Abhishek Chandra, Ph.D., M.S.

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SUMMARY

The research of Abhishek Chandra, Ph.D., M.S., focuses on the pathophysiology of bone loss from aging, radiotherapy and several diseases and conditions. He also explores the mechanism of fate commitment of mesenchymal lineage cells during pathological conditions and the resulting bone marrow environment.

Dr. Chandra is particularly interested in providing therapeutic options for fractures from radiotherapy-induced osteoporosis and improving bone quality. In addition, Dr. Chandra studies the DNA damage and repair pathways involved in bone cells and how the regulation of these pathways affects bone architecture.

Focus areas

• Osteoporosis. Dr. Chandra characterizes the cellular and subcellular mechanisms behind age- and disease-related osteoporosis. To translate cellular changes to bone formation, he focuses on understanding subcellular processes such as DNA damage, apoptosis, senescence, and the role of proinflammatory signals in both usual and disease conditions.
• Radiotherapy, bone loss and fractures. Dr. Chandra works extensively on the identification of therapeutic medicines that can prevent radiation-induced osteoporosis. Optimizing treatment options for radiation-induced osteoporosis and the resulting fracture healing process, with minimal side effects and improved bone quality, is the main focus of Dr. Chandra's research.
• Mechanisms of aging. Dr. Chandra is involved in identifying the basic mechanisms of cellular and organ aging during the natural physiological process and disease states. His group also is involved in a drug discovery program identifying compounds that target cellular mechanisms of aging in vitro. After this identification, it is followed by in vivo verification of efficacy in preclinical models of aging.
• Mesenchymal stem cell biology. Dr. Chandra focuses his work on therapeutic options to regulate bone marrow adiposity. This research aims to define the cues that regulate mesenchymal cell fate and assign them to an osteogenic or adipogenic fate. Dr. Chandra uses lineage tracing methods to accurately characterize the mesenchymal fate and identify the pathways that regulate cell fate.

Significance to patient care

The research performed by Dr. Chandra directly impacts aging- and disease-associated bone loss. His research has the potential to improve quality of life for people with hip fractures after radiation. These fractures after radiation not only cause immobility but are painful and often lead to death. The ultimate goal of Dr. Chandra's work is to provide therapeutic options that could reverse radiation damage to bones and improve the overall quality of newly formed bones.