D. Walter Wray

D. Walter Wray, PhD, MSc

Languages spoken: English

Academic Information

Departments Primary - Internal Medicine

Divisions: Geriatrics

Research Interests

  • Oxidative Stress and Disease
  • Exercise and Aging
  • Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha
  • Nitric Oxide
  • Angiotensin II
  • Autonomic Nervous System
  • Baroreflex
  • Sympathetic Nervous System
  • Peripheral sympathetic nerve recording
  • Endothelin-1
  • Endothelium
  • Regional Blood Flow
  • Ultrasonography, Doppler

Dr. Wray joined the Division of Geriatrics at the University of Utah as a Research Assistant Professor in 2008. He is a founding member of the Utah Vascular Research Laboratory (http://www.uvrl.org), a consortium that is affiliated with the University of Utah (Departments of Internal Medicine and Nutrition and Integrative Physiology) and the Salt Lake City Veterans Administration Medical Center Geriatrics, Research, Education and Clinical Center (SLC VAMC GRECC).

Dr. Wray maintains an active, extramurally-funded research program within the UVRL that is broadly focused on vascular and autonomic physiology, with an emphasis on aging and age-related diseases such as heart failure (HF). Current projects include studies examining neurohumoral control of muscle blood flow at rest and during acute exercise, and studies focused on determining the causes and consequences of chronic sympathoexcitation in HF.

Education History

Postdoctoral Fellowship University of California San Diego
 Postdoctoral Fellow
University of North Texas Health Science Center
 PhD
Graduate Training University of North Texas Health Science Center
 MSc
Abilene Christian University
 BSc

Selected Publications

Journal Article

  1. Iacovelli JJ, Alpenglow JK, Ratchford SM, Craig JC, Simmons JM, Zhao J, Reese V, Bunsawat K, Ma CL, Ryan JJ, Wray DW (2024). Statin administration improves vascular function in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. J Appl Physiol Respir Environ Exerc Physiol, 136(4), 877-888. (Read full article)
  2. Alpenglow JK, Bunsawat K, Francisco MA, Craig JC, Iacovelli JJ, Ryan JJ, Wray DW (2024). Impaired cardiopulmonary baroreflex function and altered cardiovascular responses to hypovolemia in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. J Appl Physiol Respir Environ Exerc Physiol, 136(3), 525-534. (Read full article)
  3. Alpenglow JK, Bunsawat K, Francisco MA, Craig JC, Iacovelli JJ, Ryan JJ, Wray DW (2023). Evidence of impaired functional sympatholysis in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol, 325(4), H806-H813. (Read full article)
  4. Bunsawat K, Clifton HL, Ratchford SM, Vranish JR, Alpenglow JK, Haykowsky MJ, Trinity JD, Ryan JJ, Fadel PJ, Wray DW (2023). Cardiovascular Responses to Static Handgrip Exercise and Post-Exercise Ischemia in Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction. J Appl Physiol Respir Environ Exerc Physiol, 134(6), 1508-1519. (Read full article)
  5. Fermoyle CC, La Salle DT, Alpenglow JK, Craig JC, Jarrett CL, Broxterman RM, McKenzie AI, Morgan DE, Birgenheier NM, Wray DW, Richardson RS, Trinity JD (2023). Pharmacological modulation of adrenergic tone alters the vasodilatory response to passive leg movement in young but not in old adults. J Appl Physiol (1985), 134(5), 1124-1134. (Read full article)
  6. Ratchford SM, Bunsawat K, Alpenglow JK, Zhao J, Wright JB, Ryan JJ, Wray DW (2022). Improved vascular function and functional capacity following l-citrulline administration in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction: a single-arm, open-label, prospective pilot study. J Appl Physiol (1985), 134(2), 328-338. (Read full article)
  7. Machin DR, Clifton HL, Wray DW, Frech TM, Donato AJ (2022). Tetrahydrobiopterin Administration Augments Exercise-Induced Hyperemia and Endothelial Function in Patients With Systemic Sclerosis. Front Med (Lausanne), 8, 791689. (Read full article)
  8. Stute NL, Stickford ASL, Stickford JL, Province VM, Augenreich MA, Bunsawat K, Alpenglow JK, Wray DW, Ratchford SM (2021). Altered central and peripheral haemodynamics during rhythmic handgrip exercise in young adults with SARS-CoV-2. Exp Physiol, 107(7), 708-721. (Read full article)
  9. Hydren JR, Gifford JR, Jarrett CL, Park SH, Shields KL, Broxterman RM, Kithas AC, Bisconti AV, Thurston TS, Ratchford SM, Wray DW, Stehlik J, Selzman CH, Drakos SG, Richardson RS (2021). Vascular Function in Continuous-Flow Left Ventricular Assist Device Recipients: Effect of a Single Pulsatility Treatment Session. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol, 320(4), R425-R437. (Read full article)
  10. Bunsawat K, Ratchford SM, Alpenglow JK, Park SH, Jarrett CL, Stehlik J, Smith AS, Richardson RS, Wray DW (2020). Sacubitril-valsartan improves conduit vessel function and functional capacity and reduces inflammation in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction. J Appl Physiol (1985), 130(1), 256-268. (Read full article)
  11. Ratchford SM, Clifton HL, La Salle DT, Broxterman RM, Lee JF, Ryan JJ, Hopkins PN, Wright JB, Trinity JD, Richardson RS, Wray DW (2020). Cardiovascular responses to rhythmic handgrip exercise in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. J Appl Physiol (1985), 129(6), 1267-1276. (Read full article)
  12. Bunsawat K, Ratchford SM, Alpenglow JK, Park SH, Jarrett CL, Stehlik J, Drakos SG, Richardson RS, Wray DW (2020). Chronic antioxidant administration restores macrovascular function in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction. Exp Physiol, 105(8), 1384-1395. (Read full article)
  13. Ely MR, Ratchford SM, La Salle DT, Trinity JD, Wray DW, Halliwill JR (2020). Effect of histamine-receptor antagonism on leg blood flow during exercise. J Appl Physiol (1985), 128(6), 1626-1634. (Read full article)
  14. Limberg JK, Casey DP, Trinity JD, Nicholson WT, Wray DW, Tschakovsky ME, Green DJ, Hellsten Y, Fadel PJ, Joyner MJ, Padilla J (2019). Assessment of resistance vessel function in human skeletal muscle: guidelines for experimental design, Doppler ultrasound, and pharmacology. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol, 318(2), H301-H325. (Read full article)
  15. Craig JC, Broxterman RM, La Salle DT, Cerbie J, Ratchford SM, Gifford JR, Bunsawat K, Nelson AD, Bledsoe AD, Morgan DE, Wray DW, Richardson RS, Trinity JD (2019). The role of endothelin A receptors in peripheral vascular control at rest and during exercise in patients with hypertension. J Physiol, 598(1), 71-84. (Read full article)
  16. Witman MA, McDaniel J, Fjeldstad AS, Ives SJ, Zhao J, Nativi JN, Stehlik J, Wray DW, Richardson RS (2012). A differing role of oxidative stress in the regulation of central and peripheral hemodynamics during exercise in heart failure. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol, 303(10), H1237-44. (Read full article)

