Stephen Black, Ph.D.

Stephen Black, Ph.D.,  joined HWCOM in 2021. He oversees the Department of Cellular Biology and Pharmacology and also serves as Associate Vice President for Translational Research and Director of the FIU Center for Translational Science, a state-of-the-art research facility in Port St. Lucie.

Education

Ph.D., University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland

Research areas

• Role of mechanical forces in modifying cellular metabolism in children born with complex congenital heart defects
• Mechanisms underlying the mitochondrial redistribution of endothelial NO synthase to the mitochondria
• Regulation of pp60Src signaling in pulmonary vascular disease
• Effects of protein kinase G (PKG) nitration on pulmonary vascular injury
• Role of Sox18 in regulating endothelial barrier function

Selected publications

1. Sun X, Lu Q, Yegambaram M, Kumar S, Qu N, Srivastava A, Wang T, Fineman JR, Black SM. TGF-β1 attenuates mitochondrial bioenergetics in pulmonary arterial endothelial cells via the disruption of carnitine homeostasis. Redox Biol. 2020 Sep;36:101593. doi: 10.1016/j.redox.2020.101593.
2. Ornatowski W, Lu Q, Yegambaram M, Garcia AE, Zemskov EA, Maltepe E, Fineman JR, Wang T, Black SM. Complex interplay between autophagy and oxidative stress in the development of pulmonary disease. Redox Biol. 2020 Sep;36:101679. doi: 10.1016/j.redox.2020.101679
3. Gomez AI, Acosta MF, Muralidharan P, Yuan JX, Black SM, Hayes D Jr, Mansour HM. Advanced spray dried proliposomes of amphotericin B lung surfactant-mimic phospholipid microparticles/nanoparticles as dry powder inhalers for targeted pulmonary drug delivery. Pulm Pharmacol Ther. 2020 Oct;64:101975. doi: 10.1016/j.pupt.2020.101975.
4. Wang T, Yegambaram M, Gross C, Sun X, Lu Q, Wang H, Wu X, Kangath A, Tang H, Aggarwal S, Black SM. RAC1 nitration at Y³²IS involved in the endothelial barrier disruption associated with lipopolysaccharide-mediated acute lung injury. Redox Biol. 2021 Jan;38:101794. doi: 10.1016/j.redox.2020.101794.
5. Wu X, Sun X, Sharma S, Lu Q, Yegambaram M, Hou Y, Wang T, Fineman JR, Black SM. Arginine recycling in endothelial cells is regulated BY HSP90 and the ubiquitin proteasome system. Nitric Oxide. 2021 Mar 1;108:12-19. doi: 10.1016/j.niox.2020.12.003.

Active grants

Project: Nitric Oxide Synthase-Mitochondrial interactions & endothelial dysfunction
Role: Principal Investigator
Sponsor: NIH/NHLBI
Period: 03/01/2017 - 02/28/2022
Total Funding: $2,227,000 
Objectives: The overall goals of this proposal are to achieve a clearer understanding of the mechanisms by which shear stress stimulates the redistribution of endothelial NOS to the mitochondria.

Project: Genetics, Epigenetics and Post-translational Modifications in the Development of Ventilator-induced Lung Injury (VILI)
Role: Principal Investigator
Sponsor: NIH/NHLBI
Period: 02/01/2018 – 01/31/2023
Total Funding: $12,500,000 
Objectives: The overall goals of this proposal are to identify new signaling pathways and potential therapies for VILI/ARDS.

Project: PKG Signaling and Sepsis Induced ALI 
Role: Principal Investigator
Sponsor: NIH/NHLBI
Period: 07/01/2018 – 06/30/2022
Total Funding: $1,900,000
Objectives:To investigate the role of PKG nitration in the disruption of endothelial barrier function in ALI/ARDS

Project: Metabolic Reprogramming and Pulmonary Vascular Disease in Congenital Heart Disease
Role: Principal Investigator
Sponsor: NIH/NHLBI
Period: 08/01/2020 – 06/30/2025
Total Funding: $11,900,000
Objectives: The overall goals of this proposal are to investigate the role of mechanical forces in the metabolic reprogramming associated with the development of pulmonary vascular disease in children born with complex congenital heart defects.