Skip to main content
Skip to navigation

James R Sowers, M.D.

It is with sadness that we inform you of the passing of Dr James (Jim) R. Sowers, Friday July 26th, 2024. Dr Sowers was a friend, mentor, and inspiration to many at the University of Missouri and well beyond.

Research Interests

Cellular mechanisms of insulin action.

Research Description

Dr. Sowers has been examining the cellular mechanisms of insulin action for three decades, focusing primarily on in vitro analysis of animal models. He has developed an international reputation in this field and routinely uses the methods to determine insulin action and oxidative stress in tissue. He also serves as a Co-Investigator on grants with Dr. Jamal Ibdah, at the University of Missouri, and with Dr. Meredith Hay, Vice-President for Research at the University of Iowa. His ongoing scientific work is funded by NIH, the Department of Veterans' Affairs, and the American Diabetes Association.

Professional Background

James R. Sowers, MD, is responsible for the leadership and administration of the cores involving design/biostatistics/ethics, regulatory knowledge/support, participant/clinical interaction resources, and community engagement.

Dr. Sowers is Professor of Medicine, Physiology/Pharmacology, Vice Chair for Research in the Department of Internal Medicine, and Director of the Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism Division. Dr. Sowers received his MD at MU. He is the Director of Thomas and Joan Burns Cardiovascular and Diabetes Research Center and holds the Thomas W. and Joan F. Burns Missouri Chair in Diabetology.

He serves on the editorial boards of Hypertension, Endocrinology, and the Journal of Hypertension, and is Chief Editor of the Journal of Cardiometabolic Syndrome. He also serves as a reviewer on several study sections for the NIH and VA. Dr. Sowers serves on the Safety and Monitoring Committee for the NIH ACCORD study as well as several VA cooperative studies.

