Doursout Lab

My laboratory has focused on animal physiology with a special emphasis on cardiovascular and pulmonary physiology. I have completed several ground-breaking experiments on the interactions between antihypertensive and anesthetic agents. As a result, I have introduced many innovations to the field of cardiovascular physiology by developing animal models to study the relationship between impaired vascular tone and the induction of nitric oxide synthase in order to understand the mechanisms of pathological conditions, such as inflammation, septic shock, hemorrhagic shock and heart failure.

Recent work includes the role of inflammatory cells and cytokines in the Olfactory Bulb of a rat model of neuro-inflammation; Insights into Neurodegeneration. My studies are valuable, not only for their creativity and difficulty, but because they are performed without the confounding influences of anesthesia and surgical stress.

In my position, I fulfill a key role in bridging the chasm between molecular-cellular research and human research. Because of my expertise in clinically relevant animal models, numerous successful collaborations have resulted in significant peer-reviewed publications. Additionally, I am very active in guiding and mentoring medical students and junior faculty from the Department of Anesthesiology at UTHealth in Houston.

Marie-Françoise Doursout, PhD
Professor, Basic Science Research