Biography

Dr. Humberto Hernandez Joined the University of Houston-Victoria in September of 2019 and serves as the Biosafety Coordinator for the College of Natural and Applied Sciences. He teaches in the Biology Undergraduate Program and the Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program in the College of Natural and Applied Sciences. He also teaches in the College of Education and Health Professions.

Dr. Humberto Hernandez’s research program is on understanding the contribution of aging, the microbiome, inflammation, and fibrosis to the pathogenesis of ocular diseases, particularly Keratoconjunctivitis sicca (Dry-eye), Keratoconus, and Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma (POAG). Dr. Hernandez uses in-vitro cell culture techniques to evaluate the pathogenic molecular mechanisms of these diseases. His lab mission is to discover and develop therapeutic targets for ocular diseases. His research has been previously funded by the National Institute of Health (NIH), National Eye Institute (NEI), and internal grants from the University of Houston-Victoria.  

Former students of Dr. Hernandez are actively completing their Doctoral and Medical programs, teaching in the Victoria Independent School District and Victoria College, and working in Biotechnology and various Industries. Dr. Humberto Hernandez actively recruits students interested in working with his vibrant research team.

Education

Postdoc – Ocular Surface Center, Department of Ophthalmology, Baylor College of Medicine (2019)

Ph.D. – Biomedical Sciences: Visual Sciences, University of North Texas Health Science Center (2017)

Post-Baccalaureate – Immunology and Microbiology, University of Texas Medical Branch (2013)

Baccalaureate of Science, Biology, Lamar University (2012)

Publications

Philip Mzyk, Humberto Hernandez, Thanh Le, Jose Ricardo Ramirez, and Colleen McDowell. Toll-like Receptor 4 signaling in the Trabecular Meshwork in Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology. In Review.

Claudia M. Trujillo-Vargas, Kelsey E. Mauk, Humberto Hernandez, Rodrigo G. de Souza, Zhiyuan Yu, Jeremias G. Galletti, Jana Dietrich, Friedrich Paulsen, Cintia S. de Paiva. Immune phenotype of the CD4+ T cells in the aged lymphoid organs and lacrimal glands in Geroscience, Springer International Publishing, 3/12/2022.

Laura Schaefer, Humberto Hernandez, Rosalind A. Coats, Zhiyuan Yu, Stephen C. Pflugfelder, Robert A. Britton, Cintia de Paiva. Gut-derived Butyrate Suppresses Ocular Surface Inflammation in Scientific Reports, Nature. 12 (4512). 3/16/2022

Colleen M McDowell, Krishnakumar Kizhatil, Michael H Elliott, Darryl R Overby…., Humberto Hernandez, … Michael P Fautsch, Ernst R Tamm, Abbot F Clark, C Ross Ethier, W Daniel Stamer. Consensus Recommendation for Mouse Models of Ocular Hypertension to study aqueous humor outflow and its mechanisms in Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science Journal. 63 2(12-12). 2/01/2022

Rodrigo G de Souza, Zhiyuan Yu, Humberto Hernandez, Claudia M Trujillo-Vargas, Andrea Lee, Kelsey E Mauk, Jiyang Cai, Milton R Alves, Cintia S de Paiva. Modulation of Oxidative Stress and Inflammation in the Aged Lacrimal Gland in The American Journal of Pathology. 191 2(194-308). 02/01/2021

Cintia De Paiva, Claudia Trujillo-Vargas, Humberto Hernandez, Rodrigo de Souza, Zhiyuan Yu, Jeremias Gaston Galletti. Loss of Ocular Mucosal Tolerance with Aging is Accompanied by Changes in T Regulatory Transcriptome in Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science. 61 7(1962-1962). 06/10/2020

Claudia M Trujillo-Vargas, Shallu Kutlehria, Humberto Hernandez, Rodrigo G de Souza, Andrea Lee, Zhiyuan Yu, Stephen C Pflugfelder, Mandip Singh, Cintia S de Paiva. Rapamycin Eyedrops Increased CD4+Foxp3+ Cells and Prevented Goblet Cell Loss in the Aged Ocular Surface in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 21 23(8890). 11/24/2020

Hernandez H, Roberts AL, McDowell CM. Nuclear factor-kappa beta signaling is required for transforming growth factor Beta-2 induced ocular hypertension in Experimental Eye Research. 191(107920). 02/01/2020 Bian F, Xiao Y, Barbosa F. L., de Souza RG, Hernandez H, Yu Z, Pflugfelder S.C, de Paiva C.S. Age-associated Antigen-Presenting Cell Alterations Promote Dry-Eye Inducing Th1 Cells in Nature, Mucosal Immunology. 12(897-908). 01/29/2019

Zaheer M, Wang C, Bian F, Yu Z, Hernandez H, de Souza RG, Simmons KT, Schady D, Swennes AG, Pflugfelder SC, Britton RA, de Paiva CS. Protective role of commensal bacteria in Sjögren Syndrome in the Journal of Autoimmunity. 93 (45-56). 09-01-2018

Hernandez H, Millar JC, Curry SM, Clark AF, McDowell CM. BMP and Activin Membrane-Bound Inhibitor Regulates the Extracellular Matrix in the Trabecular Meshwork in Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science. 59(5):2154-2166. 04/01/2018

Hernandez H, Medina-Ortiz WE, Luan T, Clark AF, McDowell CM. Crosstalk Between Transforming Growth Factor Beta-2 and Toll-Like Receptor 4 in the Trabecular Meshwork in Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science. 58 3(1811-1823). 03/14/2017

McDowell CM, Hernandez H, Mao W, Clark AF. Gremlin Induces Ocular Hypertension in Mice Through Smad3-Dependent Signaling in Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science. 56 9(5485-5492). 08/01/2015

Hernandez H, Marceau C, Halliday H, Callison J, Borisevich V, Escaffre O, Creech J, Feldmann H, Rockx B. Development and Characterization of Broadly Cross-reactive Monoclonal Antibodies Against All Known Ebolavirus Species in Journal of Infectious Diseases. 2(S410-3). 10/01/2015

Marceau CD, Negs SS, Hernandez H, Callision J, Marzi A, Borisevich V, Braun W, Berry J, Feldmann H, Rockx B. Novel neutralizing monoclonal antibodies protect rodents against lethal filovirus challenges in Trials in Vaccinology. 3 1(89-94) 04/14/2014