Selected Publications

  • Demarco VG, Johnson MS, Ma L, Pulakat L, Mugerfeld I, Hayden MR, Garro M, Knight WC, Britton SL, Koch LG, Sowers JR.  Overweight female rats selectively bred for low aerobic capacity exhibit increased myocardial fibrosis and diastolic dysfunction.  Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 012;302(8):H1667-82.
  • Whaley-Connell A, Sowers JR.  The kaliuretic impact of cicletanine compared to hydrochlorothiazide.  J Hypertens. 2012;30(4):691-2.
  • Ma L, Gul R, Habibi J, Yang M, Pulakat L, Whaley-Connell AT, Ferrario CM, Sowers JR.  Nebivolol improves diastolic dysfunction and myocardial remodeling through reductions in oxidative stress in the transgenic (MRen2) rat. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2012 Jun 1;302(11):H2341-51.
  • Mandavia CH, Pulakat L, Demarco V, Sowers JR.  Over-nutrition and metabolic cardiomyopathy.  Metabolism. 2012 Sep;61(9):1205-10.
  • Whaley-Connell A, Habibi J, Nistala R, Hayden MR, Pulakat L, Sinak C, Locher B, Ferrario CM, Sowers JR.  Combination of direct renin inhibition with angiotensin type 1 receptor blockade improves aldosterone but does not improve kidney injury in the transgenic Ren2 rat.  Regul Pept. 2012;176(1-3):36-44.
  • Siyam F, Abdullah O, Gardner M, Brietzke S, Sowers J.   A case of carcinoid tumor-associated hypercalcemia.  Cardiorenal Med. 2012;2(1):52-56.
  • Hayden MR, Habibi J, Joginpally T, Karuparthi PR, Sowers JR.  Ultrastructure study of transgenic Ren2 rat aorta - part 1: endothelium and intima.  Cardiorenal Med. 2012;2(1):66-82.
  • Whaley-Connell A, Sowers JR.  Oxidative stress in the cardiorenal metabolic syndrome. Curr Hypertens Rep. 2012;14(4):360-5.
  • Whaley-Connell A, Sowers JR.  Initial choice of antihypertensive on long-term cardiovascular outcomes in CKD.  Clin J Am Soc Nephrol. 2012;7(6):884-6
  • Aroor AR, Mandavia C, Ren J, Sowers JR, Pulakat L.  Mitochondria and oxidative stress in the cardiorenal metabolic syndrome.  Cardiorenal Med. 2012;2(2):87-109.
  • Deedwania PC, Zappe DH, Egan BM, Purkayastha D, Samuel R, Sowers JR.  Does response of RAS blockade on serum K+ levels influence its glycemic-mitigating response when combined with hydrochlorothiazide?  J Clin Hypertens (Greenwich). 2012 Jul;14(7):415-21.
  • Zhang Y, Sowers JR, Ren J.  Pathophysiological insights into cardiovascular health in metabolic syndrome.  Exp Diabetes Res. 2012;2012:320534.
  • Garcia-Vargas L, Addison SS, Nistala R, Kurukulasuriya D, Sowers JR.   Gestational diabetes and the offspring: implications in the development of the cardiorenal metabolic syndrome in offspring.  Cardiorenal Med. 2012;2(2):134-142.
  • Forte V, Pandey A, Abdelmessih R, Forte G, Whaley-Connell A, Sowers JR, McFarlane SI.  Obesity, Diabetes, the cardiorenal syndrome, and risk for cancer.  Cardiorenal Med. 2012;2(2):143-162.
  • Varagic J, Ahmad S, Voncannon JL, Moniwa N, Simington SW Jr, Brosnihan BK, Gallagher PE, Habibi J, Sowers JR, Ferrario CM.  Nebivolol reduces cardiac angiotensin II, associated oxidative stress and fibrosis but not arterial pressure in salt-loaded spontaneously hypertensive rats.  J Hypertens. 2012;30(9):1766-1774.
  • Muniyappa R, Sowers JR.  Endothelial insulin and IGF-1 receptors: when yes means NO.  Diabetes. 2012;61(9):2225-2227.
  • Manrique C, Lastra G, Habibi J, Mugerfeld I, Garro M, Sowers JR.  Loss of estrogen receptor α signaling leads to insulin resistance and obesity in young and adult female mice.  Cardiorenal Med. 2012;2(3):200-210.
  • Gul R, Demarco VG, Sowers JR, Whaley-Connell A, Pulakat L.  Regulation of overnutrition-induced cardiac inflammatory mechanisms.  Cardiorenal Med. 2012;2(3):225-233.
