Dr. Justin La Favor

Interests

I am interested in elucidating molecular mechanisms that regulate neurovascular dysfunction resultant from obesity, nutritional factors, and sedentary lifestyle. Therein, I am particularly focused on how these factors promote erectile dysfunction, which is emerging as a potent clinical indicator of future cardiovascular disease. We primarily utilize feeding interventions in rats and mice, surgical approaches to measure nerve-stimulated blood flow induction, microdialysis to monitor blood flow and free radical production, myography to measure in vitro tissue and vascular reactivity, and molecular biology techniques.

Education

• Postdoctoral Fellowship, Urology (Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD)
• Ph.D., Bioenergetics (East Carolina University, Greenville, NC)
• M.S., Exercise Physiology (University of Louisville, Louisville, KY)
• B.S., Chemical Engineering (Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, Terre Haute, IN)

Publications and Other Scholarly Activities

For a complete list, click here.

La Favor JD, Anderson EJ, Hickner RC, Wingard CJ. Erectile Dysfunction Precedes Coronary Artery Endothelial Dysfunction in Rats Fed a High-Fat, High-Sucrose, Western-Pattern Diet. Journal of Sexual Medicine 10(3): 694-703, 2013.

La Favor JD, Anderson EJ, Dawkins JT, Hickner RC, Wingard CJ. Exercise Prevents Western-Diet Associated Erectile Dysfunction and Coronary Artery Endothelial Dysfunction: Response to Acute Apocynin and Sepiapterin Treatment. American Journal of Physiology-Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology 305(4): R423-R434, 2013.

La Favor JD, Anderson EJ, Hickner RC. Novel Method for Detection of Reactive Oxygen Species in vivo in Human Skeletal Muscle. Physiological Research 63(3): 387-392, 2014.

La Favor JD, Burnett AL. A Microdialysis Method to Measure in vivo Hydrogen Peroxide and Superoxide in Various Rodent Tissues. Methods 109: 131-140, 2016.

La Favor JD, Dubis GS, Yan H, White JD, Anderson EJ, Hickner RC. Microvascular Endothelial Dysfunction in Sedentary, Obese Humans is mediated by NADPH Oxidase; Influence of Exercise Training. Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology 36: 2412-2420, 2016.

Accomplishments

• NIDDK (K01) Mentored Research Scientist Award (2017-2022)
• Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award from NIDDK (2014-2017)
• Pfizer Fellowship in Men’s Health from the Sexual Medicine Society of North America (2017-2018)
• Featured Young Scientist in “Probes” magazine, (2016)
• Top Abstract Award at Sexual Medicine Society of North America Annual Meeting (2015 & 2016)
• American College of Sports Medicine Pre-doctoral Fellowship (2011-2012)