Reggie Lee, Ph.D.

Contact Info

• 12901 Bruce B Downs Blvd
  MDC30
  Tampa FL 33612
• Academic Email: reggielee@usf.edu

Education

Biography

My overall career goal is to investigate potential therapeutics for cerebral ischemia. I hope my research will contribute to the enhancement of human health. I have devoted over fifteen (15) years studying the neurovascular unit and cerebral blood flow and metabolism as it relates to neurodegenerative diseases (e.g., stroke, brain ischemia, and Alzheimer’s disease).

Interdisciplinary and Emerging Signature Programs

• Neurodegenerative Disease
• Neuroscience
• Cardiovascular Sciences

Research Interests

• Cardiopulmonary arrest and stroke are the major causes of death/disability in the U.S. with poor prognosis and survival rates. The current therapeutic challenges are physiologically complex because they involve hypoperfusion [decreased cerebral blood flow], neuroinflammation, and mitochondrial dysfunction. Our long-term goal is to identify these complex regulatory elements that ultimately control neuronal viability, thereby laying the foundation for a common therapy that greatly improves outcomes. Our laboratory is currently investigating 1) the therapeutic potential of novel kinase inhibitors (e.g., Serum/Glucocorticoid Regulated Kinase) against cardiac arrest and stroke and 2) regulatory mechanisms of cerebrovascular dynamics by the sympathetic nervous system in cerebral ischemia. To study cardiac arrest and stroke, we use clinically relevant models of cardiac arrest and stroke (asphyxia- and KCl-induced rodent cardiac arrest and photothrombotic stroke model) coupled with cutting-edge techniques, including in vivo two-photon laser scanning microscopy for real-time analyses of cortical cerebral blood flow; Microspectrofluorometry for mitochondrial ion homeostasis; Mitochondria respiration measurements in a hippocampal slice preparation via Seahorse respirometry.

Awards/Honors

• Transformational Project Award (American Heart Association - 2025)
• Joanna Gunning Magale Endowed Professorship (LSU Health - 2024)
• Transformational Project Award (American Heart Association - 2023)
• Research Rising Star Award (LSU Health - 2023)
• Career Development Award (American Heart Association - 2019)
• Postdoctoral Fellowship Award (American Heart Association - 2017)

Memberships

• Member (American Heart Association, 2014 - Present)
• Member (Society for Neuroscience, 2011 - Present)
• Member (International Society for the Study of Fatty Acids and Lipids, 2018 - Present)
• Member (American Society for Neurochemistry, 2024 - Present)

