I am my own sculptor:
I am shaping myself from within with the

Research Project

As receptor-mediated signaling event is relevant in controlling
different biological processes including, vertebrate development,
cell fate and differentiation, research on signaling mechanisms
and cell function has been of interest to me.
Sonic hedgehog (Shh) signaling has been implicated in both
short- and long-range interactions that patterns the
vertebrate CNS, somite, limb, as well as cardiac morphogenesis.
Recent evidence points to expression of signaling molecules including,
Shh and fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) in distinct regions
of the pharyngeal ectoderm and endoderm which regulate development
of the arches.

I am currently investigating the Biochemical and Molecular basis
of signaling defects resulting in Heart diseases and Facial dysmorphisms,
with particular reference to integrated functions of sonic hedgehog
signaling, retinoic acid and fibroblast growth factors in a morphogenetic
field patterning the pharyngeal arches. Subsequently, the roles of
these arches in specification of heart and face, and how aberrance
in these signaling pathways could result in disease states such as
DiGeorge Syndrome would be addressed.