Theodore Kurtz
Theodore Kurtz, MD, UCSF professor and vice chair of laboratory medicine, has received a 2006 Novartis Award for Hypertension Research.
He is one of two scientists to have received the award, presented in October at the American Heart Association (AHA) 60th Annual Fall Conference and Scientific Sessions of the Council for High Blood Pressure Research.
"Our research is designed to shed light on why hypertension and the associated risks for diabetes and cardiovascular disease run in families," Kurtz said. "The results of these genetic studies are used to guide development of new approaches to therapy and to identify new opportunities for preventing the development of diabetes and cardiovascular disease in high risk patients."
Kurtz was recognized for identifying genetic mechanisms that influence the risk for hypertension and diabetes. Kurtz identified a DNA mutation that influences blood pressure in the Dahl salt-sensitive rat, and established that another gene mutation disturbs fatty acid and glucose metabolism in the spontaneously hypertensive rat.
"Kurtz' work is very important," said Robert Carey, MD, chair of the AHA Council for High Blood Pressure Research and chair of the Novartis Selection Committee. "It established the value of these animal models for finding genetic mechanisms that can be relevant to causes of high blood pressure and diabetes in humans."
In the spontaneously hypertensive rat, Kurtz investigated genetic mechanisms that influence susceptibility to metabolic syndrome - a clustering of risk factors for heart disease and diabetes that affects about 25 percent of the population.
"Hypertension is more than just high blood pressure," Kurtz said. "It's often associated with other disease risk factors, such as abnormal fat and glucose metabolism, that can increase risk for diabetes."
In animal research, Kurtz established that a mutated gene involved in fat transport can cause disturbances in glucose metabolism characteristic of type 2 diabetes. That information has led his research to new approaches to treat metabolic syndrome and prevent diabetes in patients with hypertension.
"We have recently found that some angiotensin receptor blockers, drugs already being used to treat high blood pressure, have additional properties that can affect these genetic mechanisms regulating fat and glucose metabolism. So they may be helpful in treating the metabolic syndrome and preventing diabetes," Kurtz said.
Related Links:
The Cardiovascular Research Institute at UCSF
UCSF Medical Center Department of Laboratory Medicine
