The Oliveira Lab, headed by Dr. Aline Oliveira, aims to investigate the role of brain on the development of pulmonary hypertension, a disease that leads to high blood pressure in the lungs. This is because one aspect of the disease involves modulating the body’s response to different situations, with the brain controlling these adaptations. In situations such as exercise, high altitude, or fear, the body prepares for the stress by activating the “fight-or-flight response” a response triggered by activation of the sympathetic nervous system that is controlled by the brain.
The lab is specifically looking into how the brain, and the immune system communicate and its impact on heart and lung function. They are seeking to understand the mechanisms leading to sustained activation of sympathetic activity that contributes to disease progression to guide us toward new strategies to protect brain, heart, and lung health. As part of the department’s research goals, the lab aims to integrate their findings with those of other primary faculty, however, the focus of the lab is on a disease without a cure which means they are seeking new therapeutic targets, including those in the brain, to complement or enhance current treatments.
In the future of their research, the Oliveira Lab aims to keep collaborating with clinicians and other scientists to validate the data and extend the current knowledge of the mechanisms involved. They would also like to develop a deeper understanding of the specific mechanisms whereby changes in the brain drive disease’s progression. Finally, the lab would like to expand the field’s perception of the brain’s role in pulmonary hypertension, moving away from the concept that this disease is restricted to the lungs.