Review

  1. Bunsawat K, Nelson MD, Hearon CM Jr, Wray DW (2023). Exercise intolerance in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction: Causes, consequences and the journey towards a cure. [Review]. Exp Physiol, 109(4), 502-512. (Read full article)
  2. Bunsawat K, Skow RJ, Kaur J, Wray DW (2023). Neural control of the circulation during exercise in heart failure with reduced and preserved ejection fraction. [Review]. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol, 325(5), H998-H1011. (Read full article)

Letter

  1. Bunsawat K, Ratchford SM, Alpenglow JK, Ryan JJ, Richardson RS, Wray DW (2020). Direct Assessment of Muscle Sympathetic Nerve Activity During Exercise in Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction: A Case Report. [Letter to the editor]. J Card Fail, 27(1), 114-116. (Read full article)

Other

  1. Venturelli M, Rossman MJ, Ives SJ, Weavil JC, Amann M, Wray DW, Richardson RS (2022). Passive leg movement-induced vasodilation and exercise-induced sympathetic vasoconstriction. Auton Neurosci (239, p. 102969). Netherlands. (Read full article)
  2. Ratchford SM, Lee JF, Bunsawat K, Alpenglow JK, Zhao J, Ma CL, Ryan JJ, Khor LL, Wray DW (2022). The impact of obesity on the regulation of muscle blood flow during exercise in patients with heart failure with a preserved ejection fraction. J Appl Physiol (1985) (132(5), pp. 1240-1249). United States. (Read full article)
  3. Bisconti AV, Garten RS, Broxterman RM, Jarrett CL, Park SH, Shields KL, Clifton HL, Ratchford SM, Reese V, Zhao J, Wray DW, Richardson RS (2022). No effect of acute tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) supplementation on vascular dysfunction in the old. J Appl Physiol (1985) (132(3), pp. 773-784). United States. (Read full article)
  4. Francisco MA, Lee JF, Barrett-OKeefe Z, Groot HJ, Ratchford SM, Bunsawat K, Alpenglow JK, Ryan JJ, Nativi JN, Richardson RS, Wray DW (2021). Locomotor Muscle Microvascular Dysfunction in Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction. Hypertension (78(6), pp. 1750-1759). United States. (Read full article)
  5. Bunsawat K, Ratchford SM, Alpenglow JK, Stehlik J, Smith AS, Richardson RS, Wray DW (2021). Sympathoinhibitory effect of sacubitril-valsartan in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction: A pilot study. Auton Neurosci (235, p. 102834). Netherlands. (Read full article)