Nuria Maria Pastor-Soler, MD, PhD

Dr. Pastor-Soler’s research interests include regulation acid-base homeostasis by the kidney and the study of the vacuolar proton ATPase (V-ATPase) in the kidney and the male reproductive tract. Other research projects in her laboratory study the regulation of sodium transport in the collecting duct by bicarbonate-regulated sAC, and renal salt transport regulation by WNK kinases, to name a few. She is currently studying the molecular and cellular mechanisms by which metabolic pathways in the kidney are affected by acidosis, a known predictor of CKD progression. She is also studying renal cell carcinomas with the aim to confirm a novel biomarker that could be used clinically to assess the presence and severity of this disease.

Dr. Pastor-Soler earned her medical degree from Jefferson Medical College. She then went on to complete her PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Jefferson. Dr. Pastor-Soler completed her Nephrology Fellowship at the Brigham and Women’s/Massachusetts General Hospital program. She is currently Associate Professor of Medicine in the Division of Nephrology and Hypertension and Assistant Dean for Research Mentoring at Keck School of Medicine of USC. She is also the Director of the Required Scholarly Project Program.

• Women in Nephrology: President, 2016
• Council for the Kidney in Cardiovascular Disease, American Heart Association: Chair, 2016
• Council for the Kidney in Cardiovascular Disease, American Heart Association: Elected to Vice-Chair, 2014-2016
• Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh: Junior Scholar Award, 2012-2014
• American Society for Clinical Investigation: Member, 2012
• American Physiological Society: Renal Section, Young Investigator Award, 2012
• Telluride Epithelial Physiology Workshop: Research Recognition Award, 2012
• American Physiological Society: Career Enhancement Award, 2011
• American Physiological Society: Renal Section, New Investigator Award, 2009
• American Society of Nephrology: Carl W. Gottschalk Research Scholar Grant, 2009
• Massachusetts General Hospital: Claflin Distinguished Scholar Award, 2005
• American Society of Nephrology: Fellow, 2005
• P. and E. Brown Foerderer Foundation: Fellowship, 1990-1991
• Thomas Jefferson University: Gibbon Scholar, 1989-1996
• Haverford College: Pew Summer Research Foundation Fellowship, 1988
• Abigail Van Buren Scholarship, 1985-1986

