Aswini Gnanasekaran

Aswini Gnanasekaran
Department of Pharmacology, Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA

Biography

My research interests are Calcium (Ca2+) signaling pathways and its biochemical regulation in neurons. During my doctoral studies I was interested on molecular mechanisms regulating Purinergic P2X3 pain receptors and its modulation by intracellular calcium in trigeminal neurons of migraine-model mice. My keen interest towards Ca2+ molecules in neurons moved me to do my Post-Doctoral research in Prof. Yuriy Usachev?s Lab in University of Iowa. My Post-Doctoral studies help me to study Calcium (Ca2+) signaling pathways in various aspects, including learning calcium imaging techniques, working on neurodegenerative models of Stroke and Epilepsy. Here mainly interested on mitochondrial calcium regulation by studying mitochondrial calcium channel. I have also got Prestigious Post-Doctoral Fellowship grant from American Heart Association (AHA) to study ?The role of mitochondrial Ca2+ signaling and mitochondria fission and fusion in the control of synaptic plasticity and neurotoxicity on Stroke model?. Education Ph.D., Neuroscience (October 2008 ? October 2012) SISSA (International School of Advanced studies), Trieste, Italy. Thesis Title: Molecular mechanisms regulating P2X3 receptors in trigeminal ganglia of wild type and R192QKI migraine-model mice. Supervisor: Prof. Andrea Nistri M.Phil., Endocrinology, (August 2007 ? August 2008) University of Madras, IBMS, Taramani Campus, Chennai, India. Weighted character average ? (65/100 Scale) M.Sc., Animal Biotechnology, (August 2004 ? August 2006) Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirapalli, India Weighted character average ? (79/100 Scale) B.Sc., Zoology, (July 2001 ? July 2004) Madurai Kamaraj University, India. Weighted character average ? (80/100 Scale) University Rank holder (VI Rank) Honors and Awards American Heart Association Post Doctoral fellowship Award- Midwest Affiliate Memberships / Societies Federation of European Neuroscience Society American Heart Association Member.

Research Interest

Neurotoxicity, Migraine, Neurology