David Cohen

 M.D., Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, 1986

Associate Professor of Medicine

Joint Assistant Professor, Cell and Developmental Biology

Cells of the mammalian kidney medulla are uniquely exposed to markedly elevated and rapidly fluctuating concentrations of urea and NaCl as a consequence of the renal concentrating mechanism. The molecular mechanisms through which these two solutes activate divergent signaling pathways and thereby influence the expression of adaptive and regulatory genes is the focus of Dr. Cohen's research.

Yang X-Y, Zhao H, Zhang Z, Rodland KD, Roullet J-B, Cohen DM. Urea signaling to ERK phosphorylation in renal medullary cells requires extracellular calcium but not calcium entry. Am. J. Physiol. 280:F162-F171, 2001.

Tian W, Cohen DM. Urea inhibits hypertonicity-inducible TonEBP expression and action. Am. J. Physiol. 280:F904-F912, 2001.

Tian W, Bonkovsky H, Shibahara S, Cohen DM. Urea and hypertonicity increase expression of heme oxygenase-1 in renal medullary cells. Am. J. Physiol. In Press

To contact Dr. Cohen directly: cohend@ohsu.edu