About Me
I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Cardiovascular Medicine at Wake Forest University School of Medicine. My affiliations include the Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Cardiovascular Sciences Center, the Center for Redox Biology and Medicine, the Sticht Center for Healthy Aging and Alzheimer’s Prevention, the Center for Precision Medicine, the Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Center on Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism.
My research centers on mitochondrial calcium signaling and protein quality control, examining how these processes affect bioenergetics, cell death, and mitochondrial structure, especially in the context of cardiovascular disease. I employ a multidisciplinary toolkit that includes molecular biology, protein biochemistry, imaging, and in vivo physiological techniques to investigate mitochondrial function across cardiac, hepatic, and neuronal systems.
I earned my Ph.D. in Biotechnology (Cell Biology) from the University of Pune, India, and completed postdoctoral training at Temple University, USA. My laboratory is supported by the NIH, American Heart Association, Alzheimer’s Association, and several other funding agencies. I am deeply committed to mentoring trainees at all levels and actively contribute as a reviewer for more than thirty international journals and grant panels.
My professional service includes volunteer roles with the American Society of Cell Biology and the American Heart Association, including longstanding membership on the BCVS Council, as well as leadership positions in organizations like the Society for South Asian Heart Research.
My work has resulted in over eighty publications and numerous competitive awards, advancing our understanding of mitochondrial physiology and disease mechanisms.