Dennis Bruemmer, M.D., Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Medicine
University of Kentucky
Publication Listings on PubMed
Department of Medicine
Division of Endocrinology and Molecular Medicine
Wethington Health Sciences Building, Room 575
900 South Limestone Street
Lexington, KY 40536-0200
Tel: (859) 323-4933 ext. 81418
Fax: (859) 257-3646
e-mail: Dennis.Bruemmer@uky.edu
Academic Appointments:
• Graduate Center for Nutritional science
• Division of Endocrinology and Molecular Medicine
• Department of Internal Medicine
Education:
• MD, University of Hamburg, Germany
• Doctoral Thesis (magna cum laude), University of Hamburg, Germany
• Residency, Internal Medicine/Cardiology, Humboldt University, Berlin, Charite’ Hospital in collaboration with the German Heart Institute, Germany
• Fellowship, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Hypertension, University of California, Los Angeles
Awards:
• Research Fellowship, Acute Coronary Syndrome, German Society of Cardiology
Gonda (Goldschmied) Diabetes Center Research Fellowship, University of California, Los Angeles
• Finalist AstraZeneca Cardiovascular Young Investigators Forum
• New Investigator Award, Council for High Blood Pressure Research, American Heart Association
• Young Investigator Award Basic Science (1. Prize), European Society of Cardiology
• Young Investigator Award, The Endocrine Society
• ATVB Merit Award for Young Investigators, Council on Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology, American Heart Association
• Pilot and Feasibility Grant Award, University of California, Los Angeles and San Diego
• Young Scholar Award, American Society of Hypertension
• National Scientist Development Grant, American Heart Association
• Physician-Scientist Award, University of Kentucky
• Irvine H. Page Young Investigator Research Award, Council on Arteriosclerosis,Thrombosis and Vascular Biology, American Heart Association.
Specific Interest in Nutrition:
Role of Nuclear Hormone Receptors in Cardiovascular Complications of Obesity and Diabetes.
Research:
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the nation and industrialized nations, accounting for nearly 50% of all deaths. Particularly, diabetes is associated with significantly accelerated rates of cardiovascular complications. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention 18.3 % of all people age 60 years or older had diabetes in 2002 and an estimated 65 % of patients with diabetes ultimately die from cardiovascular causes. With the recognition of this evidence, understanding the mechanisms leading to diabetic vascular complications has become a focus of our research laboratory. We are particularly interested in characterizing the molecular pathways by which members of the nuclear hormone receptors superfamily, such as the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPARγ) or Liver X Receptors (LXR), suppress the expression of genes involved in the development of cardiovascular disease in diabetes. Our laboratory has primarily focused on understanding the regulation of vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation and inflammation by these receptors. Understanding these mechanisms is of considerable interest as these nuclear transcription factors can be pharmacologically activated by agents already clinically used to treat insulin-resistance in patients with type 2 diabetes and dyslipidemia, two of the most common cardiovascular risk factors. Since these drugs are currently being further investigated in large randomized trials for their efficacy to prevent cardiovascular disease, our research might point to molecular mechanisms by which these agents prevent the development of cardiovascular complications in patients with diabetes.
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