Dr. Monica Santisteban received her Ph.D. in Physiology under the mentorship of Dr. Mohan Raizada at the University of Florida, where she studied the role of neuroinflammation, enhanced sympathetic nervous activity, and intestinal dysbiosis in the mechanisms of neurogenic hypertension. Interestingly, the brain not only promotes the development of hypertension, but is also one of the premier organs impaired by the blood pressure elevation. Monica’s postdoctoral training under the guidance of Dr. Costantino Iadecola at Weill Cornell Medicine focused on investigating the detrimental effects of hypertension on the cerebral vasculature, specifically on the blood-brain barrier, cerebral blood flow regulation, and cognitive function. Her training was supported by pre- and post-doctoral fellowships from the American Heart Association. Dr. Santisteban is Instructor in Neuroscience at the Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute at Weill Cornell Medicine, where she is currently studying the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying the cerebrovascular and cognitive dysfunction in salt-sensitive hypertension.
