Research Programs

Douglas E. Vaughan, MD
Professor of Medicine & Pharmacology
C. Sidney Burwell Professor of Medicine

Dr. Vaughan directs a multidisciplinary research group focused on investigating the role of the plasminogen activator system in cardiovascular disease. Active experimental programs are underway at the molecular and cellular level in animals and in humans. Transgenic and knockout mice are used in a variety of studies designed to explore the tissue-specific expression of PAI-1 in vivo and the role of the fibrinolytic system in vascular disease and tissue remodeling. Dr. Vaughan also serves as Principal Investigator of the NHLBI-sponsored Cardiac Cell Therapy Research Network (CCTRN). Vanderbilt is one of five centers selected to participate in this program of Phase 2 studies in humans.

Selected Publications

• Smith, LH, Dixon, JD, Stringham, JR, Eren, M, Elokdah, H, Crandall, DL, Washington, K, Vaughan, DE. Pivotal role of PAI-1 in a murine model of hepatic vein thrombosis. Blood, 2005.

• Smith, LH, Petrie, MS, Morrow, JD, Oates, JA, Vaughan, DE. The sterol response element binding protein regulates cyclooxygenase-2 gene expression in endothelial cells. J Lipid Res, 46(5), 862-71, 2005.

• Brown, NJ, Muldowney, JA, Vaughan, DE. Endogenous NO regulates plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 during angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition. Hypertension, 47(3), 441-8, 2006.

• De Taeye, B, Smith, LH, Vaughan, DE. Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1: a common denominator in obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Curr Opin Pharmacol, 5(2), 149-54, 2005.

• Muldowney, JAS III, Stringham JR, Levy SE, Painter CA, Piana RN, Vaughan DE. Antiproliferative agents stimulate endothelial PAI-1 expression: a potential prothrombotic mechanism of drug-eluting stents. Arterioscler Thrombosis Vasc Biol 2006 (in press)