Rama Gullapalli

Research

The Gullapalli lab is focused on understanding the role of environmental pollutants as a driver of human hepatobiliary diseases. We study environmental pollutants such as heavy metals (e.g., cadmium), chemicals (e.g., polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) and nano-/microplastic (NMPs) exposures on human hepatic liver function with a focus on understanding metabolic (dysfunction) associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD).

Key research questions of interest in the Gullapalli lab -

i. How do chronic, low-dose heavy metal exposures (e.g., cadmium) affect insulin signaling activity and metabolic function in the human liver?

ii. What role do nano- and microplastic exposures play in fatty liver disease causation?

iii. Do type II diabetics have increased susceptibility to environmental pollutants compared to non-diabetics?

Ongoing Projects:

a. Chronic, Low-Dose Exposures of Cadmium (CLEC) in Metabolic (Dysfunction) Associated Fatty Liver Disease: We have a developed novel invitro models which recapitulate the effects of sustained exposures of cadmium under normoglycemic and hyperglycemic conditions. We use CLEC models to understand the insulin-PIK3CA-Akt signaling axis dysfunction with a focus on long-term reactive oxygen species (ROS) imbalances and oxidative stress dysfunction in liver cells.

Experimental techniques – qPCR, high throughput imaging platforms, Western blots, fluorescence microscopy, NGS, metabolomics.

b. Effects of chronic heavy metal exposures on hepatic mitochondrial dysfunction: The liver is a major organ involved in a wide range of physiological functions. Mitochondria are the key organelles involved in normal liver function. An ongoing project in the lab measures the effects of sustained environmental pollutants (cadmium and plastics) on hepatic mitochondrial dysfunction. We also study the effects of pollutants on glucose and fatty acid metabolism regulated primarily at the mitochondrial level.

Experimental techniques – Fluorescence microscopy, Agilent SeaHorse platform, mitochondrial physiology and imaging, molecular biology, metabolomics.

c. Nano- and Microplastic accumulation and dysfunction in the liver: In collaboration with the Campen lab, we are studying the effects of accumulation of nano- and microplastic pollutants in the liver. We study the accumulative patterns of plastic pollutant in the decedent human tissues of individuals living in the state of New Mexico. Additionally, we are developing novel, cutting-edge optical techniques such as polarization wave microscopy (PWM) and multi-spectral fluorescence to detect plastics in tissues. Future work will focus on understanding mechanisms of plastic pollution induced fatty liver signaling dysfunction. We are also interested in understanding changes in the physical and surface chemistry of environmental plastic pollution.

Experimental techniques – Molecular biology, FTIR and Raman, fluorescence correlation spectroscopy, fluorescence lifetime, surface chemistry, polarization wave imaging, metabolomics.

Publications: Rama Gullapalli on PubMed