Catherine Davis, Ph.D.
Catherine Davis, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Oregon Health & Science University
3181 S.W. Sam Jackson Park Road
Portland, OR 97239
Mail Code: L459
Research
Dr. Davis' interest is in cerebrovascular biology, particularly in the endothelial cells lining the intimal surface of blood vessels and their contribution to sex differences, stroke and vascular dementia. Her research follows two main paths. Her work aims to define how the transcription factor STAT3 contributes to microvascular endothelial function in both health and disease, and how its role changes in aging. Her second focus is investigating how ultrasound may be utilized therapeutically in cerebrovascular diseases, including stroke and dementia, and the cellular mechanisms involved.
Dr. Davis gained her BSc in Pharmacology with Management from King's College London in 2004, following which she completed her doctoral studies in the Department of Cell and Developmental Biology at University College London (UCL) in the lab of Professors Kristjan R Jessen and Rhona Mirsky. Her doctoral thesis explored the role of the transcription factor STAT3 on Schwann cell development and function following nerve injury. In 2009 Dr. Davis relocated to Portland for her postdoctoral training with Dr. Nabil Alkayed in APOM. Here she gained experience and knowledge in the field of cerebrovascular biology and stroke. Supported by an American Heart Association Postdoctoral Fellowship, Dr. Davis' focus continued to be on STAT3, this time studying its role in cerebrovascular endothelial cells following cerebral ischemia. Following the completion of her fellowship, Dr. Davis joined the faculty at OHSU in 2012 as an Instructor with a dual appointment in APOM and KCVI, and has been an Assistant Professor since November 2013. Dr. Davis is also Director of the Cell Culture Core in APOM.
Research Team
David Giraud, M.Eng.
David Giraud M.Eng., is a research associate in the Knight Cardiovascular Institute at OHSU. He completed his undergraduate education at the University of Washington in 2008, earning B.S. degrees in physics and applied and computational mathematical sciences. Afterward, he worked as a physicist in the Center for Industrial and Medical Ultrasound at the Applied Physics Laboratory at the University of Washington. His projects included the study of inertial transient cavitation in high-quality-factor resonators at high static pressures using ultra-fast optical imaging and ultrasound contrast agent sizing and shell characterization using modified flow cytometry. He obtained his M.Eng. degree in mechanical engineering at Boston University in 2012 where he studied the use of acousto-optic interaction to monitor tissue ablation produced by high-intensity focused ultrasound. His current responsibilities at OHSU include:
· Development and use of a novel ultra-fast bright-field microscope designed to investigate microbubble cavitation bioeffects induced by ultrasound.
· Investigating catheter-based methods of using ultrasound thermal therapy for cardiovascular disease.
· Supporting investigators who study therapeutic ultrasound for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease by characterizing therapeutic microbubbles and calibrating and operating experimental ultrasound equipment.
In his free time, he enjoys skiing and bicycling while exploring the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest.
Publications
Catherine Davis, Ph.D.- OHSU Expert Link
Catherine Davis, Ph.D.- Pubmed
Bah TM, Allen EM, Garcia-Jaramillo M, Perez R, Zarnegarnia Y, Davis CM, Bloom MB, Magana AA, Choi J, Bobe G, Pike MM, Raber J, Maier CS, Alkayed NJ (2022). GPR39 Deficiency Impairs Memory and Alters Oxylipins and Inflammatory Cytokines Without Affecting Cerebral Blood Flow in a High-Fat Diet Mouse Model of Cognitive Impairment. Front Cell Neurosci. 16:893030. PMID: 35875352
Davis CM, Zhang WH, Bah TM, Roese NE, Allen EM, Leung P, Boutros SJ, Marzulla T, Patel E, Nie X, Alkayed FN, Huang JH, Jensen MA, Raber J, Pike MM, Alkayed NJ (2022). Age-dependent cognitive impairment, hydrocephalus and leukocyte infiltration in transgenic mice with endothelial expression of human EPHX2. NPJ Aging. 8(1):9. PMID: 35927273
Cao Z, Minnier J, Liu L, Scott KLL, Reddy AP, Wilmarth PA, David LL, Barnes AP, Grafe MR, Kaul S, Alkayed NJ, Davis CM (2022). Proteomic profiling of concurrently isolated primary microvascular endothelial cells, pericytes, and vascular smooth muscle cells from adult mouse heart. Sci Rep. 12(1):8835. PMID: 35614104
Alkayed NJ, Cao Z, Qian ZY, Nagarajan S, Liu X, Nelson JW, Xie F, Li B, Fan W, Liu L, Grafe MR, Davis CM, Xiao X, Barnes AP, Kaul S (2022). Control of coronary vascular resistance by eicosanoids via a novel GPCR. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol. 322(5):C1011-C1021. PMID: 35385329
Davis CM, Bah TM, Zhang WH, Nelson JW, Golgotiu K, Nie X, Alkayed FN, Young JM, Woltjer RL, Silbert LC, Grafe MR, Alkayed NJ (2021). GPR39 localization in the aging human brain and correlation of expression and polymorphism with vascular cognitive impairment.
