Huma Naz, PhD

Huma Naz is currently working as a Research Scientist in the Department of Medicine at the University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA. Her primary research focuses on diabetes-related cardiovascular disease and potential therapeutic strategies to improve vascular function. She has a particular interest in insulin resistance and its impact on diabetic women, investigating the underlying mechanisms through which diabetes disrupts cardiovascular health.

Her current project, titled "Transglutaminase 2 in Myeloid Cells Ameliorates Angiotensin II-Induced Vascular Stiffness in Female Mice," explores the role of Transglutaminase 2 (TG2)—a ubiquitously expressed enzyme known to promote vascular stiffening and remodeling. This research hypothesizes that TG2 abrogation can reduce Angiotensin II-induced vascular stiffness in females by modulating the Treg/Th17 immune balance.

• Annayya R. Aroor, Huma Naz , Jack Hulse, Taylor J. Kelty, Neekun Sharma , Guanghong Jia , Adam Whaley-Connel, R. Scott Rector, Camila Manrique-Acevedo Manrique, and Guido Lastra. Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell TG2 Promotes DOCA/Salt-Induced Arterial Stiffness and Hypertension. Hypertension.2025 Feb 19. PMID: 39970250

• Austin Dada, Javad Habibi, Huma Naz , Dongqing Chen , Guido Lastra , Brian P. Bostick , Adam Whaley-Connell , Michael A. Hill , James R. Sowers and Guanghong Jia. Enhanced ECCD36 Signaling Promotes Skeletal Muscle Insulin Resistance in1Female Mice. AJP Endocrinology and metabolism. 2024 Aug 28. PMID: 39196801.

• Manrique-Acevedo C, Padilla J, Naz H, Woodford ML, Ghiarone T, Aroor AR, Hulse JL, Cabral-Amador FJ, Martinez-Diaz V, Hans CP, Whaley-Connell A, Martinez-Lemus LA, Lastra G. Mineralocorticoid Receptor in Myeloid Cells Mediates Angiotensin II-Induced Vascular Dysfunction in Female Mice. Front Physiol 2021 Mar 29; 12:588358.

•  Annayya Aroor, Vincent G. DeMarco, Adam T. Whaley-Connell, Guanghong Jia, Yan Yang, Neekun Sharma, Huma Naz, Chetan Hans, Melvin R. Hayden, Michael A. Hill, James R. Sowers, Camila Manrique-Acevedo, and Guido Lastra. Endothelial cell-specific mineralocorticoid receptor activation promotes diastolic dysfunction in diet-induced obese male mice. American Journal of Physiology 2023 Jan 1. PMID: 36440901

• Javad Habibi, Carlton Homan, Huma Naz, Dongqing Chen, Guido Lastra, Adam Whaley-Connell, James R Sowers, Guanghong Jia. Endothelial MRs Mediate Western Diet–Induced Lipid Disorders and Skeletal Muscle Insulin Resistance in Females. Endocrinology 2023 June 8. PMID: 7289042.

• Annayya Aroor, Camila Manrique, Huma Naz, Jack Hulse, Guanghong Jia, Adam Whaley-Connell and Guido Lastra Gonzalez. Abrogation Of Transglutaminase 2 In Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells Attenuates Doca/salt Induced Hypertension in Male Mice. Hypertension 2022 Sep 07. A049.