Nidhi Jalan Sakrikar, Ph.D.
Why did you choose to study clinical and translational research?
I have been fascinated with human biology since early childhood days. My research career in biomedical research began at Vanderbilt University, where I obtained my Ph.D. Through my doctoral work, I became very interested in how my research could translate to patient care by combining in vitro dissection of pathological mechanisms, using animal models to understand disease progression and developing novel therapies for patient care.
What type of research are you doing?
Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a rare, and understudied, cholestatic liver disease involving injury to bile duct epithelial cells (cholangiocytes). Patients with PSC have an increased risk of developing cancer. Due to lack of effective pharmacotherapies, identification of new molecular targets is needed. Telomeres are DNA sequences at the end of our chromosomes and protecting them is critical for genomic stability. My project is to investigate if telomere dysfunction underlies the pathogenesis of PSC and discover the epigenetic mechanisms that modulate the telomere function in PSC with the goal of finding therapeutics.
Why Mayo Clinic?
I was attracted to Mayo Clinic through the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, which builds on Mayo Clinic's extensive research resources, education and clinical practice, spanning the spectrum of discovery science, translational research and clinical application. A unique aspect of Mayo Clinic is that its activities encompass combined efforts of both laboratory- and clinic-based research, putting Mayo at the forefront of research and discovery. In addition to developing therapies for patients, Mayo Clinic is also committed to training the next generation of medicine scientists, making it an ideal setting for my ongoing education.
What are you looking forward to as a KL2 scholar?
The KL2 is a very structured program tailored toward successfully training an early career investigator. As a basic scientist by training, I am excited for the translational aspect of my training and the opportunity to learn from the clinicians and translational scientists. Looking forward to the next three years will be critical for obtaining the multidisciplinary skills to transition into a successful independent R01 grant-level funded scientist. Also, I am eager to meet other KL2 trainees and past scholars to learn from their experiences.
Review Dr. Jalan Sakrikar's publications on PubMed.
Mentors
Highlights
Academic Rank
Assistant Professor of Medicine
Fellowship
Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic
Graduate School
Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
KL2 Appointment Dates
July 2022 to July 2025
Multidisciplinary Expertise Utilized
Liver cell biology, telomere biology, epigenetics, organoids, mouse models
Position
Research Associate with transition to Associate Consultant I at the beginning of KL2 appointment
Project
Epigenetic Dysregulation of Telomeres in PSC
Affiliations