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Division Faculty


Karl T. Weber, MD

Director, Division of Cardiovascular Diseases
Neuton Stern Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine

Contact Information:
Email:    ktweber@uthsc.edu
Office:  (901) 448-5750

Clinical/Research Interests:
Congestive heart failure (CHF): its pathogenesis and pathophysiologic expressions. Basic science studies focus on the neuroendocrine-immune interface gone awry, where hyperparathyroidism (HPT) in rats with aldosteronism accounts for a calcium loading and activation of diverse tissues. In the case of circulating immune cells, a resultant immunostimulatory state includes a proinflammatory phenotype with oxi/nitrosative stress, vascular invasion and wasting of soft tissue and bone. Translational studies in human CHF focus on Ca2+ & Mg2+ homeostasis, HPT, hypovitaminosis D, bone health and the role of diuretics.

Degree:  Temple University
Fellowship:  University of Alabama at Birmingham
Residency:  University of Alabama at Birmingham
Joined UT:  1999

Biographical Information:
Dr. Weber is the Neuton Stern Professor of Medicine and Director of the Division of Cardiovascular Diseases at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. He received his medical degree from Temple University School of Medicine, where he also completed his internship. After a 2-year stay at the National Institutes of Health’s Artificial Heart Program, he served his residency in internal medicine and fellowship in cardiology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Dr. Weber joined the Department of Medicine, Cardiovascular-Pulmonary Division, at the University of Pennsylvania as Assistant Professor in 1974, later becoming Associate Professor of Medicine and Director of the Cardio-Pulmonary Research Laboratories. In 1983 Dr. Weber was appointed Professor of Medicine at the University of Chicago and Director of the Cardiology Division and Cardiovascular Institute of the Michael Reese Hospital and Medical Center and in 1985 became the Harold H. Hines, Jr. Professor of Medicine. He joined the University of Missouri Health Sciences Center in 1990 serving as Chairman of the Department of Internal Medicine and Director of the Division of Cardiology through 1997. Dr. Weber’s research interests (NIH-funded since 1974) have focused on heart failure, its pathogenic origins and its pathophysiologic expressions. Among his many scientific contributions that have advanced the practice of medicine is his pioneering work into the importance of the heart’s extracellular matrix and mechanisms responsible for cardiac fibrosis. Dr. Weber is a prolific author with over 500 publications. He serves on several US and international editorial boards. He has been elected president of the Central Society for Clinical Research (1995–96) and the International Society for Heart Research, North American Section (1997–2000). Dr. Weber is the recipient of Moravian College (1987) and Temple University School of Medicine (1998) Alumni Achievement Awards. In 2002 he was elected into the International Academy of Cardiovascular Sciences and was selected as recipient of the Bowman Research Achievement Award presented by the Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences in Winnipeg, Canada. He is the 2005 recipient of the Makato Nagano Award for Distinguished Achievements in Cardiovascular Research presented by the International Academy of Cardiovascular Sciences.

Recent Publications:
  1. Ali S, Shahbaz AU, Nelson MD, Shirwany A, Munir A, D’Cruz IA, Weber KT. Reduced relative lymphocyte count in African-Americans with decompensated heart failure. Am J Med Sci 2009 (In press)
  2. Dishmon DA, Dotson JL, Munir A, Nelson MD, Bhattacharya SK, D'Cruz IA, Davis RC, Jr., Weber KT. Hypovitaminosis D and valvular calcification in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy. Am J Med Sci 2009 (In press)
  3. Munir A, Davis RC, Weber KT. The cardiac interstitium and the failing heart. In: Banner N, Jessup ML, eds. Advanced Heart Failure. Addison, Texas: International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation. 2009 (In press).
