Faculty

Pharmacology & Physiology Research Interest: TRP channels, Ca2+ signaling, blood vessels, nanoscale signaling complexes, cerebral vascular function, neurovascular coupling, autoregulation, cerebral small vessel diseases, vascular dementia

Understanding the molecular basis of behaviors relevant to stress and the actions of fast antidepressant and anxiolytic drugs, aiming to identify specific circuits, neuronal subpopulations and synaptic mechanisms involved in these responses.

Basal ganglia and degenerative diseases

Understanding the mechanisms by which the extracellular matrix protein, fibronectin, affects cell and tissue functions that are critical for wound repair. We study both the structural mechanisms and intracellular signaling events that mediate cell and tissue responses to matrix fibronectin. In turn, we are using this information to develop novel technologies for tissue engineering, and therapeutic approaches to promote tissue regeneration in chronic wounds.

Mechanotransduction of musculoskeletal cells and associated human disease; Physiology and pathophysiology of mechanosensitive ion channels

Mechanisms of neurotransmitter receptor function

Elucidate the molecular mechanisms of divalent metal neurotoxicity and mitochondrial dysfunction in Alzheimer's disease pathogenesis

Director, Center for Advanced Light Microscopy and Nanoscopy

Purinergic signaling in peripheral nociceptive nerve, neurovascular coupling, stroke injury and astrocytic communication

Signaling transduction mechanisms in the vascular system

The role of CAv 1, 2 in tendon formation and heterotopic bone (HO) formation

Our research interests span three areas including epigenetic mechanisms of mitotic cell division, chromatin, heterochromatin, histone variants and modifications;  biomineralization of odontogenic tissues and finally generating tools for engineering and regeneration of complex periodontal tissues.

Medicine Pharmacology & Physiology Research Interest: Understanding the neural pathways and biochemical processes involved in controlling blood pressure, hypertension, diabetes, and metabolic disorders

Role of Mitochondria in regulation of cell fate in normal stem cells and cancer cells

Translational women’s health research; To identify previously unknown mechanisms of disease for disabling vulvar conditions, namely vulvodynia and lichens

Understanding the pathogenesis of Acute Lung Injury (ALI), a life threatening pulmonary inflammatory condition

Synaptic pharmaco-physiology of vestibular efferent-afferent interactions

Molecular mechanisms of Neurodegeneration

T cell migration and autoimmune disease/ Inflammation biology of sepsis

Investigation of the molecules, receptors, and neural circuits that influence social interactions, including the actions of mammalian pheromones

The mechanisms of lung vascular endothelial cell dysfunction in acute lung injury

Vascular Effects of Alcohol-role of Notch

Cellular and molecular mechanisms of heart development, disease, and regeneration; Transcriptional regulation of fibroblast plasticity and cardiac fibrosis

Retinal degeneration and maladaptive plasticity in inner retinal circuits.

Cell Adhesion, Mechanical and thermodynamic properties of biological membranes; cellular mechanics and function of cytoskeletal proteins

Thrombosis and platelet activation in vascular pathology of pulmonary hypertension; clinical trial design in pulmonary hypertension

Vascular Biology and Inflammation in Hypertension and Kidney Disease

NF-kB signaling pathway, Apoptosis signaling pathway, Bone metabolism, and Osteoimmunology.

Developing intravital imaging-based approaches to better understand the bone marrow microenvironment regulating the skeletal, hematopoietic, and malignant stem cells

Metabolism and toxicity of halogen- and sulfur-containing chemicals and on the design and synthesis of mitochondrially targeted drugs