• The study of intercalated cells using ex vivo techniques: primary cell culture, cell lines, kidney slices, and organoids Am J Physiol Cell Physiol. 2024 Jan 01; 326(1):C229-C251. . View in PubMed
• Modeling kidney development, disease, and plasticity with clonal expandable nephron progenitor cells and nephron organoids bioRxiv. 2023 May 25. . View in PubMed
• Metformin improves relevant disease parameters in an autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease mouse model Am J Physiol Renal Physiol. 2022 01 01; 322(1):F27-F41. . View in PubMed
• Generation of patterned kidney organoids that recapitulate the adult kidney collecting duct system from expandable ureteric bud progenitors Nat Commun. 2021 06 15; 12(1):3641. . View in PubMed
• Activation of AMP-activated protein kinase during sepsis/inflammation improves survival by preserving cellular metabolic fitness FASEB J. 2020 05; 34(5):7036-7057. . View in PubMed
• Ex vivo kidney slice preparations as a model system to study signaling cascades in kidney epithelial cells Methods Cell Biol. 2019; 153:185-203. . View in PubMed
• Using Ex Vivo Kidney Slices to Study AMPK Effects on Kidney Proteins Methods Mol Biol. 2018; 1732:449-464. . View in PubMed
• Sexual Dimorphic Pattern of Renal Transporters and Electrolyte Homeostasis J Am Soc Nephrol. 2017 Dec; 28(12):3504-3517. . View in PubMed
• Insulin-like growth factor binding protein 7 and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-2: differential expression and secretion in human kidney tubule cells Am J Physiol Renal Physiol. 2017 Feb 01; 312(2):F284-F296. . View in PubMed
• Role of AMP-activated protein kinase in kidney tubular transport, metabolism, and disease Curr Opin Nephrol Hypertens. 2017 09; 26(5):375-383. . View in PubMed
• Lack of Effects of Metformin and AICAR Chronic Infusion on the Development of Hypertension in Dahl Salt-Sensitive Rats Front Physiol. 2017; 8:227. . View in PubMed
• Muc1 enhances the ß-catenin protective pathway during ischemia-reperfusion injury Am J Physiol Renal Physiol. 2016 Mar 15; 310(6):F569-79. . View in PubMed
• Aurora kinase A activates the vacuolar H+-ATPase (V-ATPase) in kidney carcinoma cells Am J Physiol Renal Physiol. 2016 06 01; 310(11):F1216-28. . View in PubMed
• Activation of the metabolic sensor AMP-activated protein kinase inhibits aquaporin-2 function in kidney principal cells Am J Physiol Renal Physiol. 2016 11 01; 311(5):F890-F900. . View in PubMed
• Renoprotective Effects of Metformin are Independent of Organic Cation Transporters 1 &2 and AMP-activated Protein Kinase in the Kidney Sci Rep. 2016 10 26; 6:35952. . View in PubMed
• Alternatively spliced proline-rich cassettes link WNK1 to aldosterone action J Clin Invest. 2015 Sep; 125(9):3433-48. . View in PubMed
• Interactions between HIF-1a and AMPK in the regulation of cellular hypoxia adaptation in chronic kidney disease Am J Physiol Renal Physiol. 2015 Sep 01; 309(5):F414-28. . View in PubMed
• Muc1 is protective during kidney ischemia-reperfusion injury Am J Physiol Renal Physiol. 2015 Jun 15; 308(12):F1452-62. . View in PubMed
• Collecting duct intercalated cell function and regulation Clin J Am Soc Nephrol. 2015 Feb 06; 10(2):305-24. . View in PubMed
• Septic acute kidney injury: molecular mechanisms and the importance of stratification and targeting therapy Crit Care. 2014 Sep 02; 18(5):501. . View in PubMed
• Endosomal GPCR signaling turned off by negative feedback actions of PKA and v-ATPase Nat Chem Biol. 2014 Sep; 10(9):707-9. . View in PubMed
• Epithelial transport during septic acute kidney injury Nephrol Dial Transplant. 2014 Jul; 29(7):1312-9. . View in PubMed
• Shear stress-dependent regulation of apical endocytosis in renal proximal tubule cells mediated by primary cilia Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2014 Jun 10; 111(23):8506-11. . View in PubMed
• Regulation of proximal tubule vacuolar H(+)-ATPase by PKA and AMP-activated protein kinase Am J Physiol Renal Physiol. 2014 May 01; 306(9):F981-95. . View in PubMed
• Vasopressin induces apical expression of caveolin in rat kidney collecting duct principal cells Am J Physiol Renal Physiol. 2013 Dec 15; 305(12):F1783-95. . View in PubMed
• Regulation of large-conductance Ca2+-activated K+ channels by WNK4 kinase Am J Physiol Cell Physiol. 2013 Oct 15; 305(8):C846-53. . View in PubMed
• AMP-activated protein kinase regulates the vacuolar H+-ATPase via direct phosphorylation of the A subunit (ATP6V1A) in the kidney Am J Physiol Renal Physiol. 2013 Oct 01; 305(7):F943-56. . View in PubMed
• AMPK couples plasma renin to cellular metabolism by phosphorylation of ACC1 Am J Physiol Renal Physiol. 2013 Sep 01; 305(5):F679-90. . View in PubMed
• Extracorporeal therapy for dabigatran removal in the treatment of acute bleeding: a single center experience Clin J Am Soc Nephrol. 2013 Sep; 8(9):1533-9. . View in PubMed
