University of Virginia-Main Campus · PhysiologyAtheroHealth Lab
Gary K Owens · Charlottesville, Virginia
Research Focus
Dr. Gary K Owens' research lab focuses on understanding atherosclerosis, a serious disease that causes heart attacks and strokes. The lab investigates how inflammation and metabolic issues, such as insulin resistance, influence the development and progression of atherosclerosis. By studying specific signaling pathways and cell types involved in this disease, the lab aims to develop more effective treatments that enhance heart health without compromising the immune system.
atherosclerosisinflammationinsulin resistancecardiovascular diseasemetabolic dysfunctionsmooth muscle cellsinterleukin-6cytokine signaling
Research Aims
4AIM 01Investigate the role of IL-6 trans signaling in atherosclerosis development.
AIM 02Determine how insulin resistance in smooth muscle cells affects plaque stability.
AIM 03Evaluate the impact of metabolic dysfunctions on atherosclerotic lesion pathogenesis.
AIM 04Analyze cell-matrix composition within atherosclerotic lesions.
Skills the Lab Values
cell culturemouse modelslineage tracingflow cytometryWestern blotgenetic knockout techniqueshistopathologyprotein analysisRNA extraction
Output against the department
Publications342top 12% of dept.35th of 286
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations35ktop 5% of dept.14th of 286
this lab
most citedleast cited
Career totals from OpenAlex, compared against labs that share a department. A department spans everything from one paper to tens of thousands, so bar heights are on a log scale — otherwise the largest lab would flatten every other bar to a line.