Dr. Bhupesh Singla's lab at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center studies the role of certain proteins in the development of atherosclerosis, a major cardiovascular disease. The lab focuses on how vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) and lymphatic networks contribute to plaque formation in arteries and explores potential new treatments to prevent or reverse atherosclerosis. By uncovering the mechanisms behind these processes, the lab aims to provide insights that could lead to reducing the impacts of heart disease.

Dr. Anna Bukiya's lab focuses on understanding how prenatal alcohol exposure affects fetal brain development, particularly through changes in fetal cerebral arteries. By studying animal models, the lab aims to uncover the mechanisms behind fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) and seeks to identify potential therapeutic interventions to prevent or treat the damage caused by alcohol during pregnancy. The findings could lead to significant advances in public health by providing new avenues for treatment against the consequences of FASD.

Dr. Kafait U Malik's lab focuses on understanding how hormones like estrogen and testosterone interact with specific enzymes in the brain, influencing blood pressure, especially in relation to sex differences. They utilize various advanced techniques to explore these interactions, aiming to identify new treatment strategies for hypertension and related health issues.

Dr. Wei Li's lab focuses on developing innovative treatments for metastatic breast cancer, particularly in overcoming challenges associated with brain and bone metastases. The lab aims to create new drug candidates that bypass the limitations of existing therapies while enhancing treatment effectiveness for patients with triple-negative breast cancer. Through a combination of structural optimization and advanced drug design techniques, they strive to improve patient outcomes and quality of life.

Dr. Hao Chen's lab studies how social environments affect nicotine addiction, especially among adolescents. By using a rat model, the lab explores the biological underpinnings of nicotine's appeal, even when it is initially aversive. This research could provide key insights into addiction treatment and prevention, as understanding these mechanisms may help in developing better public health strategies.

The lab focuses on understanding how social interactions affect alcohol consumption and dependence, particularly through the lens of the social neuropeptide oxytocin. By developing a preclinical model, the research aims to dissect the neurobiological mechanisms underlying alcohol-seeking behaviors in diverse social contexts. This work is especially relevant to addressing Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD), which significantly impacts public health.

Dr. Francesca-Fang Liao's lab focuses on understanding the mechanisms behind tau accumulation and neurotoxicity in Alzheimer's disease and other tauopathies. They investigate how tau protein is cleared from cells, especially under conditions of oxidative stress, and aim to identify potential therapeutic strategies to enhance this clearance. The ultimate goal is to develop treatments that could slow down the progression of Alzheimer’s disease and improve cognitive function in patients.

Dr. Alex Dopico's research lab focuses on understanding how alcohol consumption leads to blackouts, a form of memory loss often related to a specific brain region and its blood vessels. By exploring the actions of alcohol on ion channels in the blood vessels of the brain, the lab aims to uncover new molecular targets that could be used to develop treatments for alcohol-induced blackouts. The research combines various experimental techniques to investigate how these mechanisms work at different levels, from isolated cells to living mice.