Contact
Joana Almaça, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Medicine
Batchelor Building
1580 NW 10th avenue
Room #607
Miami, FL, 33136
Research ongoing in the Almaça’s lab focuses on understanding the role of the microvasculature in the biology of pancreatic islets. Islets are clusters of endocrine cells, scattered throughout the exocrine pancreas, which produce and secrete different hormones into the blood stream in response to changes in glucose levels.
To function properly, islets need their microvasculature. Interestingly, we still know very little how vascular function is regulated in the islet and how it impacts endocrine cell responses and hormone release. We also do not know whether this “vascular control” is compromised or lost with the development of diabetes.
Research in the Almaça's lab focuses on islet pericytes. By combining intravital imaging of blood flow with ex vivo recording of vascular cell activity in living pancreas slices from animal models and organ donors, we study pericytes’ physiological and pathophysiological functions in the pancreas.
Ongoing projects we have in the lab
- What are the cellular and molecular mechanisms that enable a proper control of islet blood flow?
- Does vascular dysfunction contribute to diabetes pathogenesis?
- Do pericytes have immunoregulatory functions in islets?
- Are pancreas pericytes targets of SARS-CoV-2 viruses?
Cholinergic innervation of the mouse islet vasculature