Faculty Profile

Biography

Dr. Critz received a Bachelors’s degree from the University of Massachusetts, a Master’s degree from Northeastern University, and a Doctoral degree from the University of Texas Medical School at Houston. His research focused on neuroscience, ion channel regulation, and signal transduction. He received postdoctoral training in neuroscience and signal transduction in the Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy at the University of Texas Medical School- Houston and in the Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics at Baylor College of Medicine.

After postdoctoral training, Dr. Critz taught at the University of South Alabama College of Medicine for 13 years. His primary teaching activities involved neuro-anatomy, cardiovascular physiology, and signal transduction.  He was active in research in the field of cardiovascular physiology and his efforts have helped to identify important cellular mechanisms that enable heart tissues to resist infarction during periods of ischemia.

Dr. Critz joined the faculty of LECOM Bradenton in 2007. He is active in the Problem-based Learning Pathway in medical school and teaches anatomy and physiology to pharmacy students. He is active in research and is currently investigating the role of adenosine 2b receptors in cardiomyocytes. The long term objective of this research is to identify A2b receptor agonists for development as therapeutics to prevent infarction in victims of a heart attack.

Recent Peer-reviewed Publications

1. Sikorski, A.F., Sangerman, J., Goodman, S.R., Critz, S.D. (2000) Spectrin (bSpIIS1) is an essential component of synaptic transmission. Brain Res. 852:161-166.

2.  Nakano, A., Baines, C.P., Kim, S.O., Pelech, S.L., Downey, J.M., Cohen, M.V., Critz, S.D. (2000) Ischemic preconditioning activates MAPKAPK2 in the isolated rabbit heart: evidence for involvement of p38 MAPK. Circ. Res.86:144-151.

3.  Pain, T., Yang. X., Critz, S.D., Yue, Y., Nakano, A., Liu, G.S., Heusch, G., Cohen, M.V., Downey, J.M. (2000) Opening of mitochondrial KATP channels triggers the preconditioned state by generating free radicals. Circ. Res. 87:460-466.

4.  Zimmer, W.E., Zhao, Y., Sikorski, A., Critz, S.D., Sangerman, J., Elferink, L.A., Xu, S., Goodman, S.R. (2000) The domain of brain b-spectrin responsible for synaptic vesicle association is essential for synaptic transmission.  Brain Res.881:18-27.

5.  Nakano, A., Cohen, M.V., Critz, S.D., Downey, J.M. (2000b) SB203580, an inhibitor of p38 MAPK, abolishes infarct-limiting effect of ischemic preconditioning in isolated rabbit hearts. Basic Res. Cardiol. 95:466-471.

6.  Mocanu, M., Baxter, G.F., Yue, Y., Critz, S.D., Yellon, D.M. (2000) The p38 MAPK inhibitor, SB203580, abrogates ischemic preconditioning in rat heart but timing of administration is critical. Basic Res. Cardiol. 95: 472-478.

7.  Yue, Y., Krenz, M., Cohen, M.V., Downey, J.M., Critz, S.D.  (2001)  Menadione mimics the infarct-limiting effect of preconditioning in isolated rat heart. Am. J. Physiol. 281:H590-H595.

8.  Yue, Y., Qin, Q., Cohen, M.V., Downey, J.M., Critz, S.D. (2002) The relative order of mKATP channels, free radicals and p38 MAPK in preconditioning’s protective pathway in rat heart. Cardiovasc. Res. 55:681-689.

9.   Foley, H.A., Ofori-Acquah, S.F., Critz, S., Baliga, B.S., Pace, B.S. (2002) Stat3b inhibits g-globin gene expression in erythroid cells. J. Biol. Chem. 277:16211-16219.

10. Krenz, M., Oldenburg, O., Wimpee, H., Cohen, M.V., Garlid, K.D., Critz, S.D., Downey, J.M., Benoit, J.N. (2002)  Opening of  ATP-sensitive potassium channels causes generation of free radicals in vascular smooth muscle cells. Basic Res. Cardiol. 97:365-373.

