Michael S. Wolin, Ph.D., studied the regulation of soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) as a postdoctoral fellow with Lou Ignarro at Tulane. His studies contributed to elucidating aspects of multiple mechanisms (nitric oxide (NO), heme, porphyrins, carbon radicals, etc.) involved in the stimulation of cGMP production by sGC, and how cGMP signaling could be regulated by endothelium-derived relaxing factors (EDRF) which directly contributed to Dr. Ignarro receiving the 1998 Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine for identifying NO as an EDRF. At NYMC our NIH funded lab initially focused on determining if hydrogen peroxide was a cGMP stimulating EDRF in bovine pulmonary arteries (BPA). Dr. Wolin's lab found in BPA that peroxide from a microsomal cytochrome b558-containing NAD(P)H oxidase (Nox4) was functioning as an oxygen sensing mechanism to cause hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction by hypoxia-inhibiting peroxide generation and peroxide stimulation of cGMP relaxation. Their approach over time has been to develop an understanding of how rather poorly understood cellular regulatory systems (e.g. mitochondrial function, oxidases, ROS metabolizing enzymes, cellular redox control systems and iron & heme metabolism) functioned in the context of how they were potentially regulating other systems to elucidate how signaling systems participate in physiological processes, and responses to pathophysiological conditions and therapies to treat these conditions. Collaborative studies at NYMC on NO & cytosolic and mitochondrial oxidant signaling mechanisms and antioxidant-type and stem cell therapies in aging and multiple disease models, including pulmonary & systemic hypertension, heart failure, metabolic diseases, gender differences and complications of pregnancies have helped us demonstrate the importance of multiple regulatory mechanisms in disease processes. Thus, they had substantial experience in sorting out what initially appear to be complex interactions between ROS, metabolic redox processes, and mitochondrial dysfunction that could be important factors in defining how pathophysiological processes are critical in biology and therapeutic targeting of these processes.

Education

• B.A., Chemistry, Binghamton University
• Ph.D., Chemistry, Yale University
• Fellowship, Post-doc, Pharmacology, Tulane University School of Medicine

Honors and Awards

• 2010: Distinguished Scientist Award – American Chemical Society, Westchester Section.
• 2009: Outstanding Faculty Award – Graduate Student Association of Basic Medical Sciences at NYMC.
• 2008: Robert M. Berne – Distinguished Lectureship Awardee – American Physiological Society.
• 2005: American Heart Association Distinguished Achievement Award (Cardiopulmonary Council).
• 2002: NYMC Dean's Distinguished Research Award Recipient.
• 2000: Mary E. Gerritsen Award Recipient for 2000, Microcirculatory Society.
• 2000: Dickinson Richards Memorial Lectureship Award – American Heart Association
• 1995: MERIT Award – National Heart, Lung & Blood Institute, NIH.
• 1989: Established Investigator Award, American Heart Association.
• 1983: Albert Hyman Research Award, American Heart Association-Louisiana Affiliate.

Publications

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Professional Service

• Chair, Integrative Vascular Physiology Pathology NIH Study Section (IVPP), 2021-2023
• Member, Hypertension and Microcirculation (& IVPP) NIH Study Section, 2018-2022
• Consulting Editor, Am Journal of Physiology: Heart & Circulatory Physiology, 2011-2018
• Associate Editor, American Journal of Physiology: Heart & Circulatory Physiology, 2005-2010
• Member, Vascular Cell & Molecular Biology NIH Study Section, 2003-2005
• Fellow, American Heart Association, 2001-Present
• Chair, Cardiopulmonary & Critical Care Council, American Heart Association 2001-2003
• Member, Experimental Cardiovascular Sciences NIH Study Section, 2001-2003
• Associate Editor, Microcirculation, 1999-2003
• Chair, Lung, Respiration & Resuscitation Review Committee, Am Heart Assoc., 1997-2000
• Member, Research Committee, American Heart Association, 1995-2000
• Associate Editor, American Journal of Physiology: Heart & Circulatory Physiology, 1993-1998
• Ad Hoc Grant Reviewer for 3-4 NIH Committees/year and for various national and international agencies.

Memberships and Affiliations

• Member, Admissions Committee GSBMS, 9/21-Present
• Member, Research Services Support Committee, 9/19-Present
• Member, Executive Committee, New York Medical College Faculty Senate, 9/16-Present
• Chair, Library and Academic Support Committee, 2006-Present
• Member, Graduate School Faculty Council, 1990-Present

Teaching Responsibilities

• Course Director: Selected topics in physiology: Oxidant & antioxidant mechanisms in health and disease
• Course Director: Frontiers in Physiology
• Course Director: Physiology Journal Club
• Mammalian Physiology
• Medical Physiology
• Research Rotation in Physiology
• Masters Literature Review
• Masters Thesis Research
• Masters Thesis
• Doctoral Thesis Dissertation Research