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Jeremy Sandgren

Mentor: Justin Grobe, PhD

Graduate Program: Pharmacology | Medical Scientist Training Program

Year Entered Into Program: 2012 (MSTP) 2014 (PhD Program)

PhD Institution: University of Iowa, 2019 (MD, PhD)

Affiliations:

  • Department of Pharmacology
  • Medical Scientist Training Program

Research Description

Evaluating the role of vasopressin in preeclampsia

Preeclampsia is a life-threatening condition of late pregnancy characterized by hypertension, proteinuria, kidney dysfunction, preterm labor, and seizures. Currently, there is no effective way to screen for preeclampsia before the second trimester of pregnancy, likely related to the lack of understanding surrounding the mechanisms and etiology of the disease. However, our group has recently discovered a significant relationship between increased vasopressin (AVP) during the first trimester and onset of preeclampsia. Furthermore, mouse studies have shown that AVP infusion in pregnant mice recapitulate the effects of preeclampsia. My studies will aim to 1) identify the target tissues and receptors of AVP during pregnancy using specific AVP receptor antagonists, 2) determine the effect of AVP on vascular function during pregnancy, and 3) begin to identify possible upstream mediators of AVP elevation during preeclampsia.

Awards

  • Water and Electrolyte Homeostasis Section Portland Press Predoctoral Research Recognation Award, 2017
  • Ranbir K. Bhatnagar Scholar Award, Department of Pharmacology, University of Iowa, 2017
  • American Heart Association, Midwest Affiliate Predoctoral Fellowship, 2016-2018
  • Data Diuresis Presenter for Water and Electrolyte Homeostasis Section, EB Conference, 2015
  • Fellowship appointment on the Pharmacological Sciences Training Program (NIH T32 GM067795), University of Iowa, 2014-2016
  • Fellowship appointment on the Medical Scienntist Training Program (NIH T32 GM007337), University of Iowa, 2012-2014
  • Research Excellence in Internal Medicine, 2012 Medical Student Research Day, 2012

Publications

  1. Santillan MK, Santillan DA, Scroggins SM, Min JY, Sandgren JA, Pearson NA, Leslie KK, Hunter SK, Zamba GKD, Gibson-Corley KN, Grobe JL.:  Vasopressin in Preeclampsia:  A Novel Very-Early Human Pregnancy Biomarker and Clinically-Relevant Mouse Model.  Hypertension 64(4):852-859, 2014.  PMCID: PMC4162750
  2. Sandgren JA, Scroggins SM, Santillan DA, Devor EJ, Gibson-Corley KN, Pierce GL, Sigmund CD, Santillan MK, Grobe JL:  Vasopressin: The Missing Link in Preeclampsia? Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 309(9):R1062-4, 2015.  PMCID: PMC4666952
  3. Sandgren JA, Santillan MK, Grobe JL.:  Breaking a Mother's Heart: Circulating Antiangiogenic Factors and Hypertension During Pregnancy Correlate With Specific Cardiac Dysfunctions. Hypertension 67(6):1119-20, 2016.  PMCID: PMC4865412
  4. Claflin KE, Sandgren JA, Lambertz AM, Weidemann BJ, Littlejohn NK, Burnett CML, Pearson NA, Morgan DA, Gibson-Corley KN, Rahmouni K and Grobe JL.:   Angiotensin AT1A receptors on leptin receptor-expressing cells control resting metabolism. J Clin Invest. 127(4):1414-1424, 2017.  PMCID: PMC5373887
  5. Sandgren J, Scholz TD, Segar JL:. Angiotensin II Modulation of Cardiac Growth and Remodeling in Immature Fetal Sheep. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 308(11):R965-72, 2015.  PMCID: PMC44513
  6. Sandgren, J.A., Linggonegoro, D.W., Zhang, S.Y., Sapouckey, S.A., Claflin, K.E., Pearson, N.A., Leidinger, M.R., Pierce, G.L., Santillan, M.K., Gibson-Corley, K.N., Sigmund, C.D., Grobe, J.L.:  Angiotensin AT1A receptors expressed in vasopressin-producing cells of the supraoptic nucleus contribute to osmotic control of vasopressin.  Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 314(6):R770-R780, 2018.  PMCID: PMC6032302
  7. Sandgren, J.A., Deng, G., Linggonegoro, D.W., Scroggins, S.M., Perschbacher, K.J., Nair, A.R., Nishimura, R.E., Zhang, S.Y., Agbor, L.N., Wu, J., Keen, H.L., Naber, M.C., Pearson, N.A., Zimmerman, K.A., Weiss, R.M., Bowdler, N.C., Usachev, Y.M., Santillan, D.A., Potthoff, M.J., Pierce, G.L., Gibson-Corley, K.N., Sigmund, C.D., Santillan, M.K., Grobe, J.L.:  Arginine vasopressin infusion is sufficient to model preeclampsia in mice.  JCI: Insight. 3(19):pii:99403, 2018. PMID: 30282823. 

Research