11. Pace, B., Qian, X., Sangerman, J., Ofori-Acquah, S., Baliga, B.S., Han, J., Critz, S.D. (2003)  p38 MAP kinase is required for fetal hemoglobin induction by butyrate and trichostatin.  Exp. Hematol. 31:1089-1096.

12. Oldenburg, O., Critz, S.D, Cohen, M.V., Downey, J.M. (2003) Acetylcholine-induced production of reactive oxygen species in adult rabbit ventricular myocytes is dependent on phosphatidylinositol 3- and Src-kinase activation and mitochondrial K(ATP) channel opening. J. Mol. Cell Cardiol. 35:653-660.

13. Oldenburg, O., Qin, Q., Yang, X.M., Critz, S.D., Cohen, M.V., Downey, J.M. (2004) Bradykinin induces mitochondrial ROS generation via NO, cGMP, PKG and mKATP channel opening and leads to cardioprotection. Am. J. Physiol.Heart Circ. Physiol. 286: H468-476.

14. Qin, Q., Yang, XM., Cui, L., Critz, S.D., Cohen, M.V., Browner, N., Lincoln, T.M., Downey, J.M.  (2004)  Exogenous nitric oxide triggers preconditioning by a cGMP-, PKG-, and mKATP-dependent mechanism. Am. J. Physiol. Heart Circ. Physiol.287:H712-H718.

15. Costa, AD, Garlid, KD, West, IC, Lincoln, TM, Downey, JM, Cohen, MV, Critz, SD  (2005) Protein kinase G transmits the cardioprotective signal from cytosol to mitochondria.  Circ Res. 97:329-36.

16. Critz, SD, Cohen, MV, Downey, JM (2005) Mechanism of acetylcholine- and bradykinin-induced preconditioning. Vascul Pharmacol. 42:201-9.

17. Philipp, S, Critz, SD, Cui, L, Solodushko, V, Cohen, MV, Downey, JM (2006) Localizing extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) in pharmacological preconditioning’s trigger pathway.  Basic Res Cardiol.

18. Kuno, A, Critz, SD, Cohen, MV, Downey, JM. (2007) Nicorandil opens mitochondrial K(ATP) channels not only directly but also through a NO‑PKG‑dependent pathway. Basic Res Cardiol. 102:73-79.

19. Kuno, A, Critz, SD, Cui, L, Solodushko, V, Yang, XM, Krahn, T, Albrecht, B, Philipp, S, Cohen, MV, Downey, JM. (2007).  Protein kinase C protects preconditioned rabbit hearts by increasing sensitivity of adenosine A2b-dependent signaling during early reperfusion. J Mol Cell Cardiol. 43:262-271.

Grant Awards
101:159-67.

02/89-06/92  NIH NRSA #F32 NS08579: Role of K+ channel Modulation in Sensitization, PI: Critz,   $80,000.

12/95-11/96  Alzheimer’s Association PRG 95-090: The Role of APP Processing in Alzheimer’s Disease, PI: Critz, $30,000.

07/96-06/98  American Heart Association ALG960020: Role of KATP  Channel Modulation in Preconditioning, PI: Critz, $60,000.

09/98-08/00  USDA NRICGP: Rapid Detection of Brevetoxin and Ciguatoxin Using Recombinant Na+ Channels, PI: Critz, $90,000.

02/97-01/01  NIH/NINDS R01 NS35937: Role of Brain Spectrin in Synaptic Transmission. PI: Goodman; $900,000; Co-PI: Critz

01/99-12/01  American Heart Association #9950-530N: Mitochondrial KATP  Channels and Ischemic Preconditioning; P.I.: Critz; $165,000.

09/01-09/05  NIH/NHLBI  R01 HL69234: Mechanisms for p38 MAP Kinase Dependent g gene induction. PI: Pace; $1,000,000; Co-PI: Critz.

08/03-06/07  NIH/NHLBI R01 HL020648: Physical Factors and Coronary flow. PI: Downey; $890,000; Co‑PI: Critz.

07/07-06/09  American Heart Association 0755178B:  Basis of Cardioprotection by A2b Adenosine Receptors at Reperfusion. PI: Critz $154,000.