Dunaway, Luke
Primary Appointment
Assistant Professor of Research, Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics
Education
- BS, Biological Engineering, Mississippi State University
- PhD, Cell and Molecular Physiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham
Contact Information
Email: rkq4ch@virginia.edu
Research Disciplines
Cardiovascular Biology, Metabolism, Molecular Biology, Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics, Physiology
Research Interests
My research investigates how changes in iron regulates endothelial cell biology with a focus on how this impacts cardiovascular function iron deficiency anemia and chronic kidney disease.
Research Description
Iron deficiency is one of the most common nutritional problems worldwide and is linked to worse outcomes in heart failure and chronic kidney disease. My research focuses on how iron levels influence endothelial cells, which line the vasculature and play a key role in maintaining cardiovascular health. My work explores this by investigating how endothelial iron deficiency alters hemodynamics in iron deficiency anemia and how excess endothelial iron contributes to heart failure in chronic kidney disease. To explore these mechanisms, I use novel mouse models, 3D imaging of the microvasculature, bioinformatics, and in vivo measurements of vascular function. My goal is to uncover how endothelial iron regulates vascular biology to inform the development of new treatments and diagnostics for patients with anemia, heart failure, and kidney disease.