  • Aroor AR, Mandavia CH, Sowers JR.  Insulin resistance and heart failure: molecular mechanisms. Heart Fail Clin. 2012;8(4):609-17.
  • Demarco VG, Ford DA, Henriksen EJ, Aroor AR, Johnson MS, Habibi J, Ma L, Yang M, Albert CJ, Lally JW, Ford CA, Prasannarong M, Hayden MR, Whaley-Connell AT, Sowers JR.  Obesity-related alterations in cardiac lipid profile and nondipping blood pressure pattern during transition to diastolic dysfunction in male db/db mice.  Endocrinology. 2013;154(1):159-171.
  • Mandavia CH, Aroor AR, Demarco VG, Sowers JR.  Molecular and metabolic mechanisms of cardiac dysfunction in diabetes.  Life Sci. 2013;92(11):601-608.
  • Nistala R, Sowers JR.  Hypertension: synergy of antihypertensives in elderly patients with CKD. Nat Rev Nephrol. 2013;9:13-15.
  • 455. Muniyappa R, Sowers JR.  Role of insulin resistance in endothelial dysfunction.  Rev Endocr Metab Disord. 2013;14(1):5-12.
  • Jindal A, Whaley-Connell A, Brietzke S, Sowers JR.  Therapy of obese patients with cardiovascular disease.  Curr Opin Pharmacol. 2013;13(2):200-4.
  • Bakris GL, Oparil S, Purkayastha D, Yadao AM, Alessi T, Sowers JR.  Randomized study of antihypertensive efficacy and safety of combination aliskiren/valsartan vs valsartan monotherapy in hypertensive participants with type 2 diabetes mellitus.  J Clin Hypertens (Greenwich). 2013;15(2):92-100
  • Bender SB, McGraw AP, Jaffe IZ, Sowers JR.  Mineralocorticoid receptor-mediated vascular insulin resistance: an early contributor to diabetes-related vascular disease?  Diabetes. 2013;62(2):313-9.
  • Whaley-Connell A, Habibi J, Rehmer N, Ardhanari S, Hayden MR, Pulakat L, Krueger C, Ferrario CM, DeMarco VG, Sowers JR.  Renin inhibition and AT(1)R blockade improve metabolic signaling, oxidant stress and myocardial tissue remodeling.  Metabolism. 2013;62(6):861-72.
  • Jindal A, Brietzke S, Sowers JR.  Obesity and the cardiorenal metabolic syndrome: therapeutic modalities and their efficacy in improving cardiovascular and renal risk factors. Cardiorenal Med. 2012;2(4):314-327.
  • Mandavia C, Sowers JR.  Phosphoprotein Phosphatase PP2A regulation of insulin receptor substrate 1 and insulin metabolic signaling.  Cardiorenal Med. 2012;2(4):308-313.
  • Gul R, Ramdas M, Mandavia CH, Sowers JR, Pulakat L.  RAS-Mediated Adaptive Mechanisms in Cardiovascular Tissues: Confounding Factors of RAS Blockade Therapy and Alternative Approaches.  Cardiorenal Med. 2012;2(4):268-280.
  • Nistala R, Andresen BT, Pulakat L, Meuth A, Sinak C, Mandavia C, Thekkumkara T, Speth RC, Whaley-Connell A, Sowers JR.  Angiotensin type 1 receptor resistance to blockade in the opossum proximal tubule cell due to variations in the binding pocket.  Am J Physiol Renal Physiol. 2013;304(8):F1105-13.
  • Whaley-Connell A, Sowers JR.  Metabolic impact of adding a thiazide diuretic to captopril.  Hypertension. 2013;61(4):765-6.
  • Sowers JR.   Diabetes mellitus and vascular disease.  Hypertension. 2013;61(5):943-7.
  • Jindal A, Whaley-Connell A, Sowers JR.  Obesity and heart failure as a mediator of the cerebrorenal interaction.  Contrib Nephrol. 2013;179:15-23.
  • Aroor AR, Sowers JR, Bender SB, Nistala R, Garro M, Mugerfeld I, Hayden MR, Johnson MS, Salam M, Whaley-Connell A, Demarco VG.  Dipeptidylpeptidase inhibition is associated with improvement in blood pressure and diastolic function in insulin-resistant male Zucker obese rats.  Endocrinology. 2013;154(7):2501-13.
  • Jindal A, Whaley-Connell A, Sowers JR.  Type 2 diabetes in older people; the importance of blood pressure control.  Curr Cardiovasc Risk Rep. 2013;7(3):233-237.
