Education
- Ph D: Biomedical Sciences, (2016), University of North Texas Health Science Center - Fort Worth, Texas
Supporting Area: Integrative Physiology
Dissertation/Thesis Title: The Role of Angiotensin II in Central Control of Blood Pressure and Body Fluid Homeostasis - BA: Psychology, (2009), University of North Texas - Denton, Texas
- BS: Biology, (2009), University of North Texas - Denton, Texas
Supporting Area: Chemistry
Biosketch
Brent Shell teaches Anatomy and Physiology lecture and lab. Prior to joining the University of Massachusetts Lowell, he was an instructor for the Joint Admission Medical Program, teaching premedical undergraduates about cardiopulmonary physiology at the University of North Texas Health Science Center. His graduate research at focused on the neurophysiology behind autonomic control of blood pressure. Specifically, his work focused on discovering the neural mechanisms that underlie hypertension from chronic intermittent hypoxia, a model for sleep apnea. Currently, he is working to improve the effectiveness of science education both inside and outside of the classroom. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology and a Bachelor of Science degree in biology from the University of North Texas in 2009 and earned a Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences from the University of North Texas Health Science Center in 2016.
Selected Awards and Honors
- 2022 OER Champion
- 2021 Biomedical and Nutritional Sciences Teaching Excellence Award
- 2021 OERscar Award
- 2018-2019 UML Exceeding Excellence in Teaching in the Zuckerberg College of Health Sciences
- 2017-18 UML Living Learning Community Advisor of the year
Selected Publications
- Marciante, A.B., Shell, B., Farmer, G.E., Cunningham, J.T. (2021). Role of angiotensin II in chronic intermittent hypoxia-induced hypertension and cognitive decline. American journal of physiology. Regulatory, integrative and comparative physiology, 320(4): R519-R525. Epub 2021. PMID: 33595364; PMCID: PMC8238144
- Shell, B., Farmer, G.E., Nedungadi, T.P., et al. (2019). Angiotensin type 1a receptors in the median preoptic nucleus support intermittent hypoxia-induced hypertension. American journal of physiology. Regulatory, integrative and comparative physiology, 316(5): R651–R665
- Snyder, B., Shell, B., Cunningham, J.T., Cunningham, R.L. (2017). Chronic intermittent hypoxia induces oxidative stress and inflammation in brain regions associated with early-stage neurodegeneration. Physiological reports,5(9).
- Faulk, K., Shell, B., Nedungadi, T.P., Cunningham, J.T. (2017). Role of angiotensin-converting enzyme 1 within the median preoptic nucleus following chronic intermittent hypoxia. American journal of physiology. Regulatory, integrative and comparative physiology,312(2) R245-R252, Epub 2016.
- Shell, B., Faulk, K., Cunningham, J.T. (2016). Neural Control of Blood Pressure in Chronic Intermittent Hypoxia. Current hypertension reports,18(3) 19.
- Choe, K.Y., Han, S.Y., Gaub, P., Shell, B., Voisin, D.L., Knapp, B.A., Barker, P.A., Brown, C.H., Cunningham, J.T., Bourque, C.W. (2015). High salt intake increases blood pressure via BDNF-mediated downregulation of KCC2 and impaired baroreflex inhibition of vasopressin neurons. Neuron,85(3) 549-60.
- Knight, W.D., Saxena, A., Shell, B., Nedungadi, T.P., Mifflin, S.W., Cunningham, J.T. (2013). Central losartan attenuates increases in arterial pressure and expression of FosB/ΔFosB along the autonomic axis associated with chronic intermittent hypoxia. American journal of physiology. Regulatory, integrative and comparative physiology,305(9) R1051-8.