Gerald F. DiBona, M.D.

Professor Emeritus of Internal Medicine and
Molecular Physiology & Biophysics

Tufts University, 1964

Research Interests

To understand how the sympathetic nervous system influences renal function, we measure renal functional responses to both direct and reflex activation of the renal sympathetic nerves. We also measure renal sympathetic nerve activity and renal function in conscious and anesthetized rats at rest and during various interventions. These studies are conducted in normal rats wherein physiological stimuli have been employed to alter renal sympathetic nerve activity as well as in rats with pathophysiological conditions (e.g. cardiac failure, hepatic cirrhosis, nephrotic syndrome) characterized by abnormal renal sympathetic nerve activity. To identify functionally specific groups of renal sympathetic nerve fibers, we are using computer modeling of stimulation parameters of amplitude, frequency and duration to simulate in vivo conditions.

Selected Publications

1. DiBona, G.F. and Sawin, L.L.: Effect of Renal Denervation on Dynamic Autoregulation of Renal Blood Flow. Am. J. Physiol. 286: F1209-F1218, 2004.

2. DiBona, G.F. and Sawin, L.L.: Effect of Endogenous Angiotensin II on the Frequency Response of the Renal Vasculature. Am. J. Physiol. 287: F1171-F1178, 2004.

3. DiBona, G.F.: Physiology in Perspective -The Wisdom of the Body: Neural Control of the Kidney (2005 Walter B. Cannon Memorial Award Lecture). Am. J. Physiol. 289: R000-R000, 2005.