Pedro Jose Professor of Medicine Office Phone: 202-741-2233 Email: Email Department: Medicine

Education

• AA, University of Santo Tomas, Philippines, 1960
• MD, University of Santo Tomas, Philippines, 1965
• PhD, Georgetown University, 1976

Biography

Dr. Pedro A. Jose is Professor of Medicine and Pharmacology and Physiology, The George Washington University School of Medicine & Health Sciences, Visiting Professor, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China, Visiting Professor, Anhui Institute of Cardiovascular Disease, Anhui, China, Concurrent Professor, Nanjing University School of Medicine, Nanjing, China, and Distinguished Professor, Henan Provincial People’s Hospital, China. He is a guest lecturer in several universities and learned societies in the US and many countries around the world.

Dr. Jose received his MD degree, magna cum laude, meritissimus, from the University of Santo Tomas, Philippines, and placed first in the Philippine National Board Examinations in Medicine and Surgery. He received his PhD degree in Physiology from Georgetown University, Washington, D.C., USA and defended his dissertation with distinction. He is a past President of the American Society of Pediatric Nephrology.

The primary goal of Dr. Jose’s research is to determine the genetic and pharmacogenetic bases of human essential hypertension and the metabolic syndrome. Specifically, the mission of his laboratory is to study the role of dopamine, adrenergic, and angiotensin receptor subtypes and dopamine regulatory genes (e.g., G protein-coupled receptor kinase 4 [GRK4], sorting nexins, gastrin) on sodium transport in specific nephron segments and their roles in the pathogenesis of genetic hypertension and metabolic syndrome. Dr. Jose’s studies are performed in vitro and in vivo, using molecular and cell biological methods, including gene silencing, gene rescue (e.g., AAV vectors), confocal microscopy and biophysical imaging, and integrative physiology in rats, mice, and humans. Dr. Jose is a recognized expert on the role of dopamine receptors in the regulation of renal function, epithelial sodium transport, vascular function, and blood pressure. He has contributed novel and important information on signal transduction and cellular trafficking of dopamine receptors. He has published more than 380 scientific articles in book chapters and journals. His articles are currently cited more than 11,000 times, with 69 cited 50 or more times, 22 of which are cited 100 or more times. Four of his articles are covers of scientific journals, eight are the subject of editorial commentaries, and two are featured articles. His Hirsch-index is 56 (Web of Science). Dr. Jose has received several academic and research awards, including the 2003 Lewis K. Dahl Memorial Lecture (American Heart Association), 2007 Ernest H. Starling Distinguished Lecture (American Physiological Society), 2007 MERIT award (National Institutes of Health), 2015 Excellence Award for Hypertension Research (American Heart Association), and 2019 Pamana ng Pilipino Award (research), Republic of the Philippines. Dr. Jose has mentored more than 75 undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate students, and junior faculty members. Many of Dr. Jose’s trainees have become independent researchers with intramural and extramural funding, heading their own laboratories and centers.

A key finding of Dr. Jose’s research is the demonstration of the crucial role of gene variants of GRK4 in the pathogenesis and personalized treatment of hypertension. Dr. Jose and his associates have discovered genes that cause high blood pressure when sodium intake is excessive and more importantly, genes that cause high blood pressure when sodium intake is too low. These studies have resulted in two patents and one pending patent in the USA. Deciphering the role of GRK4 gene variants in the pathogenesis of human essential hypertension was the second advance and discovery cited by the Director of National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute for its 2004 budget justification to the US Congress.

Lab Website

Research

Renal pharmacology and physiology, epithelial sodium transport, genetics and pharmacogenetics of hypertension, G protein-coupled receptors

For more information, please visit the Jose Lab website

Division

• Renal Diseases and Hypertension

Industry Relationships and Collaborations

This faculty member (or a member of their immediate family) has reported a financial interest with the health care related companies listed below. These relations have been reported to the University and, when appropriate, management plans are in place to address potential conflicts.

• Hypogen