Kartik Venkatachalam
Regular Member
Professor
The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
McGovern Medical School
Department of Integrative Biology and Pharmacology
The overall goal of the Venkatachalam lab is to study biological and signaling pathways that are responsible for ensuring organismal health and longevity. To this end, we take a holistic approach spanning from bioinformatic analyses to the use of model organisms. Our findings have illuminated pathways that are relevant to the regulation of aging and healthspan, metabolic diseases, cancer, and neurodegeneration. Please visit www.utflylab.com for more information.
Current areas of focus:
- Role of cellular organelles in health and disease: We are interested in studying the mechanisms that dictate the biogenesis, trafficking, and function of intracellular organelles such as endolysosomes, mitochondria, and the ER. These studies are relevant to diseases stemming from lysosomal and mitochondrial dysfunction, aging, and cancer.
- Diseases of the nervous system: We use a multi-tiered approach to study the regulation of neuronal function and bioenergetics. Our goal is to glean fundamental insights into the functioning of the nervous system, and develop strategies to ameliorate the pathological consequences of neurodevelopment and neurodegenerative diseases.
McGovern Medical School Faculty
Education & Training
PhD, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 2002