Recent Publications

• Yongfang Zhou, Celeste Yin-Chieh Wu, Reggie Hui-Chao Lee Beyond muscle: Exploring NAD+ for neurovascular and cognitive preservation in older patients with peripheral artery disease The Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics. 392(11) : 103723, 2025.
• Wu CY, Zhou Y, Yuan T, Tipparaju SM, Lee RH The Overlooked Organ: Rethinking Neuroprotection Through the Heart-Brain Axis JACC: Basic to Translational Science. 10(7) , 2025.
• Feng Y, Ma X, Zong X, Jordan DJ, Wu CY, Tesic V, Lee RH*, Zhang Q Clemastine enhances myelin formation in the striatum and medial prefrontal cortex and improves sociability in a neonatal rat hypoxic-ischemic model Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy. 185(117916) , 2025.
• Wu CY, Zhang Y, Howard PG, Huang F, Lee RH ACSL3 is a promising therapeutic target for alleviating anxiety and depression in Alzheimer’s disease GeroScience. , 2024.
• Howard PG, Zou P, Zhang Y, Huang F, Tesic V, Wu CY, Lee RH Serum/Glucocorticoid Regulated Kinase 1 (SGK1) in Neurological Disorders: Pain or Gain Experimental Neurology. 382(114973) , 2024.
• Feng Y, Huang Z, Ma X, Zong X, Tesic V, Ding B, Wu CY, Lee RH*, Zhang Q Photobiomodulation Inhibits Ischemia-Induced Brain Endothelial Senescence via Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase Antioxidants. , 2024.
• Wu CY, Zhang Y, Xu L, Huang Z, Zou P, Clemons GA, Li C, Citadin CT, Zhang Q, Lee RH The role of serum/glucocorticoid-regulated kinase 1 in brain function following cerebral ischemia J Cereb Blood Flow Metab. , 2024.
• Feng Y, Huang Z, Ma X, Zong X, Wu CY, Lee RH, Lin HW, Hamblin MR, Zhang Q Activation of testosterone‐androgen receptor mediates cerebrovascular protection by photobiomodulation treatment in photothrombosis‐induced stroke rats CNS Neuroscience & Therapeutics. , 2024.
• Acosta CH, Clemons GA, Citadin CT, Carr WC, Sayuri Berto Udo M, Tesic V, Sanicola HW, Freelin AH, Toms JB, Jordan JD, Guthikonda B, Rodgers KM, Wu CY, Lee RH, Lin HW A role for protein arginine methyltransferase 7 in repetitive and mild traumatic brain injury Neurochemistry International. 166(105524) , 2023.
• Acosta CH, Clemons GA, Citadin CT, Carr WC, Sayuri Berto Udo M, Tesic V, Sanicola HW, Freelin AH, Toms JB, Jordan JD, Guthikonda B, Rodgers KM, Wu CY, Lee RH, Lin HW PRMT7 can prevent neurovascular uncoupling, blood-brain barrier permeability, and mitochondrial dysfunction in repetitive and mild traumatic brain injury Experimental Neurology. 366(114445) , 2023.
• Clemons GA, Couto E Silva A, Acosta CH, Udo MSB, Tesic V, Rodgers KM, Wu CY, Citadin CT, Lee RH, Neumann JT, Allani S, Prentice H, Zhang Q, Lin HW Protein arginine methyltransferase 4 modulates nitric oxide synthase uncoupling and cerebral blood flow in Alzheimer's disease J Cell Physiol. , 2022.
• Yang LD, Wu C, Li Y, Dong Y, Wu CY, Lee RH, Brann DW, Lin HW, Zhang QG Long-term exercise pre-training attenuates Alzheimer's disease-related pathology in a transgenic rat model of Alzheimer's disease Geroscience. , 2022.
• Couto E Silva A, Wu CY, Clemons GA, Acosta HC, Chen, CT, Possoit HE, Citadin CT, Lee RH, Brown JI, Frankel A, Lin HW Protein arginine methyltransferase 8 modulates mitochondrial bioenergetics and neuroinflammation after hypoxic stress J Neurochem. , 2021.
• Lee RH, Wu CY, Citadin CT, Couto E Silva A, Possoit HE, Clemons GA, Acosta HC, de la Llama VA, Neumann JT, Lin HW Activation of Neuropeptide Y2 Receptor Can Inhibit Global Cerebral Ischemia-Induced Brain Injury NeuroMolecular Medicine. , 2021.
• Wu CY, Couto E Silva A, Citadin CT, Clemons GA, Acosta CH, Knox BA, Grames MS, Rodgers KM, Lee RH, Lin HW Palmitic acid methyl ester inhibits cardiac arrest-induced neuroinflammation and mitochondrial dysfunction Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids. 165(102227) , 2021.
