The human genome contains more than twenty thousand genes. Cells need to tightly control when, where, and how much these genes are expressed during the development and functioning of organisms. Various environmental influences can disrupt the normal gene expression programs through genetic and epigenetic changes. Such disruptions are known to play central roles in disease processes like cancer.
My research brings together two lines of work: the production of drug delivery systems in continuous-flow reactors, and the evaluation of these systems in cell-based models. In parallel, I study single nucleotide polymorphisms associated with inflammation and dyslipidaemia in coronary artery disease
G-Protein Coupled Receptors (GPCRs) are localized in cell membranes and convert extracellular signals into intracellular signals, maintaining communication.
Studies in Molecular Toxicology and Cancer Research Laboratory (MTCRL) focus on the toxic and carcinogenic effects of food-born or other natural chemical agents. Among these agents, mycotoxins which are secondary metabolites produced by fungi pose great risks and hazards to human and animal health. The most important chronic effect of many mycotoxins is the induction and/or promotion of cancer, especially in the liver and kidney.
A fundamental problem common to the development of most sensory systems is the generation of functionally distinct neuronal cell types. The visual system constitutes a unique model to study the generation of cellular diversity within an otherwise homogeneous neuronal population.
