Dr. Burton M. Altura is currently working as a Professor of Physiology, Pharmacology & Medicine State University of New York Downstate Medical Center. He completed his PhD from Newyork University School of Medicine. Dr. Burton M. Altura studies address the two most important issues in vascular biology today: stroke mechanisms; and irreversible cellular destruction in the cardiovascular system caused by alcohol and substance abuse. These studies have already led to the prevention of atherosclerotic lesions, hypertension and stroke-like events in experimental animal models.

Our overall interest is the role of magnesium, sphingolipids and lipid messengers in vascular biology and disease processes, such as stroke, diabetes mellitus and atherogenesis. An additional major interest is the role of alcohol and substances of abuse in stroke etiology. To accomplish these ends, whole animals, human subjects, tissues and cell culture techniques are utilized.