Overview

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My passion lies in investigating mechanisms that contribute to the development of obesity. As an independent interdisciplinary researcher, my primary goal is to shed light on the contributions of dysfunctional gut-brain crosstalk in regulating glucose and energy homeostasis, and to explore the therapeutic potential of targeting specific vagal afferent neurons in improving health outcomes for individuals that struggle with/suffer from obesity. Under the leadership of Dr. Darleen Sandoval, a renowned physiologist, I am currently investigating whether intestinal stretch sensing via vagal afferents is essential for successful weight loss and glucose homeostasis. My research interests are partially informed by my extensive graduate training in glucose homeostasis, islet biology, transcriptional regulation, and metabolic phenotyping which were gained through rigorous training and mentorship under Dr. Chad S. Hunter. Specifically, my thesis work centered on the critical transcriptional coregulator, Ldb1, and its pancreatic interactions with Islet-1 (Isl1) and other LIM-Homeodomain class of TFs. My findings suggested that a transcription factor Lim homeobox 1 (Lhx1) regulated islet expression of glucagon like peptide 1 receptor (Glp1R), thus impacting glucose homeostasis. In addition to gaining a wealth of technical expertise and knowledge, I also funded my graduate career through a National Science Foundation (NSF) 2- year fellowship, a NIH-NIGMS funded T32, and a Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award Individual Predoctoral Fellowship (F31) from NIDDK. Currently, I am a research instructor at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus where I am a Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women’s Heath (BIRCWH) scholar. In this capacity, my research program represents a unique opportunity to deepen the understanding of how diet induced obesity disrupts gutbrain communications. I will specifically investigate how vagal afferents that express oxytocin receptor (OxtR) are impacted in the context of diet induced obesity, weight loss via dietary intervention, as well weight loss via surgical intervention.