University of Missouri – Columbia (MU)
My research interest focuses on defining the mechanisms by which Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) leads to vascular dysfunction. I am particularly interested in understanding how chronic intestinal inflammation alters systemic vascular health through interactions among the gut microbiome, immune cells, and perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT). My work aims to evaluate how dysbiosis and immune cell–driven signaling promote PVAT remodeling, thereby disrupting its normal anti-contractile and vasoprotective functions. By integrating vascular biology, immunology, and microbiome science, my goal is to identify key cellular and molecular pathways linking IBD to vascular dysfunction, which may reveal novel therapeutic targets to reduce cardiovascular risk in patients with chronic inflammatory diseases.