Current Physiology Postdoctoral Fellows

photo of Dalchand Ahirwar

Dalchand Ahirwar

 I am currently investigating the role of functional hyperemia in the neocortex using in-vivo neural spiking activity and blood flow changes. With experience in various imaging, stimulation techniques, and device development, I have a keen interest in applying multimodal approaches—neural electrophysiology, two-photon imaging, electroencephalography (EEG), functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), and functional magnetic resonance/ultrasound imaging—to identify novel biomarkers for neurovascular degeneration diseases.
photo of Sami Agnu

Sami Agnu

My research focuses on the neurovascular mechanisms in the Supraoptic Nucleus of Hypothalamus that regulate body fluid and blood pressure homeostasis. By combining electrophysiology, imaging, and molecular tools, my work aims to uncover how vasopressin neurons adapt at the cellular and circuit level to regulate fluid balance and cardiovascular regulation.
photo of Shayantani Chakraborty

Shayantani Chakraborty

My research focuses on understanding the mechanisms that regulate nutrient and energy metabolism, and how these processes are disrupted in conditions such as obesity, lipodystrophy, and other metabolic diseases. Specifically, I investigate adipose biology and energy balance in the context of obesity and lipodystrophy. By utilizing a combination of in vitro molecular and cellular biology techniques, including genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, CRISPR/Cas9- mediated genome editing, and advanced in vivo mouse models, my goal is to uncover the pathological alterations in metabolic communication associated with diseases like obesity, diabetes, and related liver and heart complications. Ultimately, this research aims to identify potential therapeutic targets and develop treatments for these conditions
photo of Mona Elgazzaz

Mona Elgazzaz

My research is focused on understanding the crosstalk between sFlt-1 and Leptin hormone in inducing adverse maternal-fetal outcomes in preeclampsia, a hypertensive pregnancy disorder. Additionally, my research studies the role of leptin-induced preeclampsia in inducing short- and long-term maternal and offspring cardiometabolic disease.
photo of Sonu Gupta

Sonu Gupta

Elucidating the role of Nicotinamide nucleotide transhydrogenase (NNT) in redox regulation of cardiac function under the conditions of HFpEF.
90% of patients displaying heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) have high blood pressure, making hypertension the most common comorbidity of HFpEF. The risk factor of HFpEF increases sharply with age, but hypertension, obesity, and coronary artery disease are additional risk factors. Its occurrence is relatively similar in men and women. The pathophysiology around this is complex and multifactorial, but it is generally understood that poorly controlled hypertension will result in left ventricular hypertrophy, left atrial remodeling, and diastolic dysfunction. These consequences ultimately lead to heart failure, as the vicious cycle of heart growth in response to higher loads/ pressures continues. It is believed many of the consequences of heart failure can be heavily contributed to mitochondrial dysfunction. Therefore, in this project we aim to investigate the contribution of mitochondrial function to the pathophysiology of HFpEF and the role of some membrane proteins in the related mechanisms.

PPF in the News

Plant-based diet protects from hypertension, preeclampsia

June 14, 2021JagWire

A plant-based diet appears to afford significant protection to rats bred to become hypertensive on a high-salt diet, scientists report. When the rats become pregnant, the whole grain diet also protects the mothers and their offspring from deadly preeclampsia. Although we have all heard to avoid the salt shaker, an estimated 30-50% of us have a significant increase in blood pressure in response to high-salt intake, percentages that are even higher and more impactful in Blacks.

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New rodent model helps identify pregnant women whose prior kidney injury also affects babies

Feb 22 2021News Medical Life Sciences

Young pregnant women, who appear to have fully recovered from an acute injury that reduced their kidney function, have higher rates of significant problems like preeclampsia and low birthweight babies, problems which indicate their kidneys have not actually fully recovered. Now scientists have developed a rodent model that is enabling studies to better understand, identify and ideally avoid this recently identified association, they report in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.

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