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Understanding the pathogenesis of a disease process is challenging due to the complex interactions of several components starting from the atomic level to genomic and proteomics alterations to environmental influence. While there are several tools to probe the mechanism of a disease, standard approaches of considering disease-specific and patient-specific effects are poorly predictive. Even with the explosion of techniques assessing the evolution of disease from normal milieu to a disease milieu, making the jump from cells, animal models, and humans has been difficult, let alone assessing the individual variations in a population. Our laboratory harnesses the power of research tools spanning from various cellular and molecular biological models, relevant animal models (zebrafish and mice), mass spectrometry, genomic analysis, to computational methods to develop an highly integrative platform to understand the molecular mechanisms that drive disease pathogenesis. We strive to validate our hypotheses in humanized models or human samples to develop a translational bridge. We particularly examine the role of post-translational modifications of proteins such as polyubiquitnation of the key mediators of vascular pathologies in cancer and kidney diseases with an intention to gain a deeper understanding of those disease processes that can help develop a theranostic platform in future.
Vascular Diseases in Cancer
Cancer progresses through several steps characterized by a conversion of normal tissue states to anaplasia and neoplasia. While the tumor continues to grow in a conducive environment, it draws leash of blood vessels along with it. Angiogenesis, a process of generation of novel blood vessels is fundamental during the development and in various diseases such as cancer. Wnt signaling, a highly conserved oncogenic pathway, is […]
Vascular Diseases in Kidney Failure
Close to 20 million Americans, or 10% of US population, suffer from the chronic kidney disease (CKD). Among a plethora of cardiovascular manifestations, CKD patients are particularly at a high risk for both venous and arterial thrombosis, especially after vascular injury (endovascular injury such as angioplasty or stents; and surgical injury such as arteriovenous fistula creation). This area of CKD management warrants urgent investigation due […]
Biomedical Engineering Application to Kidney Problems
The era of precision medicine warrants a multi-pronged approach to develop better biomarkers or therapeutic targets. Leveraging a rich interdisciplinary network of biomedical engineers, computation biologists, synthetic chemists, polymer chemists and health economists. Kidney problems and its potential solution lend itself for the biomedical engineering approach. Two major areas remain the focus of our effort – bioimaging to evaluate the extent of […]
