James W. Fisher, Ph.D.

Professor Emeritis
University of Louisville School of Medicine, 1958.

Research Interests
Hematopharmacology; endocrine pharmacology; renal pharmacology; hormones and erythropoietin; anemia of end-stage renal disease; adenosine; cyclic nucleotides; nitric oxide and C kinase and erythropoietin production; eicosanoids and erythropoiesis

Academic Training:

• B.S. in Chemistry - University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, 1947
• Ph.D. in Pharmacology - University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville KY, 1958
• Instructor-Professor, Department of Pharmacology, University of Tennessee Medical Units, Memphis, TN, 1958-68
• Professor and Chairman, Department of Pharmacology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, 1968-96
• Regents Professor, Department of Pharmacology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, 1987-present

Honors:

• USPHS, Research Career Development Award, 1960-65
• Purkinje Medal, Czech Medical Society, 1975
• Golden Sovereign Award, University of Louisville, 1976
• Regents Endowed Professorship in Pharmacology, Tulane University, 1987
• James W. Fisher Lectureship in Pharmacology, Tulane University Medical School, established 1991
• ASPET Award, Experimental Therapeutics 1992
• Member of of Alpha Omega Alpha (Distinguished Faculty) 1992
• Owl Club Award for Medical Student Teaching, 1996
• Alumni Award, University of Louisville School of Medicine, 1999

Pharmaceutical Industry Positions:

• Developmental Chemist, Pharmaceutical Development Department, Armour Pharmaceutical Co., Chicago, IL, 1950-53
• Pharmacologist, Department of Pharmacology, Lloyd Bros, Inc. Pharmaceutical Research Labs, Cincinnati, OH, 1954-56

Address:

Department of Pharmacology SL83, Tulane University School of Medicine, 1430 Tulane Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70112-2699

Telephone: (504) 988-5444; Fax (504) 988-5283; Email: jfisher@tulane.edu

Research Interests:

The primary research interests of my laboratory involve signal transduction pathways in hypoxic regulation of erythropoietin (Epo) production. Our laboratory is focusing on the role of adenosine, which is elevated in kidney tissue during hypoxia, in the regulation of kidney production of Epo. Adenosine receptor activation through both cyclic nucleotide and kinase C pathways may be involved with inducing an hypoxia-inducible element in the erythropoietin gene which expresses Epo mRNA. A phosphorylation event which may be involved with binding of an hypoxia-inducible factor to DNA may be important in the transcription of Epo mRNA. In addition, nitric oxide and guanylate cyclase activation of the G kinase pathway may also be important in regulating transcriptional events in Epo mRNA production. The techniques ongoing in my laboratory involve hepatocellular carcinoma (Hep 3B, Hep 3G) cell lines which spontaneously produce Epo; a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method for determining mRNA for Epo; an isolated perfused rat kidney in which Epo production in response to hypoxia can be studied; and a polycythemic mouse model induced by hypoxia are all available to study hypoxic regulation of Epo production.

Publications: