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Anil Chauhan

Contact Information

Office: 3188 ML
Phone: 335-6525
Faculty Profile


Brief description of current research:

My research enterprise is focused on the interface between thrombosis, inflammation and vascular biology in the setting of CVDs and stroke. Experimental models in the laboratory includes arterial thrombosis, deep vein thrombosis, stroke, and atherosclerosis. Currently, we are trying to understand how metabolic reprogramming regulates platelet and leukocyte function and whether targeting enzymes involved in glycolysis can inhibit thrombo-inflammation. If successful, this could be developed as a therapeutic strategy toward better management of patients at high risk for acute coronary events and stroke. We utilize mutant mice strains, state-of-the-art imaging techniques like intravital microscopy, laser-speckle imaging and magnetic resonance imaging in order to study mechanistic role of thrombo-inflammation in the modulation of thrombosis and ischemic stroke. My lab was one of the six labs in the US that were funded by NIH/NINDS Stroke Preclinical Assessment Network (SPAN 1.0) to support promising interventions for stroke protection. An important contribution, even beyond my lab research accomplishments has been mentorship of talented young postdoctoral fellows. Many of my former trainees have received grants in the fields of vascular biology, thrombosis, and inflammation from ASH, AHA and NIH and have become independent as Assistant Professors in academia or moved to industry as principal scientists.

3 most influential diabetes/obesity/metabolism publications:

  • Nayak MK, Ghatge M, Flora GD, Dhanesha N, Jain M, Markan KR, Potthoff MJ, Lentz SR, Chauhan AK. The metabolic enzyme pyruvate kinase M2 regulates platelet function and arterial thrombosis. Blood. 2021 Mar 25;137(12):1658-1668. PubMed PMID: 33027814; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC7995287.
  • Nayak MK, Dhanesha N, Doddapattar P, Rodriguez O, Sonkar VK, Dayal S, Chauhan AK. Dichloroacetate, an inhibitor of pyruvate dehydrogenase kinases, inhibits platelet aggregation and arterial thrombosis. Blood Adv. 2018 Aug 14;2(15):2029-2038. PubMed PMID: 30108111; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC6093723.
  • Dhanesha N, Patel RB, Doddapattar P, Ghatge M, Flora GD, Jain M, Thedens D, Olalde H, Kumskova M, Leira EC, Chauhan AK. PKM2 promotes neutrophil activation and cerebral thromboinflammation: therapeutic implications for ischemic stroke. Blood. 2022 Feb

Quote:

The most difficult task as a mentor is to make happy everyone in the laboratory. The simplest task is to be happy with everyone.