Jessica Furtado

Endothelial Rho kinase controls blood vessel integrity and angiogenesis

This study investigates the role of endothelial Rho kinase (ROCK1/2) in vascular integrity and angiogenesis, finding that their loss leads to vascular defects and lethality.

Restoring compromised Blood-Retina-Barrier integrity with Netrin-1 overexpression

This study shows that Netrin-1 overexpression restores blood-retina barrier integrity in retinal diseases by reinforcing barrier stability through the Netrin-1/Unc5b signaling pathway.

PIEZO1 overexpression in hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia arteriovenous malformations

The paper identifies PIEZO1 overexpression in HHT2 AVMs and shows that inhibiting PIEZO1 reduces AVM formation in Alk1-deficient mice.

Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 promotes atherosclerotic plaque vulnerability

This study identifies PRC2 as a driver of atherosclerosis by suppressing Klf2/4, and shows that inhibiting PRC2 with tazemetostat reduces plaque progression and improves stability.

Early exposure to Western diet exacerbates visual outcomes in female mice.

This study shows that early exposure to a Western diet in female mice leads to severe retinal and neurovascular issues, including anophthalmia and cataracts, highlighting the need for early intervention.