Richard J. Roman, Ph.D.
Professor & Chair, Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology
RRoman@pharmacology.umsmed.edu
R418
(601) 984-1602
Research Interests
Cardiovascular Physiology
Renal Physiology
Genetics & Genomics
Current Research
My laboratory is interested in the role of the kidney in hypertension and the mechanisms underlying hypertension and diabetic nephropathy. We use an array of techniques including micropuncture, tubular perfusion, intracellular imaging, immunohistochemistry, molecular biology, laser Doppler flowmetry, mass spectroscopy and long term studies in animal models. Currently we are working on projects: 1) to identify genes on chromosome 13 and 5 that protect against the development of hypertension and hypertension induced renal disease in Dahl S rats, 2) to identify a gene on chromosome 1 that regulates renal blood flow and contributes to the development of glomerular disease in Fawn Hooded Hypertensive rats, 3) to identify genes on chromosome 5 and 7 that contribute to the progression of diabetic nephropathy in GK rats, 4) to study the role of cytochrome P450 metabolites of arachidonic acid in the control of tubular sodium transport and the development of hypertension, and 5) to study the mechanism by which hypertension and diabetes increase the renal formation of transforming growth factor beta in the kidney which plays a major role in the development of proteinuria and renal fibrosis.
Selected Publications
Research Articles:
Park F, Sweeney WE Jr, Jia G, Akbulut T, Mueller B, Falck JR, Birudaraju S, Roman RJ, Avner ED. Chronic blockade of 20-HETE synthesis reduces polycystic kidney disease in an orthologous rat model of ARPKD. Am J Physiol Renal Physiol. 2009 Mar;296(3):F575-82. Epub 2009 Jan 7. PubMed PMID: 19129252; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC2660198 
Koehler RC, Roman RJ, Harder DR. Astrocytes and the regulation of cerebral blood flow. Trends Neurosci. 2009 Mar;32(3):160-9. Epub 2009 Jan 21. Review.PubMed PMID: 19162338.
Wang J, Schmidt JR, Roman RJ, Anjaiah S, Falck JR, Lombard JH. Modulation of vascular O2 responses by cytochrome 450-4A omega-hydroxylase metabolites in Dahl salt-sensitive rats. Microcirculation. 2009 May;16(4):345-54. Epub 2009 Feb 16. PubMed PMID: 19225982; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC2672112
Cao S, Wang LC, Kwansa H, Roman RJ, Harder DR, Koehler RC. Endothelin rather than 20-HETE contributes to loss of pial arteriolar dilation during focal cerebral ischemia with and without polymeric hemoglobin transfusion. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 2009 May;296(5):R1412-8. Epub 2009 Mar 4. PubMed PMID: 19261918; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC2689832.
Wiessner JH, Garrett MR, Roman RJ, Mandel NS. Dissecting the genetic basis of kidney tubule response to hyperoxaluria using chromosome substitution strains. Am J Physiol Renal Physiol. 2009 Aug;297(2):F301-6. Epub 2009 Jun 3. PubMed PMID: 19493966; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC2724241. 
Stadnicka A, Contney SJ, Moreno C, Weihrauch D, Bosnjak ZJ, Roman RJ, Stekiel TA. Mechanism of differential cardiovascular response to propofol in Dahl salt-sensitive, Brown Norway, and chromosome 13-substituted consomic rat strains: role of large conductance Ca2+ and voltage-activated potassium channels. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 2009 Sep;330(3):727-35. Epub 2009 Jun 18. PubMed PMID: 19541907; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC2729794.
Akbulut T, Regner KR, Roman RJ, Avner ED, Falck JR, Park F. 20-HETE activates the Raf/MEK/ERK pathway in renal epithelial cells through an EGFR- and c-Src-dependent mechanism. Am J Physiol Renal Physiol. 2009 Sep;297(3):F662-70. Epub 2009 Jul 1. PubMed PMID: 19570883; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC2739708.
Biosketch