Noah Marcus, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Physiology and Pharmacology

Additional Roles
Associate Professor, Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine Program
Associate Professor, Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences Program
Associate Professor, Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences Program

Areas of Expertise

Autonomic Regulation, Cardiopulmonary Physiology, Cardiovascular Disease, Chemoreflexes, Integrative Physiology, Sleep Apnea, Vascular Physiology

About

Noah Marcus received his Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2010, where he worked with Barbara Morgan in the John Rankin Laboratory of Pulmonary Medicine. At UW his research focus was the neurocirculatory consequences of chronic intermittent hypoxia (a common experimental model of sleep apnea). He completed a post-doctoral fellowship from 2010-2015 with Harold Schultz at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in the department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology. His work there focused on identifying mechanisms underlying chemoreflex dysfunction in heart failure and its relationship to sleep disordered breathing and autonomic dysregulation. Dr. Marcus joined the department of Physiology and Pharmacology at Des Moines University Medicine and Health Sciences in June 2015. Dr. Marcus has focused his recent research on reflex control of cardiorenal function in heart failure and the potential of co-morbid sleep apnea to exacerbate cardiorenal pathophysiology. Other recent interests include identifying the role of sex steroid hormones in regulation of renal function in sleep apnea, and testing the potential therapeutic efficacy of remote ischemic conditioning in treatment of chronic cardio-metabolic diseases.

Education:
University of Nebraska Medical Center (post-doctoral fellowship)
University of Wisconsin-Madison (Ph.D.)
Colorado State University (M.S.)
California State University, Chico (B.S.)

Research

Regulation of Cardiovascular and Renal Physiology in Health and Disease

In a broad sense, my laboratory focuses on reflex regulation of cardiorespiratory and renal function in health and disease. My recent work has explored the contribution of aberrant cardiovascular reflex function (specifically the carotid body chemoreflex) to dysregulation of autonomic and renal function in heart failure. In addition, we have explored the potential of co-morbid sleep apnea to exacerbate the pathophysiology of heart failure. Currently, we are focused on the following projects:

Role of Sex Steroid Hormones in Regulation of Renal Function in Sleep Apnea
Hepatic Hemodynamics and Development of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Sleep Apnea
Potential Therapeutic Efficacy of Remote Ischemic Conditioning in Treatment of Chronic Cardio-Metabolic Diseases

To address these questions, surgical, genetic, and pharmacological interventions are employed in my laboratory to determine how enhanced neural stimulation of the kidney and liver, reduced organ perfusion, and hypoxemia may cause tissue injury and the subsequent development of fibrosis and organ dysfunction.

The projects described above provide an excellent opportunity for graduate and undergraduate students to engage in a robust program of physiology research that requires developing expertise in autonomic, cardiovascular, respiratory, renal, and hepatic function. I welcome inquiries from qualified undergraduate, graduate, and professional students who are interested in gaining research experience. Interested students should email a formal letter of introduction and a resume/c.v. to Noah.Marcus@dmu.edu.

Publications and Presentations

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A complete collection of my published work can be found here.

Kious KW, Philipose A, Kemble JP, Smith LJ, Twohey SCE, Savage K, Diaz H, Del Rio R, Marcus NJ. Peripheral Chemoreflex Modulation of Renal Hemodynamics and Renal Oxygenation in Chronic Heart Failure with Reduced Ejection Fraction. Front. Physiol. -Integrative Physiology. 2022. In press
Díaz HS, Toledo C, Andrade DC, Marcus NJ, Del Rio R. Neuroinflammation in heart failure: New insights for an old disease. J Physiol. 2020. Jan;598(1):33-59.
Del Rio R, Marcus NJ, Inestrosa N, Potential role of autonomic dysfunction in covid-19 morbidity and mortality. Front. Physiol. – Clinical and Translational Physiology. 2020 Oct 16; 11:561749.
Marcus NJ, Del Rio R, Ding Y, Schultz HD. KLF2 mediates enhanced chemoreflex sensitivity, disordered breathing, and autonomic dysregulation in heart failure. J Physiol. 2018; Aug; 596(15):3171-3185.
Toledo C, Andrade DC, Lucero C, Schultz HD, Marcus NJ, Retamal M, Madrid C, Del Rio R. Contribution of peripheral and central chemoreceptors to sympatho-excitation in heart failure; J Physiol. 2017 Jan 1;595(1):43-51.
Marcus NJ, Pügge C, Mediratta JK, Schiller AM, Del Rio R, Zucker IH, Schultz HD. Exercise training attenuates chemoreflex-mediated reductions of renal blood flow in heart failure. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2015;309(2):H259-H266.
Marcus NJ, Del Rio R, Schultz EP, Xia X, Schultz HD. Carotid body denervation improves autonomic and cardiac function and attenuates disordered breathing patterns in congestive heart failure. J Physiol. 2014;592(pt 2):391-408.

Noah Marcus, Ph.D.

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