Name: Anna Kathryn Whitehead
Year in Program: G3
Department: Physiology
Mentor: Xinping Yue, MD/PhD
Hometown: Downsville, LA
Education:
BS in Biology, Louisiana Tech University
MS in Molecular Science and Nanotechnology, Louisiana Tech University
Thesis Title: Characterization of Stem Cell-Biomaterial Interactions on Tailorable Poly(ethylene glycol) Hydrogels Designed for Tissue Engineering Applications
Past Research Experience:
Graduate and undergraduate research assistant at Louisiana Tech University. I worked jointly in Dr. Jamie Newman's Gene Expression and Cell State lab and Dr. Mary Caldorera-Moore's Therapeutic Micro- and Nanotechnology Biomaterials lab.
Undergraduate Research Focus: Analysis of cardiac differentiation in mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) and investigation of mESC behavior when cultured on poly(ethylene glycol) hydrogels.
Graduate Research Focus: Characterization of human adult bone-marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cell behavior on poly(ethylene glycol) hydrogels of various elasticities, with a specific focus towards adipogenic and osteogenic differentiation.
Publications:
- Patel, N. R., Whitehead, A. K., Newman, J. J., & Caldorera-Moore, M. E. (2017). Poly (ethylene glycol) Hydrogels
with Tailorable Surface and Mechanical Properties for Tissue Engineering Applications.
ACS Biomaterials Science & Engineering, 3(8), 1494-1498. PMID: 33429636
- Whitehead, A. K., Barnett, H. H., Caldorera-Moore, M. E., & Newman, J. J. (2018). Poly (ethylene glycol)
hydrogel elasticity influences human mesenchymal stem cell behavior. Regenerative Biomaterials, 5(3), 167-175. PMID: 29942649
- Whitehead, A. K.*, Erwin, A. P.*, & Yue, X. (2021). Nicotine and vascular dysfunction. Acta Physiologica, e13631. PMID: 33595878
- Fried, N. D., Morris, T. M., Whitehead, A., Lazartigues, E., Yue, X., & Gardner, J. D. (2021). Angiotensin-II type 1 receptor
mediates pulmonary hypertension and right ventricular remodeling induced by inhaled
nicotine. American Journal of Physiology. Heart and Circulatory Physiology. PMID: 33577434
- Whitehead, A. K., Meyers, M. C., Taylor, C. M., Luo, M., Dowd, S. E., Yue, X., & Byerley, L. O. (2022). Sex-Dependent Effects of Inhaled Nicotine on the Gut Microbiome. Nicotine & Tobacco Research. PMID: 35271725
- Whitehead, A. K.*, Fried, N. D.*, Li, Z., Neelamegam, K., Pearson, C. S., LaPenna, K. B., ... & Yue, X. (2022). Alpha7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor mediates chronic nicotine inhalation-induced cardiopulmonary dysfunction. Clinical Science, 136(12), 973-987. PMID: 35678315
Current Research Interest:
Dissertation Focus: The impact of chronic nicotine/e-cigarette inhalation on cardiopulmonary function and the synergizing effects of diet induced obesity
Additional project 1: Role of heparan sulfate 6-O-endosulfatases in myeloid lineage development and function
Additional project 2: Influence of hypercaloric diet or hypertension on SARS-CoV-2 infection and disease progression in a murine model
Current Medical Interest: Vascular Surgery and Pulmonology/Critical care. However, I am keeping my mind open to other specialties.
Career Goal: My long-term goal is to work in patient care, with collaborations with highly translational research labs. I would hope that my bench work has a strong connection to my patients and their illnesses. I would also like the opportunity for involvement in training future physician-scientists.
What makes you unique? I bred, raised, and exhibited goats and cattle throughout high school, and I have been called out at midnight to help others deliver baby goats (kids).