Research & Publications
Research Interests
My research interests lie at the intersection of neuroscience, artificial intelligence, and computational biology. I am particularly focused on understanding neural computation and developing AI systems inspired by biological neural networks.
Research Presentation
Presenting research at Northwestern University's WCAS '24 Research Symposium
Research presentation poster
Research Project Summary
Combating Vascular Calcification with targeted Mitochondria therapy
This research project investigates a novel therapeutic strategy for combating vascular calcification through targeted mitochondrial therapy. Vascular calcification, characterized by calcium phosphate deposition in blood vessel walls, leads to hardening and loss of elasticity, significantly contributing to cardiovascular diseases like arteriosclerosis and increasing heart failure risk.
Research Objectives:
- • Understand how mitochondrial dysfunction contributes to vascular calcification
- • Investigate if restoring mitochondrial health could mitigate or reverse calcification
- • Evaluate the effectiveness of DSPE-PEG polymer-coated mitochondria in improving VSMC health
Methodology:
The research involved culturing Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells (VSMCs) in three different media: smooth muscle growth media (SMGM), differentiation media, and osteogenic media. We conducted Seahorse assays on days 5 and 10 to measure mitochondrial parameters including respiration, ATP production, and extracellular acidification rates (ECAR). Immunocytochemistry was used to stain VSMCs and confirm phenotypic changes using markers such as Runx2, osteocalcin, MYOCIN Heavy Chain 11, and calponin.
Key Findings:
- • Developed and implemented experimental framework for VSMC culture and analysis
- • Collected comprehensive mitochondrial function data through Seahorse assays
- • Identified areas for improvement in phenotypic induction methods
Next Steps:
Future research will focus on exploring alternative methods for inducing clearer phenotypic changes in VSMCs, analyzing the extensive Seahorse assay data using advanced statistical techniques, and investigating correlations between mitochondrial health and calcification rates. Additional experiments will test different DSPE-PEG polymer dosages and assess long-term effects in animal models.
Skills Developed:
- • Cell culture techniques (stem cell culture, cell thawing, cryo-preservation, cell passaging)
- • Immunocytochemistry and Seahorse assay protocols
- • Macros scripting for data analysis