Alzheimers Dement (N Y). 7(1):e12214. PMID: 34692987
Emechebe U, Giraud D, Ammi AY, Scott KL, Jacobs JM, McDermott JE, Dykan IV, Alkayed NJ, Barnes AP, Kaul S, Davis CM (2021). (Phospho)Proteomic dataset of ischemia- and ultrasound- stimulated mouse cardiac endothelial cells in vitro.
Data Brief. 38:107343. PMID: 34527795
Emechebe U, Giraud D, Ammi AY, Scott KL, Jacobs JM, McDermott JE, Dykan IV, Alkayed NJ, Barnes AP, Kaul S, Davis CM (2021). Phosphoproteomic response of cardiac endothelial cells to ischemia and ultrasound. Biochim Biophys Acta Proteins Proteom. 1869(9):140683.
Davis CM, Zhang WH, Allen EM, Bah TM, Shangraw RE, Alkayed NJ (2021). Soluble Epoxide Hydrolase Blockade after Stroke Onset Protects Normal but Not Diabetic Mice. Int J Mol Sci. 22(11):5419.
Zhang W*, Davis CM*, Zeppenfeld DM, Golgotiu K, Wang MX, Haveliwala M, Hong D, Li Y, Wang RK, Iliff JJ, Alkayed NJ (2021). Role of endothelium-pericyte signaling in capillary blood flow response to neuronal activity. J Cereb Blood Flow Metab. 271678X211007957.
Le DE, Davis CM, Wei K, Zhao Y, Cao Z, Nugent M, Scott KLL, Liu L, Nagarajan S, Alkayed NJ, Kaul S. Ranolazine may exert its beneficial effects by increasing myocardial adenosine levels. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2020 Jan 1;318(1):H189-H202. doi: 10.1152/ajpheart.00217.2019. Epub 2019 Dec 13. PubMed PMID: 31834840.
Mott B, Ammi AY, Le DE, Davis C, Dykan IV, Zhao Y, Nugent M, Minnier J, Gowda M, Alkayed NJ, Kaul S. Therapeutic Ultrasound Increases Myocardial Blood Flow in Ischemic Myocardium and Cardiac Endothelial Cells: Results of In Vivo and In Vitro Experiments. J Am Soc Echocardiogr. 2019 Sep;32(9):1151-1160. doi: 10.1016/j.echo.2019.05.012. Epub 2019 Jul 1. PubMed PMID: 31272838; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC6732037.
Davis CM, Liu X, Alkayed NJ. Cytochrome P450 eicosanoids in cerebrovascular function and disease. Pharmacol Ther. 2017 Nov;179:31-46. doi: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2017.05.004. Epub 2017 May 18. Review. PubMed PMID: 28527918; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5651205.
Liu X, Davis CM, Alkayed NJ. P450 Eicosanoids and Reactive Oxygen Species Interplay in Brain Injury and Neuroprotection. Antioxid Redox Signal. 2017 Apr 20;. doi: 10.1089/ars.2017.7056. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 28298143; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5849284.
Benito C, *Davis CM, Gomez-Sanchez JA, Turmaine M, Meijer D, Poli V, Mirsky R, Jessen KR. STAT3 Controls the Long-Term Survival and Phenotype of Repair Schwann Cells during Nerve Regeneration. J Neurosci. 2017 Apr 19;37(16):4255-4269. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.3481-16.2017. Epub 2017 Mar 20. PubMed PMID: 28320842; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5413174.
Jia J, Davis CM, Zhang W, Edin ML, Jouihan S, Jia T, Bradbury JA, Graves JP, DeGraff LM, Lee CR, Ronnekleiv O, Wang R, Xu Y, Zeldin DC, Alkayed NJ. Sex- and isoform-specific mechanism of neuroprotection by transgenic expression of P450 epoxygenase in vascular endothelium. Exp Neurol. 2016 May;279:75-85. doi: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2016.02.016. Epub 2016 Feb 20. PubMed PMID: 26902473; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC4834246.
Davis CM, Ammi AY, Alkayed NJ, Kaul S. Ultrasound stimulates formation and release of vasoactive compounds in brain endothelial cells. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2015 Aug 15;309(4):H583-91. doi: 10.1152/ajpheart.00690.2014. Epub 2015 Jun 19. PubMed PMID: 26092990; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC4537941.
Siler DA, Berlow YA, Kukino A, Davis CM, Nelson JW, Grafe MR, Ono H, Cetas JS, Pike M, Alkayed NJ. Soluble Epoxide Hydrolase in Hydrocephalus, Cerebral Edema, and Vascular Inflammation After Subarachnoid Hemorrhage. Stroke. 2015 Jul;46(7):1916-22. doi: 10.1161/STROKEAHA.114.008560. Epub 2015 May 19. PubMed PMID: 25991416; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC4480190.
Young JM, Nelson JW, Cheng J, Zhang W, Mader S, Davis CM, Morrison RS, Alkayed NJ. Peroxisomal biogenesis in ischemic brain. Antioxid Redox Signal. 2015 Jan 10;22(2):109-20. doi: 10.1089/ars.2014.5833. PubMed PMID: 25226217; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC4281844.