  • Manrique C, DeMarco VG, Aroor AR, Mugerfeld I, Garro M, Habibi J, Hayden MR, Sowers JR.  Obesity and insulin resistance induce early development of diastolic dysfunction in young female mice fed a Western diet.  Endocrinology. 2013;154(10):3632-42.
  • Lastra G, Santos FR, Hooshmand P, Hooshmand P, Mugerfeld I, Aroor AR, Demarco VG, Sowers JR, Henriksen EJ.  The Novel Angiotensin II Receptor Blocker Azilsartan Medoxomil Ameliorates Insulin Resistance Induced by Chronic Angiotensin II Treatment in Rat Skeletal Muscle.  Cardiorenal Med. 2013;3(2):154-164.
  • Aroor AR, McKarns S, Demarco VG, Jia G, Sowers JR.  Maladaptive immune and inflammatory pathways lead to cardiovascular insulin resistance.  Metabolism. 2013;62(11):1543-52.
  • Aroor A, McKarns S, Nistala R, Demarco V, Gardner M, Garcia-Touza M, Whaley-Connell A, Sowers JR.  DPP-4 Inhibitors as Therapeutic Modulators of Immune Cell Function and Associated Cardiovascular and Renal Insulin Resistance in Obesity and Diabetes.  Cardiorenal Med. 2013;3(1):48-56.
  • Whaley-Connell AT, Habibi J, Aroor A, Ma L, Hayden MR, Ferrario CM, Demarco VG, Sowers JR.  Salt loading exacerbates diastolic dysfunction and cardiac remodeling in young female Ren2 rats.  Metabolism. 2013;62(12):1761-71.
  • Aroor AR, Demarco VG, Jia G, Sun Z, Nistala R, Meininger GA, Sowers JR.  The Role of Tissue Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone System in the Development of Endothelial Dysfunction and Arterial Stiffness.  Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2013;4:161.
  • Jindal A, Garcia-Touza M, Jindal N, Whaley-Connell A, Sowers JR.  Diabetic kidney disease and the cardiorenal syndrome: old disease, new perspectives.  Endocrinol Metab Clin North Am. 2013;42(4):789-808.
  • Linden MA, Fletcher JA, Morris EM, Meers GM, Kearney ML, Crissey JM, Laughlin MH, Booth FW, Sowers JR, Ibdah JA, Thyfault JP, Rector RS.  Combining Metformin and Aerobic Exercise Training in the Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes and NAFLD in OLETF Rats.  Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 2013 Dec 10. [Epub ahead of print]
  • Nistala R, Sowers JR, Whaley-Connell A.  Over-nutrition contributes to tubulointerstitial fibrosis by targeting nutrient-sensing kinases: Role for the mTOR/S6K pathway.  Cell Cycle. 2012;11(5).
  • Demarco VG, Johnson MS, Ma L, Pulakat L, Mugerfeld I, Hayden MR, Garro M, Knight WC, Britton SL, Koch LG, Sowers JR.  Overweight female rats selectively bred for low aerobic capacity exhibit increased myocardial fibrosis and diastolic dysfunction.  Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2012;302(8):H1667-82.
  • Whaley-Connell A, Sowers JR.  The kaliuretic impact of cicletanine compared to hydrochlorothiazide.  J Hypertens. 2012;30(4):691-2.
  • Ma L, Gul R, Habibi J, Yang M, Pulakat L, Whaley-Connell AT, Ferrario CM, Sowers JR.  Nebivolol improves diastolic dysfunction and myocardial remodeling through reductions in oxidative stress in the transgenic (MRen2) rat. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2012 Jun 1;302(11):H2341-51.
  • Mandavia CH, Pulakat L, Demarco V, Sowers JR.  Over-nutrition and metabolic cardiomyopathy.  Metabolism. 2012 Sep;61(9):1205-10.
  • Whaley-Connell A, Habibi J, Nistala R, Hayden MR, Pulakat L, Sinak C, Locher B, Ferrario CM, Sowers JR.  Combination of direct renin inhibition with angiotensin type 1 receptor blockade improves aldosterone but does not improve kidney injury in the transgenic Ren2 rat.  Regul Pept. 2012;176(1-3):36-44.
