Three female researchers at City of Hope were recognized for their leading-edge contributions to finding a cure for diabetes.
Rama Natarajan, Ph.D., chair of the Department of Diabetes Complications & Metabolism at City of Hope, has been elected to become an American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) fellow for her “distinguished contributions to the field of diabetes and its vascular complications, particularly for studies showing the roles of epigenetics and non-coding RNAs.” AAAS fellows are a group of scientists, engineers and innovators internationally recognized for their achievements across disciplines. Past fellows include Thomas Edison, W.E.B DuBois, Steven Chu and Ellen Ochoa.
Natarajan was among the first to discover the role of epigenetic changes and noncoding RNAs in promoting diabetic micro- and macrovascular complications. Her team identified specific chromatin histone post-translational modifications and DNA methylations that drive inflammatory and fibrotic genes in diabetes. Her studies in this area provided clinical evidence that persistent epigenetic changes are associated with the phenomenon of “metabolic memory” in which periods of prior high blood sugar levels predispose diabetic patients to long-term vascular complications, despite subsequent optimum glucose control. These findings have led to a new appreciation of the connections between glycemic history, epigenetics, metabolic memory and diabetic vasculopathy.
Natarajan is a faculty member of the Irell & Manella Graduate School of Biological Sciences at City of Hope and very active in teaching, mentoring and training graduate students, fellows and faculty. She also holds the National Business Products Industry Professorship in Diabetes Research.
Zhen Bouman Chen, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Diabetes Complications & Metabolism at City of Hope, was awarded the Springer Junior Investigator Award. The North American Vascular Biology Organization committee recognized her presentation, “Suppression of Endothelial AGO1 Promotes Adipose Tissue Browning and Improves Metabolic Dysfunction” as “fundamental in the field of vascular biology.” Chen’s research focus at City of Hope is epigenetic regulation in endothelial stress response and its functional and translational relevance in cardiovascular diseases.
Ragadeepthi Tunduguru, Ph.D., postdoctoral fellow in the Rama Natarajan lab at City of Hope, was recognized with the Lawrence A. Smookler Award in Diabetes as its 2020 Distinguished Research Scientist. This is an award given by the Larry L. Hillblom Foundation, which supports “efforts toward curing, treating and managing diabetes mellitus” and other diseases. Tunduguru is experienced in phenotyping and metabolic analysis of diabetes models. She is investigating the role of LncRNAs and miRNAs in diabetes-associated skeletal muscle atrophy and nephropathy.
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About City of Hope
City of Hope is an independent biomedical research and treatment center for cancer, diabetes and other life-threatening diseases. Founded in 1913, City of Hope is a leader in bone marrow transplantation and immunotherapy such as CAR T cell therapy. City of Hope’s translational research and personalized treatment protocols advance care throughout the world. Human synthetic insulin and numerous breakthrough cancer drugs are based on technology developed at the institution. A National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center and a founding member of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, City of Hope has been ranked among the nation’s “Best Hospitals” in cancer by U.S. News & World Report for 14 consecutive years. Its main campus is located near Los Angeles, with additional locations throughout Southern California. For more information about City of Hope, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube or Instagram.
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