Abbott, Stephen B.
Primary Appointment
Assistant Professor, Pharmacology
Education
- BS, Physiology, Psychology, University of Sydney
- PhD, Medicine, Macquarie University
- Post-Doc, University of Virginia
- Post-Doc, Sleep-wake systems, autonomic neurobiology, Harvard University
Contact Information
1340 Jefferson Park Ave.
Pinn Hall, Room 5228
Charlottesville, VA 22908
Telephone: 434- 924-5849
Fax: 434-982-3878
Email: sba6t@virginia.edu
Research Disciplines
Biotechnology, Cardiovascular Biology, Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Molecular Pharmacology, Neuroscience
Research Interests
Neurobiology of the cardiovascular and respiratory system
Research Description
The lab studies the neural systems that control the cardiovascular and respiratory system. Cardio-respiratory function is precisely tuned to ensure the delivery of oxygen and removal of carbon dioxide across a range of physiological states. In response to sensory feedback from the body, the brain modulates lung ventilation through breathing and tissue blood flow through autonomic modulation of the circulatory system to promote cardiorespiratory homeostasis. Breakdown of this system is the cause and symptom of cardiovascular and neurological disease, such as neurogenic hypertension and Parkinson’s disease. Our goal is to identify the neural networks required for the reflex-control of cardiovascular and respiratory function, and determine the role of these systems in the changes in breathing and autonomic function observed in natural contexts (arousal state changes, stress, exercise) and animal models of cardiovascular disease (neurogenic hypertension, acute intermittent hypoxia, diet induced obesity).