Douglas R. Seals

Research Interests

• Cardiovascular aging, particularly the changes in systolic blood pressure, large artery stiffness and vascular endothelial function that occur with physiological and pathophysiological aging.
• Biological and lifestyle factors that influence cardiovascular aging.
• The integrative (molecular to systemic) mechanisms that mediate cardiovascular aging and its modulation by biological and lifestyle factors.
• Interventions to improve adverse physiological changes with aging, including cardiovascular dysfunction.
• Integrative Physiology of Aging Laboratory.

Education

• 1972-76, B.S./B.S., Education/Business Administration, William Jewell College, Liberty, MO.
• 1977-79, M.S., Applied/Exercise Physiology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI.
• 1979-81, Ph.D., Applied/Exercise Physiology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI.

Professional Experience

• 1981-1984, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Department of Medicine, Section of Applied Physiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO.
• 1984-1985, Assistant Professor, Department of Exercise Science, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA.
• 1985-1988, Assistant Professor, Department of Exercise and Sport Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ.
• 1987-1989, Assistant Professor, Department of Physiology, University of Arizona Health Sciences Center, Tucson, AZ.
• 1989-1992, Associate Professor, Department of Exercise and Sport Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ.
• 1990-1992, Associate Professor, Department of Physiology, University of Arizona Health Sciences Center, Tucson, AZ.
• 1992-1995, Associate Professor, Department of Kinesiology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO.
• 1993-1995, Associate Professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver, CO.
• 1995-1998, Professor, Department of Kinesiology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO.
• 1996-Present, Professor, Department of Medicine, Divisions of Cardiology and Geriatric Medicine, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver, CO.
• 1998-2002, Professor, Department of Kinesiology and Applied Physiology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO.
• 2000-2004, Assistant Program Director, UC-Boulder General Clinical Research Center.
• 2003-2016, Professor, Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO.
• 2008-Present, Arts and Sciences College Professor of Distinction, Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO.
• 2011, Director, Responsible Conduct of Research, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO.
• 2017-Present, Distinguished Professor, University of Colorado.

Honors and Awards

• 1988-1993, Research Career Development Award, National Institute on Aging.
• Fellow, American Heart Association Councils on Basic Cardiovascular Sciences, High Blood Pressure Research, and Nutrition, Physical Activity and Metabolism.
• 1999-2005, Editor-in-Chief, Exercise and Sport Sciences Reviews.
• 1999-2008, Associate Editor, Journal of Applied Physiology.
• 1999-2003, NIH IRG Member, Clinical Aging Review Committee, National Institute on Aging.
• 2003, Citation Award, American College of Sports Medicine.
• 2005, Herbert H. deVries Award for Distinguished Research in the Field of Aging.
• 2004-present, NIH, National Institute on Aging MERIT Award (R37 AG013038).
• 2006, UC-Boulder Faculty Assembly Award for Research, Scholarly, and Creative Work.
• 2007-2012, regular member of NIH IRG Aging Systems and Geriatrics Study Section.
• 2008, College of Arts and Sciences Professor of Distinction.
• 2013, Edward F. Adolph Distinguished Lecturer, American Physiological Society.
• 2015, University of Colorado Distinguished Research Lecture, Boulder, CO.
• 2017, Distinguished Professor, University of Colorado.
• 2022, American Physiological Society EEP Honor Award.
• 2022, Charles Perkins Center Sabbatical Professorship, University of Sydney School of Medicine.

Recent Research Publications

For a complete list of publications click here.

• Seals DR, Nagy EE, Moreau KL.  Aerobic exercise training and vascular function with aging in healthy men and women.  Journal of Physiology 597:4901-4914, 2019.
• Brunt VE, Gioscia-Ryan RA, Casso AG, VanDongen NS, Ziemba BP, Sapinsley ZJ, Richey JJ, Zigler MC, Neilson AP, Davy KP, Seals DR.  Trimethylamine N-oxide promotes age-related vascular oxidative stress and endothelial dysfunction in mice and healthy humans. Hypertension 76:101-112, 2020.
• Gioscia-Ryan RA*, Clayton ZS*, Zigler MC, Richey JJ, Cuevas LM, Rossman MJ, Battson ML, Ziemba BP, Hutton DA, VanDongen NS, Seals DR. Lifelong voluntary aerobic exercise prevents age- and Western diet-induced vascular dysfunction, mitochondrial oxidative stress and inflammation in mice. Journal of Physiology 599:911-925, 2021.
• Craighead DH, Heinbockel TC, Freeberg KA, Rossman MJ, Jackman RA, Jankowski LR, Hamilton MN, Ziema BP, Reisz JA, D’Alessandro A, Brewster LM, DeSouza CA, You Z, Chonchol M, Bailey EF, Seals DR. Time-efficient inspiratory strength training lowers blood pressure and improves endothelial function, NO bioavailability and oxidative stress in midlife/older adults with above-normal blood pressure. Journal of the American Heart Association 10:e020980, 2021.
• Clayton ZS, Brunt VE, Hutton DA, Casso AG, Ziemba BP, Melov S, Campisi J, Seals DR. Tumor necrosis factor alpha-mediated inflammation and remodeling of the extracellular matrix underlies aortic stiffening induced by the common chemotherapeutic agent doxorubicin. Hypertension 77:1581-1590, 2021.
• Clayton ZS, Gioscia-Ryan RA, Justice JN, Lubieniecki KL, Hutton DA, Rossman MJ, Zigler MC, Seals DR. Lifelong physical activity attenuates age- and Western-style diet-related declines in physical function and adverse changes in skeletal muscle mass and inflammation. Experimental Gerontology 157:111632, 2022.
• Clayton ZS, Rossman MJ, Mahoney SA, Venkatasubramanian R, Maurer G, Hutton DA, VanDongen NS, Greenberg NT, Longtine AG, Ludwig KR, Brunt VE, LaRocca TJ, Campisi J, Melov, Seals DR. Cellular senescence contributes to large elastic artery stiffening and endothelial dysfunction with aging: amelioration with senolytic treatment. Hypertension 80:2072-2087, 2023.
• Freeberg KA*, Craighead DH, Heinbockel TC, Rossman MJ, Jackman RAP, Jankowski LR, Katelyn Ludwig, Chonchol M, Bailey EF, Seals DR. Time-efficient, high-resistance inspiratory muscle strength training increases cerebrovascular reactivity in midlife and older adults. American Journal of Physiology Heart and Circulatory Physiology 325:H1059-H1068, 2023.
• Moreau K, Clayton Z, DuBose L, Rosenberry R, Seals DR. Effects of regular exercise on vascular function with aging: does sex matter? Journal of Physiology Heart and Circulatory Physiology 326:H123-H137, 2024.
• Mahoney SA, VanDongen NS, Greenberg NT, Venkatasubramanian R, Rossman MJ, Widlansky ME, Brunt VE, Bernaldo de Quirós Y, Seals DR, Clayton ZS. Role of the circulating milieu in age-related arterial dysfunction: a novel ex vivo approach. Journal of Physiology Heart and Circulatory Physiology 326:H1279-H1290, 2024.

Professional Development Articles by Dr. Seals