  4. Zafarullah H, Shahbaz AU, Alturkmani R, LaGuardia SP, Paulus BM, Battin DL, Afzal MO, Davis RC, Smith JL, Weber KT. Elevated serum cobalamin in patients with decompensated biventricular failure. Am J Med Sci 2008;336:383-388. PMID: 19011393
  5. Weber KT, Weglicki WB, Simpson RU. Macro- and micronutrient dyshomeostasis in the adverse structural remodeling of myocardium. Cardiovasc Res 2008:[Epub ahead of print]. PMID: 18835843
  6. Weber KT, Sun Y, Díez J. Fibrosis: a living tissue and the infarcted heart. J Am Coll Cardiol 2008;52:2029-2031. PMID: 19055995
  7. Weber KT, Simpson RU, Carbone LD. Vitamin D and calcium dyshomoeostasis-associated heart failure. Heart 2008;94:540-541. PMID: 18413299
  8. Weber KT, Munir A. Principles and applications of cardiopulmonary exercise testing. In: Fishman AP, Elias JA, Fishman JA, Grippi MA, Senior RM, Pack AI, eds. Fishman's Pulmonary Diseases and Disorders (4th ed). New York: McGraw-Hill. 2008:611-628.
  9. Selektor Y, Weber KT. The salt-avid state of congestive heart failure revisited. Am J Med Sci 2008;335:209-218. PMID: 18344695
  10. Selektor Y, Parker RB, Sun Y, Zhao W, Bhattacharya SK, Weber KT. Tissue 65zinc translocation in a rat model of chronic aldosteronism. J Cardiovasc Pharmacol 2008;51:359-364. PMID: 18427278
  11. Selektor Y, Ahokas RA, Bhattacharya SK, Sun Y, Gerling IC, Weber KT. Cinacalcet and the prevention of secondary hyperparathyroidism in rats with aldosteronism. Am J Med Sci 2008;335:105-110. PMID: 18277117
  12. Paulus BM, Ali S, Zia AA, Munir A, Davis RC, Jr., Mansbach CM, Smith WC, Weber KT. Causes and consequences of systemic venous hypertension. Am J Med Sci 2008;336:489-497. PMID: 19092322
  13. Gandhi MS, Deshmukh PA, Kamalov G, Zhao T, Zhao W, Whaley JT, Tichy JR, Bhattacharya SK, Ahokas RA, Sun Y, Gerling IC, Weber KT. Causes and consequences of zinc dyshomeostasis in rats with chronic aldosteronism. J Cardiovasc Pharmacol 2008;52:245-252. PMID: 18806605
  14. Carbone LD, Rosenberg EW, Tolley EA, Holick MF, Hughes TA, Watsky MA, Barrow KD, Chen TC, Wilkin NK, Bhattacharya SK, Dowdy JC, Sayre RM, Weber KT. 25-Hydroxyvitamin D, cholesterol, and ultraviolet irradiation. Metabolism 2008;57:741-748. PMID: 18502255
  15. Carbone LD, Cross JD, Raza SH, Bush AJ, Sepanski RJ, Dhawan S, Khan BQ, Gupta M, Ahmad K, Khouzam RN, Dishmon DA, Nesheiwat JP, Hajjar MA, Chishti WA, Nasser W, Khan M, Womack CR, Cho T, Haskin AR, Weber KT. Fracture risk in men with congestive heart failure. Risk reduction with spironolactone. J Am Coll Cardiol 2008;52:135-138. PMID: 18598893
  16. Alsafwah S, LaGuardia SP, Nelson MD, Battin DL, Newman KP, Carbone LD, Weber KT. Hypovitaminosis D in African Americans residing in Memphis, Tennessee with and without heart failure. Am J Med Sci 2008;335:292-297. PMID: 18414068
  17. Ahmad K, Gandhi MS, Smith WC, Weber KT. Bilateral pleural effusions in congestive heart failure. Am J Med Sci 2008;335:484-488. PMID: 18552580
  18. Weber KT, Hefner LL, Rackley CE, Russell RO, Jr., Andreoli TE. In memoriam: T. Joseph Reeves, MD 1923-2007. Circulation 2007;116:2356-2357.