• PIP5KIß selectively modulates apical endocytosis in polarized renal epithelial cells PLoS One. 2013; 8(1):e53790. . View in PubMed
• Sialylation of N-linked glycans mediates apical delivery of endolyn in MDCK cells via a galectin-9-dependent mechanism Mol Biol Cell. 2012 Sep; 23(18):3636-46. . View in PubMed
• AMP-activated protein kinase regulation of kidney tubular transport Curr Opin Nephrol Hypertens. 2012 Sep; 21(5):523-33. . View in PubMed
• Luminal flow modulates H+-ATPase activity in the cortical collecting duct (CCD) Am J Physiol Renal Physiol. 2012 Jan 01; 302(1):F205-15. . View in PubMed
• Galectin-7 modulates the length of the primary cilia and wound repair in polarized kidney epithelial cells Am J Physiol Renal Physiol. 2011 Sep; 301(3):F622-33. . View in PubMed
• AMP-activated protein kinase inhibits KCNQ1 channels through regulation of the ubiquitin ligase Nedd4-2 in renal epithelial cells Am J Physiol Renal Physiol. 2010 Dec; 299(6):F1308-19. . View in PubMed
• SGLT1, a novel cardiac glucose transporter, mediates increased glucose uptake in PRKAG2 cardiomyopathy J Mol Cell Cardiol. 2010 Oct; 49(4):683-92. . View in PubMed
• PKA regulates vacuolar H+-ATPase localization and activity via direct phosphorylation of the a subunit in kidney cells J Biol Chem. 2010 Aug 06; 285(32):24676-85. . View in PubMed
• Regulation of the creatine transporter by AMP-activated protein kinase in kidney epithelial cells Am J Physiol Renal Physiol. 2010 Jul; 299(1):F167-77. . View in PubMed
• Vacuolar H+-ATPase apical accumulation in kidney intercalated cells is regulated by PKA and AMP-activated protein kinase Am J Physiol Renal Physiol. 2010 May; 298(5):F1162-9. . View in PubMed
• Role of the energy sensor AMP-activated protein kinase in renal physiology and disease Am J Physiol Renal Physiol. 2010 May; 298(5):F1067-77. . View in PubMed
• Aquaporin 9 expression in the developing rat epididymis is modulated by steroid hormones Reproduction. 2010 Mar; 139(3):613-21. . View in PubMed
• SGLT1 is a novel cardiac glucose transporter that is perturbed in disease states Cardiovasc Res. 2009 Oct 01; 84(1):111-8. . View in PubMed
• AMP-activated protein kinase inhibits alkaline pH- and PKA-induced apical vacuolar H+-ATPase accumulation in epididymal clear cells Am J Physiol Cell Physiol. 2009 Apr; 296(4):C672-81. . View in PubMed
• Regulation of epithelial Na+ transport by soluble adenylyl cyclase in kidney collecting duct cells J Biol Chem. 2009 Feb 27; 284(9):5774-83. . View in PubMed
• Effect of aldosterone on BK channel expression in mammalian cortical collecting duct Am J Physiol Renal Physiol. 2008 Sep; 295(3):F780-8. . View in PubMed
• Role of NHERF1, cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator, and cAMP in the regulation of aquaporin 9 J Biol Chem. 2008 Feb 01; 283(5):2986-96. . View in PubMed
• Alkaline pH- and cAMP-induced V-ATPase membrane accumulation is mediated by protein kinase A in epididymal clear cells Am J Physiol Cell Physiol. 2008 Feb; 294(2):C488-94. . View in PubMed
• Role of acid/base transporters in the male reproductive tract and potential consequences of their malfunction Physiology (Bethesda). 2005 Dec; 20:417-28. . View in PubMed
• Stimulation of AQP2 membrane insertion in renal epithelial cells in vitro and in vivo by the cGMP phosphodiesterase inhibitor sildenafil citrate (Viagra) Am J Physiol Renal Physiol. 2005 Jun; 288(6):F1103-12. . View in PubMed
• Modulation of the actin cytoskeleton via gelsolin regulates vacuolar H+-ATPase recycling J Biol Chem. 2005 Mar 04; 280(9):8452-63. . View in PubMed
• Membrane organization and function of M1 and M23 isoforms of aquaporin-4 in epithelial cells Am J Physiol Renal Physiol. 2004 Sep; 287(3):F501-11. . View in PubMed
• Bicarbonate-regulated adenylyl cyclase (sAC) is a sensor that regulates pH-dependent V-ATPase recycling J Biol Chem. 2003 Dec 05; 278(49):49523-9. . View in PubMed
• Hypertonicity is involved in redirecting the aquaporin-2 water channel into the basolateral, instead of the apical, plasma membrane of renal epithelial cells J Biol Chem. 2003 Jan 10; 278(2):1101-7. . View in PubMed
• Modulation of the onset of postnatal development of H(+)-ATPase-rich cells by steroid hormones in rat epididymis Biol Reprod. 2002 Oct; 67(4):1106-14. . View in PubMed
• Expression of aquaporin 9 in the adult rat epididymal epithelium is modulated by androgens Biol Reprod. 2002 Jun; 66(6):1716-22. . View in PubMed
• Aquaporin 9 expression along the male reproductive tract Biol Reprod. 2001 Aug; 65(2):384-93. . View in PubMed
• Metachromatic leukodystrophy among southern Alaskan Eskimos: molecular and genetic studies J Inherit Metab Dis. 1995; 18(3):326-32. . View in PubMed
• Metachromatic leukodystrophy in the Navajo Indian population: a splice site mutation in intron 4 of the arylsulfatase A gene Hum Mutat. 1994; 4(3):199-207. . View in PubMed

• Hallows, Kenneth
• McDonough, Alicia
• McMahon, Andrew