Cellular & Integrative Physiology

George J. Rozanski, Ph.D.

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ACADEMIC DEGREES:
Graduate School: Loyola University of Chicago
Postdoctoral Training: Masonic Medical Research Laboratory, Utica, NY

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Contact Name: George J. Rozanski, Ph.D.
Phone Number: (402) 559-6056
e-mail address: grozansk@unmc.edu

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• GRANT SUPPORT (last 3 years):

American Diabetes Association, Cardiac Ion Channels and Oxidative Stress in Diabetes Mellitus, 07-01-97/06-30-01, Principal Investigator.

National Institutes of Health, Hormonal Influences on the Renal Microvasculature, 07-01-98/11-30-03, Co-Investigator.

National Institutes of Health PPG Grant: Function of the PVN in Heart Failure: Role of NO and GABA, Chemoreflex Function in Heart Failure, 07-05-99/06-30-04, Co-Investigator.

American Heart Association/Heartland Affiliate, Redox Modulation of Cardiac K⁺ Channels, 07-01-00/07-30-02, Principal Investigator.

American Diabetes Association, Control of Cardiac K⁺ Channel by Glutathione in Diabetes Mellitus, 01-01-01/12-31-03, Principal Investigator.

National Institutes of Health, Up-Regulation of K⁺ Channels in the Remodeled Ventricle, 12-01-00/ 11-30-05, Principal Investigator.

National Institutes of Health, Redox Regulation of Cardiac Electrical Remodeling, 04-01-06/03-31-11, Principal Investigator.

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• PUBLICATIONS (last 3-5 years):

Sun, S.-Y., G. Rozanski, J.L. Overholt, X.-H. Xia, N.R. Prabhakar and H.D. Schultz.  Potassium currents of carotid body glomus cells are attenuated in heart failure.  Physiologist 43(4):286, 2000.

Sun, S.-Y., G. Rozanski, X.-H. Xia and H.D. Schultz.  Attenuated potassium current of carotid body glomus cells in heart failure.  Circulation 102(8):II-105, 2000.

Rozanski, G.J. and Z. Xu.  Redox modulation of cardiac K⁺ channels.  PACE, 24:622, 2001.

Zeng, Y.-C., S.-Y. Sun, X.-H. Xia, G. Rozanski, and H.D. Schultz.  Attenuated I_Na in cardiac vagal chemosensory neurons in diabetic rats. FASEB J. 15:A106, 2001.

Zeng, Y.-C., S.-Y. Sun, G.J. Rozanski, X.-H. Xia, P. Reddy and H.D. Schultz.  Superoxide anion attenuates I_Na in cardiac vagal chemosensory neurons from diabetic rats.  FASEB J.  16:A829, 2002.

Rozanski, G.J. and Z. Xu. Role of glutathione in cardiac K⁺ channel remodeling. Circulation, 106:II-257, 2002.

Li, S., X. Li and G.J. Rozanski. Regulation of glutathione in rat ventricular myocytes by mitogen-activated protein kinases. FASEB J. 17(5):A877, 2003.

Xu, Z., K.P. Patel, M.F. Lou and G.J. Rozanski.  Up-regulation of K⁺ channels in diabetic rat ventricular myocytes by insulin and glutathione.  Cardiovasc. Res. 53: 80-88, 2002.

Rozanski, G.J. and Z. Xu.  A metabolic mechanism for cardiac K⁺ channel remodeling.  Clin. Exp. Pharmacol. Physiol. 29:132-137, 2002.

Rozanski, G.J and Z. Xu.  Glutathione and K⁺ channel remodeling in postinfarction rat heart. Am. J. Physiol. Heart Circ. Physiol. 282:H2346-H2355, 2002.

Rozanski, G.J. and Z. Xu.  Sulfhydryl modulation of K⁺ channels in rat ventricular myocytes.  J. Mol. Cell. Cardiol. 34:1623-1632, 2002.

Li, S., X. Li and G.J. Rozanski. Regulation of glutathione in cardiac myocytes. J. Mol. Cell. Cardiol. 35:1145-1152, 2003.

Li, Y-L, S-Y Sun, JL Overholt, GJ Rozanski, IH Zucker, and HD Schultz. Blunted outward potassium currents in carotid body glomus cells of heart failure rabbit: involvement of nitric oxide. J Physiol (Lond) 555:219-229, 2004.

Li, X, Z Xu, S Li and GJ Rozanski. Redox regulation of I_to remodeling in diabetic rat heart. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 288: H1417-H1424, 2005.

Adamson PP, RC Barr, DJ Callans, P-S C Chen, DA Lathrop, JC Makielski, JM Nerbonne, B Nuss, JE Olgin, DA Przywara, MR Rosen, GJ Rozanski, MS Spach and KA Yamada. The perplexing complexity of cardiac arrhythmias: Beyond electrical remodeling. Heart Rhythm 2 (6): 650-659, 2005. 

Li, X, Z Xu, S Li, MF Lou, and GJ Rozanski. Redox control of K⁺ channel remodeling in rat ventricle. J Mol Cell Cardiol 40: 339-349, 2006.

Li, S X Li, Y-L Li, C-H Shao, KR Bidasee and GJ Rozanski. Insulin regulation of glutathione and contractile phenotype in diabetic rat ventricular myocytes. Am J Physiol: Submitted, 2006.

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• PREVIOUS GRADUATE STUDENTS/POST-DOCTORAL FELLOWS (present location):

Jun-Hua Li, 1990-1991
Zhi Xu, 1993-1997.  Presently: Family practice, University of Nebraska Medical Center
Richard C. Witt, 1994-1996.  Presently: Research Technician, Creighton University, Omaha, NE
Xun Li, 2002-2004. Presently: Cardiology Department, Soochow Univertsity, China
Shumin Li, 2002-Present: Research Associate, UNMC
Huixu Liang, 2002-2003. Presently: Research Associate, UNMC
Donald F. Cronin, 1991: Medical student fellow
Dave Nguyen, 1994: Medical student fellow
Ryan T. Whitney, 1996: Medical student fellow.  Presently: Private practice, Cardiology, Omaha, Nebraska.

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• CURRENT RESEARCH PROJECTS:

Ventricular arrhythmias are a major clinical problem contributing to the high incidence of sudden death in chronic diseases that are characterized by the pathophysiological process termed electrical remodeling. The purpose of our research projects is to explore the cellular and molecular mechanisms of electrical remodeling in models of heart failure such as diabetes and chronic infarction. We propose that toxic molecules of oxygen, so-called oxygen free radicals, inhibit specific K⁺ channels in the failing heart, causing abnormal electrical activity and arrhythmias. We further postulate that cardiac cells normally have endogenous systems that protect and repair the damage to ion channels and other proteins produced by free radicals. We have found that these repair systems are impaired in cells from failing hearts. In our projects, we examine ways to control the activities of these repair mechanisms in myocytes to restore K⁺ channel activity to normal. Our results may lead to development of novel, therapeutic strategies to prevent or reverse cardiac arrhythmias in chronic heart failure. 

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• SPECIALIZED LABORATORY/CLINICAL RESEARCH RESOURCES:

Patch-clamp, cell culture, heart perfusion, fluorescence microscopy, molecular biology.

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