Biography
Jean E. Sealey, a native of Scotland, was awarded a D.Sc. degree in Biochemistry from Glasgow University. In 1975 she moved from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons to the Cardiovacular Center at New York Hospital- Cornell University Medical College where she directed the Core Laboratories and the Basic Research program of the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute Hypertension Center, working with her husband, the Director of the Cardiovascular Center, Dr John H. Laragh. Notwithstanding her important scientific studies of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, her plasma renin activity method has been absolutely crucial for the clinical and basic science program of the Cardiovascular Center. That program investigates the role of the renin-angiotensin system in blood pressure control, in the development of hypertension and in causation of vascular injury - heart attack, stroke, heart failure and kidney failure.
In the early 1970s Dr Sealey recognized that even the best enzyme kinetic plasma renin measurements were unreliable in the normal and subnormal (10-12 molar) range, and that this was preventing the accurate discrimination of low renin hypertensive patients from those that had relevant renin levels. She increased sensitivity by developing conditions that allowed Ang I generation for 18 hours, making thousands of copies of angiotensin I that could be detected with accuracy by radioimmunoassay. This allowed detection of low renin values with great precision. When major laboratories claimed that plasma renin levels are not suppressed by beta-adrenergic blockade she showed that they were unwittingly detecting large amounts of prorenin and reporting them as renin. Following her discovery of prorenin in human plasma, Dr Sealey showed that it is inert in the circulation and that, unlike renin, it is secreted from sources other than the kidneys, particularly female reproductive organs.
Her precise renin test enabled the Laragh group to make several discoveries and deductions. They showed in two clinical studies that low renin hypertensive patients are at less risk of heart attack and stroke than those who have higher renin values. In hypertensive animal studies they showed that end organ damage occurred only after an increase in plasma renin levels. They characterized drugs that block the circulating renin system at three different sites (beta blocker, angiotensin receptor blocker and converting enzyme inhibitor). They showed that each anti-renin system agent lowered BP according to the height of the baseline renin (PRA)level, proving for the first time that excess renin is the cause of hypertension in a large fraction of patients.
This led to the The Laragh Method for the treatment of hypertensive patients. The method is based on the idea that there are only two basic forms of hypertension - one caused by excess salt (PRA < 0.65 ng/ml/hr) the other by excess renin (PRA > 0.65 ng/ml/hr) - one treatable with diuretics, the other with anti-renin drugs. This renin-based two-component model creates enormous potential for targeted drug therapy for millions of hypertensive patients and for better assessment of cardiovascular risk in the hypertensive patient.
JEAN E. SEALEY D.Sc. CURRICULUM VITAE
General Information
Birth Place: Glasgow, Scotland, UK
Citizenship: USA
Family: Married, one son
Educational Background
1972-0 Glasgow University: BSc Awarded 1959
DSc Awarded 1975
Academic Appointments
1966-1975 Research Associate in Medicine
Columbia University, College of Physicians & Surgeons, New York NY
1975-1977 Assistant Professor of Physiology in Medicine
Cornell University Medical College, New York NY
1977-1982 Associate Professor of Physiology in Medicine with tenure
Cornell University Medical College, New York NY
1983-2000 Research Professor of Physiology & Biophysics in Medicine and
Research Professor of Medicine in Physiology & Biophysics
Cornell University Medical College, New York NY
1972- Research Professor Emeritus of Physiology & Biophysics in Medicine
Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York NY
Other Appointments
1975 - Director, Cardiovascular Center Laboratories
Cornell University Medical College
New York NY
Professional Memberships
1972- Member, American Society of Nephrology
1972- Fellow, Council for High Blood Pressure Research, American Heart Association
1975- Member, Endocrine Society
1986- Member, Society for Experimental Biology & Medicine
1985- Member, International Society of Hypertension
1980- Founding Member, Eastern Hypertension Society
1979- Founding Member, American Society of Hypertension
Honors and Awards
1990 Chavez Memorial Award, International Society of Hypertension
Research Support
2000-1 NHLBI: Hypertension SCOR, Director, Core B Laboratory
PI, Project 5: Prorenin; biochemical and physiological characteristics
1980-1985 NHLBI: Hypertension SCOR, Director, Core B Laboratory
PI, Project 5: Prorenin; biochemical and physiological characteristics
1-1 NHLBI: Hypertension SCOR, Director, Core B Laboratory
PI, Project 5: Prorenin; biochemical and physiological characteristics
1955-1959 NHLBI: Hypertension SCOR, Director, Core B Laboratory
PI, project 2: Prorenin; biochemical and physiological characteristics
1972-0 NHLBI: RO1: Jean E. Sealey PI: Prorenin & reproductive function
1995-1998 NHLBI: RO1: Jean E. Sealey PI: Prorenin & cardiovascular function
Selected Extramural Professional Responsibilities
1979-1983 Cardiovascular & Renal Study Section, NHLBI, NIH
1985-1989 Advisory Committee, Arteriosclerosis, Hypertension and Lipid Metabolism, NHLBI,NIH
1985 Review Committee, Juvenile Hypertension and the Prehypertensive State, NHLBI, NIH
1982-0 Cardiovascular Regulation Research Study Committee, American Heart Association
1993 Review Committee, Collaborative Projects on Womens Health, NHLBI, NIH
1975-1980 Chairman, Scientific Awards Committee, American Society of Hypertension
1992-1995 Executive Council, American Society of Hypertension
1972-0 Vice President, American Society of Hypertension
1999-2003 Executive Council, American Society of Hypertension
1996-2003 Finance Committee, American Society of Hypertension
2000-present Ad hoc Strategic Planning Committee, American Society of Hypertension
1972-0 Chairman, Finance Committee, American Society of Hypertension
2004-present President-Elect, American Society of Hypertension
Research Programs:
Basic research into the role of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system in normal blood pressure control and in hypertension
Development of methods for measuring the components of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system
Discovery of prorenin followed by basic research into its biochemistry
Investigation of the role of prorenin in cardiovascular and reproductive function
