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Kaikobad Irani, MD

Contact Information

Office: 2256 CBRB
Phone: 319-335-3861
Faculty Profile  


Brief description of current research:

One of the principal manifestations of diabetes is micro- and macrovascular dysfunction. The endothelium, which is crucial for a healthy vasculature, is “damaged” in diabetes. Our laboratory tries to understand the molecular bases for this damage. We also conduct studies to uncover mechanisms by which the gut  bacteria influence the vasculature in the context of diabetes and obesity.

3 most influential diabetes/obesity/metabolism publications:

  • Kumar S, Kim YR, Vikram A, Naqvi A, Li Q, Kassan M, Kumar V, Bachschmid MM, Jacobs JS, Kumar A, Irani K. Sirtuin1-regulated lysine acetylation of p66Shc governs diabetes-induced vascular oxidative stress and endothelial dysfunction. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2017 Feb 14;114(7):1714-1719. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1614112114. Epub 2017 Jan 30. PubMed PMID: 28137876; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5321021.
  • Vikram A, Kim YR, Kumar S, Li Q, Kassan M, Jacobs JS, Irani K. Vascular microRNA-204 is remotely governed by the microbiome and impairs endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation by downregulating Sirtuin1. Nat Commun. 2016 Sep 2;7:12565. doi: 10.1038/ncomms12565. PubMed PMID: 27586459; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5025761.
  • Li Q, Kim YR, Vikram A, Kumar S, Kassan M, Gabani M, Lee SK, Jacobs JS, Irani K. P66Shc-Induced MicroRNA-34a Causes Diabetic Endothelial Dysfunction by Downregulating Sirtuin1. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2016 Dec;36(12):2394-2403. Epub 2016 Oct 27. PubMed PMID: 27789474; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5293179.