Sebastien Fuchs, MD, PhD

Dr. Fuchs's research focuses on the renin-angiotensin system, exploring the regulation of the human renin gene in kidney juxtaglomerular cells using molecular biology, cell cultures, enzymatic analysis, transgenic animals, and human genetics. He discovered how angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) regulates blood pressure by the production of angiotensin II peptide via its C-terminal catalytic domain and affects male fertility through its N-terminal site. He also found that the tetrapeptide AcSDKP controls lung fibrosis and demonstrated that overexpressing ACE in macrophages can prevent Alzheimer's progression in transgenic mice. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Fuchs applied his expertise on the renin-angiotensin system to study SARS-CoV-2, helping establish a lab providing over 3,000 daily COVID-19 RT-PCR tests and contributing to the Coronavirus Standards Working Group to enhance COVID-19 diagnostics with the World Health Organization (WHO). 

As an Assistant Professor of Pharmacology at Western University of Health Sciences (WUHS) and the College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific (COMP), Dr. Fuchs engages DO students in research, founding the Biomedical and Clinical Research Longitudinal Track, which includes journal clubs and mentoring. This has led to significant student research output, with participation in the American Federation for Medical Research growing from a handful to over 60 projects annually. His long-term goal is to develop osteopathic-oriented research projects and train the next generation of DO physicians in medical research. Dr. Fuchs aims to continue validating osteopathic procedures' efficacy, such as lymphatic pump manipulations, to improve immunological protection from COVID-19 and other vaccinations.