Zuloaga KL, Davis CM, Zhang W, Alkayed NJ. Role of aromatase in sex-specific cerebrovascular endothelial function in mice. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2014 Apr 1;306(7):H929-37. doi: 10.1152/ajpheart.00698.2013. Epub 2014 Feb 7. PubMed PMID: 24508640; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3962636.
Lusardi TA, Murphy SJ, Phillips JI, Chen Y, Davis CM, Young JM, Thompson SJ, Saugstad JA. MicroRNA responses to focal cerebral ischemia in male and female mouse brain. Front Mol Neurosci. 2014;7:11. doi: 10.3389/fnmol.2014.00011. eCollection 2014. PubMed PMID: 24574964; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3920114.
Davis CM, Fairbanks SL, Alkayed NJ. Mechanism of the sex difference in endothelial dysfunction after stroke. Transl Stroke Res. 2013 Aug;4(4):381-9. doi: 10.1007/s12975-012-0227-0. Review. PubMed PMID: 23853671; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3706302.
Zhang W, Davis CM, Edin ML, Lee CR, Zeldin DC, Alkayed NJ. Role of endothelial soluble epoxide hydrolase in cerebrovascular function and ischemic injury. PLoS One. 2013;8(4):e61244. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0061244. Print 2013. PubMed PMID: 23585883; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3621731.
Fairbanks SL, Young JM, Nelson JW, Davis CM, Koerner IP, Alkayed NJ. Mechanism of the sex difference in neuronal ischemic cell death. Neuroscience. 2012 Sep 6;219:183-91. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2012.05.048. Epub 2012 May 26. PubMed PMID: 22641086; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3402645.
Gupta NC, Davis CM, Nelson JW, Young JM, Alkayed NJ. Soluble epoxide hydrolase: sex differences and role in endothelial cell survival. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2012 Aug;32(8):1936-42. doi: 10.1161/ATVBAHA.112.251520. Epub 2012 Jun 21. PubMed PMID: 22723436; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3417749.
Di Domenico F, Casalena G, Jia J, Sultana R, Barone E, Cai J, Pierce WM, Cini C, Mancuso C, Perluigi M, Davis CM, Alkayed NJ, Butterfield DA. Sex differences in brain proteomes of neuron-specific STAT3-null mice after cerebral ischemia/reperfusion. J Neurochem. 2012 May;121(4):680-92. doi: 10.1111/j.1471-4159.2012.07721.x. Epub 2012 Mar 28. PubMed PMID: 22394374; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3325362.
Arthur-Farraj P, Wanek K, Hantke J, Davis CM, Jayakar A, Parkinson DB, Mirsky R, Jessen KR. Mouse schwann cells need both NRG1 and cyclic AMP to myelinate. Glia. 2011 May;59(5):720-33. doi: 10.1002/glia.21144. Epub 2011 Feb 14. PubMed PMID: 21322058; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5722196.
Davis CM, Siler DA, Alkayed NJ. Endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor in the brain: influence of sex, vessel size and disease state. Womens Health (Lond). 2011 May;7(3):293-303. doi: 10.2217/whe.11.26. PubMed PMID: 21612351; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3980940.
News
Oregon Tax Check-off Alzheimer’s Research Fund, Davis (PI)
09/01/2018- 08/31/2021
Development and characterization of a novel model of mixed-type dementia
Emechebe U, Giraud D, Ammi AY, Scott KL, Jacobs JM, McDermott JE, Dykan IV, Alkayed NJ, Barnes AP, Kaul S, Davis CM (2021). Phosphoproteomic response of cardiac endothelial cells to ischemia and ultrasound. Biochim Biophys Acta Proteins Proteom. 1869(9):140683.
Davis CM, Zhang WH, Bah TM, Roese NE, Allen EM, Leung P, Boutros SJ, Marzulla T, Patel E, Nie X, Alkayed FN, Huang JH, Jensen MA, Raber J, Pike MM, Alkayed NJ (2022). Age-dependent cognitive impairment, hydrocephalus and leukocyte infiltration in transgenic mice with endothelial expression of human EPHX2. NPJ Aging. 8(1):9. PMID: 35927273
Cao Z, Minnier J, Liu L, Scott KLL, Reddy AP, Wilmarth PA, David LL, Barnes AP, Grafe MR, Kaul S, Alkayed NJ, Davis CM (2022). Proteomic profiling of concurrently isolated primary microvascular endothelial cells, pericytes, and vascular smooth muscle cells from adult mouse heart. Sci Rep. 12(1):8835. PMID: 35614104
Davis CM, Bah TM, Zhang WH, Nelson JW, Golgotiu K, Nie X, Alkayed FN, Young JM, Woltjer RL, Silbert LC, Grafe MR, Alkayed NJ (2021). GPR39 localization in the aging human brain and correlation of expression and polymorphism with vascular cognitive impairment. Alzheimers Dement (N Y). 7(1):e12214. PMID: 34692987