Left to right= Syed Alvi, Mahmoud Shalaan, Uzair Ahmed, Mahmood Khan, Muhamad Mergaye, Sahal Pracha, Naseem Yasin, Divya Sridharan, Schaza Rana
Dr. Mahmood Khan– Principal Investigator
Dr. Khan is a Professor and Director of Basic and Transitional science in the Department of Emergency Medicine at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. He has received broad academic training and solid research experience in the fields of cardiovascular pharmacology/metabolism/physiology, regenerative medicine, and tissue engineering. He has over 15 years of experience in areas related to cardiovascular disease. His major long-term research interests center on identifying novel biomarkers and translation of tissue-engineered cardiac patches in patients with heart failure. he has published over 80 peer-reviewed papers and 8 textbook chapters. he is currently serving as a Principal Investigator (PI) and Co-Investigator (Co-I) in NIH and extramural grants to study novel scaffolds and drug releasing nanoparticles for cardiac regeneration, wound healing and angiogenesis. Dr. Khan’s lab also focuses on exosomes/extracellular vesicles (EVs) for myocardial repair and to establish novel biomarkers for cardiovascular disease. He is also mentors undergraduate/graduate students and postdoctoral researchers with the vision of shaping tomorrows leaders in research. With over 80 peer-reviewed papers in high impact journals and over a decade of experience in the areas of cardiovascular research for treating MI and cardioprotection with antioxidant compounds, he hopes to improve the quality of lives of patients with heart acute MI and advance heart failure through innovative ideas and proven results.
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Dr. Divya Sridharan – Post Doctoral Researcher
Divya Sridharan is a Post-Doctoral Researcher who specializes in differentiation of pluripotent stem cells to cardiovascular cell types. She has a background in bioengineering and has completed her PhD from the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India. She has prior experience in differentiation of mouse pluripotent stem cells to the cardiac lineage.
Her current research focus is on differentiation of human iPSCs to cardiovascular progenitors for myocardial regeneration. Outside the lab, she enjoys travelling, reading and is a trained Indian classical dancer.
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Dr. Syed Baseeruddin Alvi – Post Doctoral Researcher
Syed Baseeruddin Alvi is a post-doctoral researcher from IIT – Hyderabad, he specializes in nanomedicine for theranostic applications. His PhD work was in photothermal/photodynamic therapy of skin and breast cancer.
His current research focus in the lab to fabricate and test novel drug releasing nanoparticles and hydrogels for cardiac repair application post-MI. In his free time he enjoys mountain biking.
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Uzair Ahmed – Student Research Assistant
Uzair Ahmed is a current first-year honors neuroscience student. Joining the lab in 2021, he has developed many interests and curiosities throughout his time but his main focus is concerned with human induced pluripotent cardiomyocyte stem cells and modeling cardiac ischemia. Uzair hopes to one day attend medical school and become a physician. Outside of the lab, Uzair is involved with BuckeyeThon, loves to play soccer, and enjoys spending time with family and friends.
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Ali Akhtar – Student Research Assistant
Ali Akhtar is a 4th year neuroscience major, looking forward to attending medical school in the near future, and his current focus in the lab is on cell work and cultures. Outside of the lab, he enjoys reading, spending time with his family and friends, and going to the gym. Ali is also a volunteer at Doctors West and mentors freshman for APIDA at OSU.
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Salmman Ahmed – Student Research Assistant
Salmman Ahmed is a graduate of John Carroll University located in Cleveland, Ohio where he received his bachelors in Biology. He is currently pursuing his medical school at The Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine. Previously he was involved in undergraduate research at Case Western Reserve University working with proteins involved in mitochondrial fission. He also had research experience during his time at John Carroll University studying synapse development within drosophila. He joined Dr. Khan’s lab during his gap semester in the spring of 2021 with the hopes of expanding his knowledge of medical research in the field of cardiology. His current work involves immunostaining, working with nano and microparticles for cardiac repair post MI, and conducting echocardiograms on mice. Outside of lab Salmman has an interest in mentoring/teaching, fitness/sports, enjoys reading books on theology, and has a great deal of interest in the field of cardiology.
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Abbey Forehand – Student Research Assistant
Abbey is a second year Microbiology major in the combined BS/MS program at OSU. She plans to pursue a PhD and live somewhere warmer than Ohio. She joined the lab in January of 2023 and is looking forward to developing her own project in the future. On campus, Abbey is heavily involved with The OSU Boxing Club and is a Group Fitness Instructor at the RPAC. In her free time, she enjoys playing with her two yellow labs, reading, and working
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Muhamad Mergaye – Student Research Assistant
Muhamad is a first year graduate student pursuing his Masters in Clinical research. He has been in Dr. Khan’s lab for the past 4 years studying the effects of hypoxia on hiPSC-Cardiomyocyte maturation. Outside of the lab, he enjoys photography, mountain biking, and breakfast at The Lox Bagel Shop in the short north.
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Katie Nottke – Student Research Assistant
My name is Katie Nottke, and I am a first year, biochemistry major with a double minor focusing on Spanish and neuroscience. I am a member of the Minority Association of Pre-Med Students, Phi Delta Epsilon, and I am a Morrill Scholar. I am joining the lab this year as a research volunteer to gain essential skills to conduct my own research, and to establish connections with the other intelligent, fascinating members of this lab. My goal is to focus on neurosurgery and neurological diseases in my future and use the knowledge I gain about stem cell recovery to contribute to my future findings. Outside of studying, I spend my time reading a good book, or finding new music to listen to.
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Sahal Pracha – Student Research Assistant
Sahal Pracha graduated with Biology Major and he is currently applying for medical schools. His research focuses on fabricating microspheres to slow release drugs into different body tissues, specifically the heart. Outside of the lab, Sahal enjoys hanging out with friends and reading books!
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Naseem Yasin – Student Research Assistant
Naseem Yasin is a fourth-year biology major looking forward to attending medical school soon. She is one of the presidents for the Minority Association of Pre-Medical Students organization and was a Buckeyethon team captain leader for Biological Scholars & Pre-Medicine. Naseem joined Dr. Khan’s lab with hopes to expand her knowledge in cardiovascular research. Outside of the lab, she enjoys mentoring, reading, spending time with friends and family. Naseem has an interest in cardiovascular medicine and emergency medicine!
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ALUMNI
Dr. Julie Dougherty – Research Scientist – Nationwide Children’s Hospital
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Naresh Kumar – Research Scientist – Ohio State University
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Dr. Arunkumar Palaniappan – Assistant Professor – Vellore Institute of Technology
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Allie Clark
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Bryan Gardiner- GMP Scientist 1 – Andelyn Biosciences
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Momin Noor – Marshall University (MSc)
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Nil Patel – Regulatory Affairs – Nationwide Children’s Hospital
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Camille Kaati -Graduated
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Zahra Naseer -Graduated
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