• Lee RH, Grames MS, Wu CY, Lien CF, Couto E Silva A, Possoit HE, Clemons GA, Citadin CT, Neumann JT, Pastore D, Lauro D, Della-Morte D, Lin HW Upregulation of serum and glucocorticoid-regulated kinase 1 exacerbates brain injury and neurological deficits after cardiac arrest Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. , 2020.
• Chen P, Wu CY, Clemons GA, Citadin CT, Couto E Silva A, Possoit HE, Azizbayeva R, Forren NE, Liu C, Rao KN, Krzywanski DM, Lee RH, Neumann JT, Lin HW Stearic acid methyl ester affords neuroprotection and improves functional outcomes after cardiac arrest Prostaglandins, leukotrienes, and essential fatty acids. 159(102138) , 2020.
• Wu CY, Clemons GA, Lopz-Toledano MA, Citadin CT, Lee RH, Lin HW SC411 enhances cerebral blood flow after ischemia in the Townes mouse model of sickle cell disease Prostaglandins, leukotrienes, and essential fatty acids. 158(102110) , 2020.
• Couto E Silva A, Wu CY, Citadin CT, Clemons GA, Possoit HE, Grames MS, Lien CF, Minagar A, Lee RH, Frankel A, Lin HW Protein Arginine Methyltransferases in Cardiovascular and Neuronal Function Molecular Neurobiology. , 2019.
• Lee RH, Couto E Silva A, Possoit HE, Lerner FM, Azizbayeva R, Citadin CT, Wu CY, Neumann JT, Lin HW Palmitic acid methyl ester is a novel neuroprotective agent against cardiac arrest Prostaglandins, leukotrienes, and essential fatty acids. , 2018.
• Lee RH, Lee MH, Wu CY, Couto E Silva A, Possoit HE, Hsieh TH, Minagar A, Lin HW Cerebral ischemia and neuroregeneration Neural Regen Res. 13(3) , 2018.
• Wu CY, Lerner FM, Couto E Silva A, Possoit HE, Hsieh TH, Neumann JT, Minagar A, Lin HW, and Lee RH Utilizing the modified T-maze to assess functional memory outcomes after cardiac arrest J. Vis. Exp. 131, 2018.
• Lee RH, Couto E Silva A, Lerner FM, Wilkins CS, Valido SE, Klein DD, Wu CY, Neumann JT, Della-Morte D, Koslow SH, Minagar A, and Lin HW Interruption of Perivascular Sympathetic Nerves of Cerebral Arteries Offers Neuroprotection Against Ischemia Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 312(1) , 2017.
• Lee RH, Vasquez JJ, Do Couto E Silva A, Klein DD, Valido SE, Chen JA, Lerner FM, Wu CY, and Lin HW Fatty acid methyl esters as a potential therapy against cerebral ischemia Oilseeds and fats, Crops and Lipids. , 2015.
• Wu CY, Lee RH, Chen PY, Tsai AP, Chen MF, Kuo JS, and Lee TJ L-type calcium channels in sympathetic α3β2-nAChR-mediated cerebral nitrergic neurogenic vasodilation Acta Physiol. 211(4) : 544-558, 2014.
• Lee RH, Tseng TY, Wu CY, Chen PY, Chen MF, Kuo JS, and Lee TJ Memantine inhibits α3β2-nAChRs-mediated nitrergic neurogenic vasodilation in porcine basilar arteries Plos One. 7(7) , 2012.
• Chen MF, Huang YC, Long C, Yang HI, Lee RH, Chen PY, Hoffer BJ, and Lee TJ Bimodal effects of fluoxetine on cerebral nitrergic neurogenic vasodilation in porcine large cerebral arteries Neuropharmacology. 62(4) : 1651-1658, 2012.
• Lee TJ, Chang HH, Lee RH, Chen PY, Lee YC, Kuo JS, and Chen MF Axo-axonal interaction in autonomic regulation of the cerebral circulation Acta physiologica. 203(1) : 25-35, 2011.
• Lee RH, Liu YQ, Chen PY, Liu CH, Chen MF, Lin HW, Kuo JS, Premkumar LS, and Lee TJ Sympathetic α3β2--nAChRs mediate cerebral neurogenic nitrergic vasodilation in the swine Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 301(2) : 344-354, 2011.
• Lee RH, LEE CC, Lee RP, and Chen HI Blood chemistry of nonstroke cerebral small vessel disease Chinese Journal of Radiology. 30(3) : 159-166, 2005.
• Lee RH, Wilkins CS, Do Couto E Silva A, Valido SE, Wu CY, and Lin HW Fatty Acids in Vascular Health Palmitic Acid: Occurrence, Biochemistry and Health Effects. , 2014.
• Wu CY, Lee RH, Lee MH, Do Couto E Silva A, Hsieh TH, Possoit HE, Brackett AL, and Lin HW Role of neuroinflammation in pathophysiology of traumatic brain injury Neuroinflammation. , 2018.

Positions Held

• Associate Director (Institute for Cerebrovascular and Neuroregeneration, LSU Health 2022 - 2025)
• Joanna Gunning Magale Endowed Professor (Neurology, LSU Health 2024 - 2025)
• Associate Professor (Neurology, LSU Health 2024 - 2025)
• Assistant Professor (Neurology, LSU Health 2019 - 2024)