  19. Weber KT. A dilemma on Orchid Island. Heart News and Views 2007;15 (1):6-7.
  20. Weber KT. A Quebec quencher. Heart News and Views 2007;14 (3):7-8.
  21. Thomas M, Vidal A, Bhattacharya SK, Ahokas RA, Sun Y, Gerling IC, Weber KT. Zinc dyshomeostasis in rats with aldosteronism. Response to spironolactone. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 2007;293:H2361-H2366. PMID: 17616752
  22. Zhao W, Ahokas RA, Weber KT, Sun Y. ANG II-induced cardiac molecular and cellular events: role of aldosterone. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 2006;291:H336-H343. PMID: 16489102
  23. Weber KT, Sun Y, Bhattacharya SK, Ahokas RA, Gerling IC. Remodeling of the cardiac interstitium in heart failure. In: Hosenpud JD, Greenberg BH, eds. Congestive Heart Failure (3rd ed). Philadelphia: Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins. 2006:147-166.
  24. Weber KT. The stream of life. Spread the glorious news. Heart News and Views 2006;14 (2):5-6.
  25. Weber KT. Focused issue: Macro- and micronutrients in congestive heart failure. Heart Fail Rev 2006;11:5-6.
  26. Weber KT. The road to wasting is paved with lost minerals. Cardiology Rounds 2006;10 (5):1-6.
  27. Weber KT. Complete with all the trimmings. Heart News and Views 2006;14 (1):6-7.
  28. Vidal A, Sun Y, Bhattacharya SK, Ahokas RA, Gerling IC, Weber KT. Calcium paradox of aldosteronism and the role of the parathyroid glands. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 2006;290:H286-H294. PMID: 16373592
  29. Sun Y, Ahokas RA, Bhattacharya SK, Gerling IC, Carbone LD, Weber KT. Oxidative stress in aldosteronism. Cardiovasc Res 2006;71:300-309. PMID: 16631148
  30. Shirwany A, Weber KT. Extracellular matrix remodeling in hypertensive heart disease. J Am Coll Cardiol 2006;48:97-98. PMID: 16814654
  31. Parker RB, Yates CR, Laizure SC, Weber KT. P-glycoprotein modulates aldosterone plasma disposition and tissue uptake. J Cardiovasc Pharmacol 2006;47:55-59. PMID: 16424786
  32. Khouzam RN, Nelson MD, Klemis JE, Wall BM, Mangold TA, Weber KT. Effect of timed semi-recumbency and furosemide dosing on urinary sodium excretion in patients with compensated heart failure. Am J Med Sci 2006;332:1-5. PMID: 16845234
  33. Khouzam RN, Dishmon DA, Farah V, Flax SD, Carbone LD, Weber KT. Secondary hyperparathyroidism in patients with untreated and treated congestive heart failure. Am J Med Sci 2006;331:30-34. PMID: 16415661
  34. Goodwin KD, Ahokas RA, Bhattacharya SK, Sun Y, Gerling IC, Weber KT. Preventing oxidative stress in rats with aldosteronism by calcitriol and dietary calcium and magnesium supplements. Am J Med Sci 2006;332:73-78. PMID: 16909053
  35. Bhattacharya SK, Ahokas RA, Carbone LD, Newman KP, Gerling IC, Sun Y, Weber KT. Macro- and micronutrients in African-Americans with heart failure. Heart Fail Rev 2006;11:45-55. PMID: 16819577
  36. Arroyo M, LaGuardia SP, Bhattacharya SK, Nelson MD, Johnson PL, Carbone LD, Newman KP, Weber KT. Micronutrients in African-Americans with decompensated and compensated heart failure. Transl Res 2006;148:301-308. PMID: 17162251
  37. Weber KT. Dark voyage of the Fearless Eagle. Heart News and Views 2005;13 (3):9-10.
  38. Weber KT. All's well that ends well. Heart News and Views 2005;13 (2):6-7.
  39. Weber KT. Please don't take my sunshine away. Heart News and Views 2005;13 (1):6-7.
  40. Weber KT. Are myocardial fibrosis and diastolic dysfunction reversible in hypertensive heart disease? Congest Heart Fail 2005;11:322-324. PMID: 16330908
  41. Weber KT. The proinflammatory heart failure phenotype: a case of integrative physiology. Am J Med Sci 2005;330:219-226. PMID: 16284481
  42. Wang B, Ansari R, Sun Y, Postlethwaite AE, Weber KT, Kiani MF. The scar neovasculature after myocardial infarction in rats. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 2005;289:H108-H113. PMID: 15722410
  43. Sun Y, Weber KT. Renin angiotensin aldosterone system and cardiac extracellular matrix. In: Villarreal FJ, ed. Interstitial Fibrosis in Heart Failure. New York: Springer. 2005:167-180 (Developments in Cardiovascular Medicine series).
