Chauhan Lab members net AHA career development awards
Three research assistant professors in the Division of Hematology, Oncology, and Blood & Marrow Transplantation working in the laboratory of Anil Chauhan, MTech, PhD, have each successfully obtained career development awards from the American Heart Association (AHA). Members of the Chauhan Lab have a proven track record in winning AHA awards nearly every year. Below, we describe each researcher’s project and aims.
Gagan Flora, PhD, received a three-year, $231,000 AHA career development award to identify potential alternatives for treating acute coronary syndromes. Acute coronary syndromes remain the leading causes of death and disability worldwide, placing a substantial burden on healthcare systems. Current prevention strategies rely on antiplatelet drugs such as aspirin and P2Y12 inhibitors, but up to one-third of patients respond inadequately, and prolonged use increases the risk of bleeding. Together, these limitations emphasize the need for safer, more targeted therapies.
Emerging evidence indicates that platelet metabolic pathways, beyond their traditional role in energy production, play an important role in regulating platelet activation and thrombus formation. However, the mechanisms underlying this metabolic regulation are still not well defined. Flora’s research focuses on evaluating the role of aerobic glycolysis in modulating platelet activation and arterial thrombosis. Supported by funding from the AHA, this work aims to identify key metabolic enzymes and regulatory checkpoints that drive glycolytic reprogramming of platelets during activation. “Using complementary pharmacological and genetic approaches,” Flora said, “my preliminary data demonstrate that targeting aerobic glycolysis attenuates multiple aspects of platelet functions and reduces susceptibility to arterial thrombosis in vivo, without increasing bleeding risk.”
He continued:
Given the strong association between obesity and increased thrombotic risk, I am extending this work to examine platelet metabolism in the context of obesity. I am investigating whether enhanced glycolytic flux contributes to the heightened platelet reactivity observed during obesity. I am further exploring whether targeting aerobic glycolysis can restore normal platelet function and reduce thrombosis in this context. This may provide a mechanistically driven and potentially safer therapeutic strategy for high-risk populations.
I would like to sincerely thank Dr. Chauhan for his unwavering support and guidance. I am also grateful to Dr. Steven Lentz for providing a strong and supportive letter of recommendation. Finally, I thank the American Heart Association for recognizing this work and providing funding support through the Career Development Award.
Rakesh B. Patel, PhD, received a three-year, $2,31,000 AHA career development award for his project, “Targeting immunometabolism in ischemic stroke.” Stroke remains a leading cause of disability and mortality worldwide. Current therapeutic strategies aim to restore blood flow to the ischemic brain by reopening blocked arteries, either through systemic thrombolysis using recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rtPA) or via mechanical thrombectomy.
Although these interventions are effective in re-establishing cerebral perfusion, they can also lead to reperfusion injury, characterized by oxidative stress, inflammation, and subsequent tissue damage. This highlights a significant unmet need for therapies that can mitigate brain injury following reperfusion. A promising area of research focuses on the role of metabolic enzymes in regulating oxidative stress and inflammation during cerebral reperfusion, offering new avenues for neuroprotection after stroke. Patel will test the hypothesis that metabolic reprogramming of neutrophils can reduce the susceptibility to ischemic stroke.
Patel credits his AHA award to his mentor, Chauhan. He said:
Dr. Chauhan is an accomplished investigator in the field of thrombosis, stroke, and vascular biology. The excellent research environment and profound mentoring of Dr. Chauhan in the lab provide a platform for career development. Dr. Chauhan is a great mentor who creates an environment that is supportive, stimulating, and open-minded. His guidance in generating the preliminary data and in the grant-writing process has been very vital.
My thanks also to the other members of the Chauhan Lab for their collaborative and insightful discussions. I am grateful to the American Heart Association and the reviewers for valuing this work. Last but not least, I would like to thank my wife and my daughters, Pal and Jal, for their constant support.
Manasa Nayak, PhD, received a one-year (2026-2027), $77,000 AHA bridge grant to his original CDA grant, a three-year, $231,000 career development award to study deep vein thrombosis (DVT). DVT is a serious condition in which blood clots form in deep veins, most commonly in the legs. If untreated, these clots can dislodge and travel to the lungs, causing a pulmonary embolism (PE), a potentially life-threatening complication. Together, DVT and PE constitute venous thromboembolism, a major contributor to global morbidity and mortality.
Although metabolic pathways are increasingly recognized as key regulators in many diseases, their role in DVT progression and resolution remains poorly understood. Nayak’s research addresses this critical gap by investigating how macrophage metabolism influences venous thrombus resolution. Macrophages are central to clot remodeling and clearance, and understanding their metabolic programming could reveal novel therapeutic strategies.
With this support from AHA, his work aims to define the metabolic mechanisms that govern macrophage function during thrombus resolution and to identify targeted interventions that promote clot clearance while preserving hemostatic balance, minimizing the risk of bleeding. “Overall,” Nayak said, “this research has the potential to open new avenues for safer and more effective therapies for thrombotic diseases, addressing a significant unmet clinical need.”
Dr. Nayak expresses his sincere gratitude to Chauhan for his mentorship, guidance, and continuous support, as well as to his lab members for their collaboration. He also thanks Steven Lentz, MD, PhD, for his support and the AHA for recognizing and funding his work through this award.