Dr. K. Kaviarasn

Our research is currently studying the role of retinal pericytes, endothelial cells and other microvascular cells in diabetes complications.

Microvascular destabilization and the pericyte loss are the initial event that occur as diabetes progresses.

We aim to isolate the cells from healthy individual and Diabetes to identify the differential regulated proteins, lipid metabolites, neurotrophins and others through proteomics and lipidomic approach.

Additionally, we are focused on establishing risk factors related to pro and anti-inflammatory bioactive lipids in correlation with HDL function, inflammatory cytokines, to understand the disease progression from prediabetes to type 2 DM.

Our goal is to develop a novel diagnostic marker and therapeutic target/drug for diabetic complications and other non-communicable diseases.

We also intend to understand molecular mechanism underlying the disease to develop new drug for type 2 diabetes by preclinical, cellline invitro studies and various bioinformatics tools.

Team

Current Members

  • Ms. Sharmila Rajendran (ICMR-SRF): Research Scholar; Microvascular cells heterogeneity in diabetes and its complications
  • Ms. Sandhya Krishnan (ICMR-JRF): Research Scholar; Imbalance of pro and anti-inflammatory bioactive lipids, reverse cholesterol transport (HDL function) in Pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes
  • Ms. Ranjitha R: Research Scholar; Biomarker discovery for risk screening and detection of childhood anomalies in Pregnant Mother

Past Members

  • Y M. Mounish: Recipient of Summer Research Fellowship, SRIHER
  • Nandhini Prakash: Project Assistant, Novartis funded project
  • Sherine Joana: Recipient of Summer Research Fellowship, SRIHER
  • Suvashini: Recipient of Summer Research Fellowship, SRIHER
  • Sutannu Patra: Recipient of Student Fellowship from TNSCST

Join Us

We are actively looking for skilled PhD students to join our team on novel biomarker discovery, drug target identification and therapy development.

Ongoing Projects

Current

  • Imbalance of pro and anti-inflammatory bioactive lipids, reverse cholesterol transport (HDL function) in the progression of prediabetes to type 2 diabetes mellitus.
    Funding Agency: ICMR-Adhoc Project
    Duration: 2022–2025
  • Proteomic Studies on Microvascular Cells in Diabetes associated complications
    Funding Source: ICMR-SRF fellowship
    Duration: 2019–2024

Completed Projects

  • Association of α-synuclein in prediabetes and its progression to type 2 diabetes
    Funding Source: TNSCST grant
    Duration: May 2023 – December 2023
  • Isolation and characterization of pericytes from healthy neural human retina
    Funding Source: GATE project (SRIHER)
    Duration: 2020 – 2022
  • Neurotrophins and inflammatory markers in the progression of pre-diabetes to Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Diabetic Retinopathy
    Funding Source: Novartis Private Limited
    Duration: 2018 – 2020

Admissions