Caitlin Baumer-Harrison, PhD

Endocrine and sensory integration in the caudal nucleus of the solitary tract modulates blood pressure and salt intake

Caitlin received her MS in Psychology from Eastern Michigan University in 2015. In Dr. Joseph Breza’s lab, Caitlin investigated the role of GAD65+ Type I taste-bud cells in salt taste transduction. Her work determined that Type I cells communicate with NaCl-best neurons in the gustatory nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS) and was the first to definitively show a functional role for Type I cells in taste transduction. Caitlin received her PhD in Medical Sciences with a concentration in physiology from the University of Florida College of Medicine in 2023. In Dr. Annette de Kloet’s lab, Caitlin investigated angiotensin-II (Ang-II) type-1a receptor (AT1aR)-containing afferents to the NTS and their role in regulating blood pressure and salt intake. Her work determined that AT1aR-containing afferents are sufficient to reduce blood pressure and heart rate in a frequency-dependent manner and are sufficient and necessary to modulate salt intake in response to a perceived increase in vascular stretch.