  44. Sun Y, Weber KT. Animal models of cardiac fibrosis. Methods Mol Med 2005;117:273-290. PMID: 16130232
  45. Runyan AL, Sun Y, Bhattacharya SK, Ahokas RA, Chhokar VS, Gerling IC, Weber KT. Responses in extracellular and intracellular calcium and magnesium in aldosteronism. J Lab Clin Med 2005;146:76-84. PMID: 16099237
  46. Runyan AL, Chhokar VS, Sun Y, Bhattacharya SK, Runyan JW, Weber KT. Bone loss in rats with aldosteronism. Am J Med Sci 2005;330:1-7. PMID: 16020992
  47. Law PH, Sun Y, Bhattacharya SK, Chhokar VS, Weber KT. Diuretics and bone loss in rats with aldosteronism. J Am Coll Cardiol 2005;46:142-146. PMID: 15992648
  48. Kamalov G, Varma BR, Lu L, Sun Y, Weber KT, Guntaka RV. Expression of the multifunctional Y-box protein, YB-1, in myofibroblasts of the infarcted heart. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2005;334:239-244. PMID: 16002047
  49. Guntaka RV, Weber KT. Molecular strategies for the prevention of cardiac fibrosis. In: Villarreal FJ, ed. Interstitial Fibrosis in Heart Failure. New York: Springer. 2005:329-341 (Developments in Cardiovascular Medicine series).
  50. Chhokar VS, Sun Y, Bhattacharya SK, Ahokas RA, Myers LK, Xing Z, Smith RA, Gerling IC, Weber KT. Hyperparathyroidism and the calcium paradox of aldosteronism. Circulation 2005;111:871-878. PMID: 15710759
  51. Campos PC, D'Cruz IA, Johnson LS, Malhotra A, Ramanathan KB, Weber KT. Functional valvular incompetence in decompensated heart failure. Noninvasive monitoring and response to medical management. Am J Med Sci 2005;329:217-221. PMID: 15894862
  52. Ahokas RA, Sun Y, Bhattacharya SK, Gerling IC, Weber KT. Aldosteronism and a proinflammatory vascular phenotype. Role of Mg2+, Ca2+ and H2O2 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Circulation 2005;111:51-57. PMID: 15611366
  53. Weber KT, Sun Y, Gerling IC, Ahokas RA. Aldosterone in congestive heart failure. In: Martini L, ed. Encyclopedia of Endocrine Diseases Encyclopedia of Endocrine Diseases. San Diego: Academic Press. 2004:151-157.
  54. Weber KT, Rosenberg EW, Sayre RM. Suberythemal ultraviolet exposure and reduction in blood pressure [Letter]. Am J Med 2004;117:281-282. PMID: 15308441
  55. Weber KT. The devil is in the details. Heart News and Views 2004;12 (3):4-5.
  56. Weber KT. A case of the swooning housewife. Heart News and Views 2004;12 (2):5-6.
  57. Weber KT. The neuroendocrine-immune interface gone awry in aldosteronism. Cardiovasc Res 2004;64:381-383. PMID: 15537489