  • Siyam F, Abdullah O, Gardner M, Brietzke S, Sowers J.   A case of carcinoid tumor-associated hypercalcemia.  Cardiorenal Med. 2012;2(1):52-56.
  • Hayden MR, Habibi J, Joginpally T, Karuparthi PR, Sowers JR.  Ultrastructure study of transgenic Ren2 rat aorta - part 1: endothelium and intima.  Cardiorenal Med. 2012;2(1):66-82.
  • Whaley-Connell A, Sowers JR.  Oxidative stress in the cardiorenal metabolic syndrome. Curr Hypertens Rep. 2012;14(4):360-5.
  • Whaley-Connell A, Sowers JR.  Initial choice of antihypertensive on long-term cardiovascular outcomes in CKD.  Clin J Am Soc Nephrol. 2012;7(6):884-6
  • Aroor AR, Mandavia C, Ren J, Sowers JR, Pulakat L.  Mitochondria and oxidative stress in the cardiorenal metabolic syndrome.  Cardiorenal Med. 2012;2(2):87-109.
  • Deedwania PC, Zappe DH, Egan BM, Purkayastha D, Samuel R, Sowers JR.  Does response of RAS blockade on serum K+ levels influence its glycemic-mitigating response when combined with hydrochlorothiazide?  J Clin Hypertens (Greenwich). 2012 Jul;14(7):415-21.
  • Zhang Y, Sowers JR, Ren J.  Pathophysiological insights into cardiovascular health in metabolic syndrome.  Exp Diabetes Res. 2012;2012:320534.
  • Garcia-Vargas L, Addison SS, Nistala R, Kurukulasuriya D, Sowers JR.   Gestational diabetes and the offspring: implications in the development of the cardiorenal metabolic syndrome in offspring.  Cardiorenal Med. 2012;2(2):134-142.
  • Forte V, Pandey A, Abdelmessih R, Forte G, Whaley-Connell A, Sowers JR, McFarlane SI.  Obesity, Diabetes, the Cardiorenal Syndrome, and Risk for Cancer.  Cardiorenal Med. 2012;2(2):143-162.
  • Varagic J, Ahmad S, Voncannon JL, Moniwa N, Simington SW Jr, Brosnihan BK, Gallagher PE, Habibi J, Sowers JR, Ferrario CM.  Nebivolol reduces cardiac angiotensin II, associated oxidative stress and fibrosis but not arterial pressure in salt-loaded spontaneously hypertensive rats.  J Hypertens. 2012;30(9):1766-74.
  • Muniyappa R, Sowers JR.  Endothelial Insulin and IGF-1 Receptors: When Yes Means NO.  Diabetes. 2012 Sep;61(9):2225-7.
  • Manrique C, Lastra G, Habibi J, Mugerfeld I, Garro M, Sowers JR.  Loss of Estrogen Receptor α Signaling Leads to Insulin Resistance and Obesity in Young and Adult Female Mice.  Cardiorenal Med. 2012 Aug;2(3):200-210.
  • Gul R, Demarco VG, Sowers JR, Whaley-Connell A, Pulakat L.  Regulation of Overnutrition-Induced Cardiac Inflammatory Mechanisms.  Cardiorenal Med. 2012 Aug;2(3):225-233.
  • Aroor AR, Mandavia CH, Sowers JR.  Insulin resistance and heart failure: molecular mechanisms. Heart Fail Clin. 2012;8(4):609-17.
  • Demarco VG, Ford DA, Henriksen EJ, Aroor AR, Johnson MS, Habibi J, Ma L, Yang M, Albert CJ, Lally JW, Ford CA, Prasannarong M, Hayden MR, Whaley-Connell AT, Sowers JR.  Obesity-Related Alterations in Cardiac Lipid Profile and Nondipping Blood Pressure Pattern during Transition to Diastolic Dysfunction in Male db/db Mice.  Endocrinology. 2012 Nov 9. [Epub ahead of print]
  • Mandavia CH, Aroor AR, Demarco VG, Sowers JR.  Molecular and metabolic mechanisms of cardiac dysfunction in diabetes.  Life Sci. 2012 Nov 9. [Epub ahead of print].
  • Nistala R, Sowers JR.  Hypertension: Synergy of antihypertensives in elderly patients with CKD. Nat Rev Nephrol. 2012 Nov 27. doi: 10.1038/nrneph.2012.264. [Epub ahead of print]
  • Hypertension. A Companion to Braunwald’s Heart Disease. Second Edition.  Hypertension and Diabetes Mellitus:  An Update.  Sowers JR, Allcock DM, Whaley-Connell AT.  Saunders, an imprint of Elevier Inc., Philadelphia, PA, 2013.

Published by Dalton Cardiovascular Research Center, 1500 Research Park Drive, Columbia, MO 65211
Phone: 573-882-7588 Email: mailto:dalton@missouri.edu