My laboratory studies the intracellular signaling regulating the contraction of bladder smooth muscle (BSM) with particular emphasis on JNK2 and NFkB mediated signaling. In these studies, we are investigating 1) the mechanism(s) by which the increased expression of desmin and vimentin enhances the JNK2 phosphorylation and increases the mitochondrial ROS levels in benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) induced obstructed BSM and 2) identifying the mechanism(s) by which JNK2 and NFκB induces the BSM contractile dysfunction in high fat diet (HFD) induced obesity. My laboratory also studies the role of epigenetics in radiation therapy (RT) induced cardiopulmonary fibrosis. In this study, we are investigating the role of DNA methylation, histone modification, non-coding RNAs and micro RNAs in RT induced cardiopulmonary fibrosis in lung and breast cancer murine models and human patients.

PhD, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India, 1998