  58. Weber KT. Moratorium on mayhem lest there be a requiem. Heart News and Views 2004;12 (1):4-5.
  59. Weber KT. Furosemide in the long-term management of heart failure. The good, the bad and the uncertain. J Am Coll Cardiol 2004;44:1308-1310. PMID: 15364337
  60. Weber KT. Efficacy of aldosterone receptor antagonism in heart failure: potential mechanisms. Curr Heart Fail Rep 2004;1:51-56. PMID: 16036025
  61. Weber KT. From inflammation to fibrosis: a stiff stretch of highway. Hypertension 2004;43:716-719. PMID: 14967844
  62. Weber KT. Fibrosis in hypertensive heart disease: focus on cardiac fibroblasts. J Hypertens 2004;22:47-50. PMID: 15106793
  63. Sun Y, Zhang J, Lu L, Bedigian MP, Robinson AD, Weber KT. Tissue angiotensin II in the regulation of inflammatory and fibrogenic components of repair in the rat heart. J Lab Clin Med 2004;143:41-51. PMID: 14749684
  64. Sun Y, Weber KT. Tissue renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system. Its role in tissue repair. In: Martini L, ed. Encyclopedia of Endocrine Diseases. San Diego: Academic Press. 2004:586-593.
  65. Sun Y, Weber KT. Wound healing and the tissue renin angiotensin aldosterone system. In: De Mello WC, ed. Renin Angiotensin System and the Heart. London: John Wiley & Sons. 2004:137-160.
  66. Chhokar VS, Sun Y, Bhattacharya SK, Ahokas RA, Myers LK, Xing Z, Smith RA, Gerling IC, Weber KT. Loss of bone minerals and strength in rats with aldosteronism. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 2004;287:H2023-H2026. PMID: 15475529
  67. Weber KT, Sun Y, Wodi LA, Munir A, Jahangir E, Ahokas RA, Gerling IC, Postlethwaite AE, Warrington KJ. Toward a broader understanding of aldosterone in congestive heart failure. J Renin Angiotensin Aldosterone Syst 2003;4:155-163. PMID: 14608519
  68. Weber KT, Gerling IC, Kiani MF, Guntaka RV, Sun Y, Ahokas RA, Postlethwaite AE, Warrington KJ. Aldosteronism in heart failure: a proinflammatory/fibrogenic cardiac phenotype. Search for biomarkers and potential drug targets. Curr Drug Targets 2003;4:505-516. PMID: 12866665
  69. Weber KT. Biting encounters. Mahogany Flats and a cascade of characters. Heart News and Views 2003;11 (3):5.
  70. Weber KT. A neuroendocrine-immune interface. The immunostimulatory state of aldosteronism. Herz 2003;28:692-701. PMID: 14689103
  71. Weber KT. Infarct scar. Living tissue. In: Singal PK, Dixon IM, Kirshenbaum LA, Dhalla NS, eds. Cardiac Remodeling and Failure. Boston: Kluwer. 2003:334-343 (Progress in Experimental Cardiology series).
  72. Weber KT. Aldosteronism revisited. Perspectives on less well-recognized actions of aldosterone. J Lab Clin Med 2003;142:71-82. PMID: 12960953
  73. Sun Y, Weber KT. Cardiac repair following infarction. In: Dhalla NS, Chockalingam A, Berkowitz HI, Singal PK, eds. Frontiers in Cardiovascular Health. Boston: Kluwer. 2003:29-35.
  74. Sun Y, Weber KT. RAS and connective tissue in the heart. Int J Biochem Cell Biol 2003;35:919-931. PMID: 12676176
  75. Slight SH, Lamparter S, Ganjam VK, Weber KT. Subcutaneous pouch: a model for studying corticosteroid-modulation of tissue repair. Recent Res Develop Mol Cell Biochem 2003;1:11-29.
  76. Guntaka RV, Varma BR, Weber KT. Triplex-forming oligonucleotides as modulators of gene expression. Int J Biochem Cell Biol 2003;35:22-31. PMID: 12467644
  77. Gerling IC, Sun Y, Ahokas RA, Wodi LA, Bhattacharya SK, Warrington KJ, Postlethwaite AE, Weber KT. Aldosteronism: an immunostimulatory state precedes the proinflammatory/fibrogenic cardiac phenotype. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 2003;285:H813-H821. PMID: 12860567
  78. Ahokas RA, Warrington KJ, Gerling IC, Sun Y, Wodi LA, Herring PA, Lu L, Bhattacharya SK, Postlethwaite AE, Weber KT. Aldosteronism and peripheral blood mononuclear cell activation. A neuroendocrine-immune interface. Circ Res 2003;93:e124-e135. PMID: 14576195
Revised: November 13, 2009
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