Nancy R. Webb, PhD

Research in the Webb laboratory focuses on mechanisms of cardiovascular disease, including atherosclerosis and abdominal aortic aneurysms. It has been recognized for decades that high levels of HDL in the blood reduce an individual's risk for heart attack and stroke, yet it is not well understood why HDL (the "good cholesterol") is cardioprotective. The Webb laboratory studies what regulates HDL levels in the blood, how HDL functions to reduce cardiovascular risk, and how inflammation, obesity, and diabetes alter the ability of HDL to function. Research projects integrate biochemical, cellular, and physiological analyses of HDLs obtained from transgenic mouse models as well as human subjects. Another area of research in the Webb laboratory focuses on a family of lipolytic enzymes, the secretory phospholipase A2’s (sPLA2), and their role in physiological and pathophysiological processes. The underlying hypothesis of the studies is that lipid products generated by sPLA2’s serve as bioactive mediators that have pleiotropic effects on fat, vascular, and immune cells.