receptor mechanisms.
• Molecular/cellular/biochemical/genetic studies of hypertension.  Genetic linkage and association studies, candidate gene analyses, or epigenetics in humans and animal models of genetic hypertension.  Generation of hypertension models by transgenic/knockout and gene expression analyses or gene transfer approaches in hypertension.
• Methodologies in the measurement and recording of blood pressure and regional measurements of blood flow including cerebral, splanchnic, skin, skeletal muscle, vasa vasorum, and renal vessels (excluding pulmonary circulation). 
• Microcirculatory and lymphatic functions. Studies on rheology, capillary pressure and fluid exchange and nutrient delivery, arteriole/vein/venule and endothelial cell function, vascular permeability, autoregulation, response to metabolism, blood-brain barrier, propulsion of lymph and lymphatic tone, and pathophysiological processes contributing to primary and secondary lymphedema.
• Microcirculatory biophysics and bioengineering. Studies may focus on mechanotransduction of microvascular wall, fluid dynamics and mechanics in the microcirculation, computational modeling and engineering of microvascular function and structure, structural adaptation and remodeling of the vascular system in hypertension, e.g., increased peripheral resistance and microvascular rarefaction, and microvascular injury related to hypertension.
  

Study sections with most closely related areas of similar science listed in rank order are:

Vascular Cell and Molecular Biology [VCMB] 
Clinical and Integrative Cardiovascular Sciences [CICS] 
Pathobiology of Kidney Disease [PBKD] 
Surgery, Anesthesiology, and Trauma [SAT] 
Bioengineering, Technology, and Surgical Sciences [BTSS]