Post doctoral fellow
Emory University
I am Dr. Remya Nair, a post-doctoral research fellow at the Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta in Dr. Malathy Shanmugam’s laboratory. My current post-doctoral research mainly focuses on therapy resistance in the hematological malignancy-Multiple Myeloma. I am particularly interested in understanding the role of iron and heme in modulating therapy response. Understanding how heme and iron regulate apoptosis and identifying heme-induced signaling vulnerabilities will inform strategies to enhance drug sensitivity and overcome acquired resistance. My Ph.D. work focused on understanding mechanisms of drug resistance in the human pathogenic fungi, Candida albicans. Apart from the well-established roles of HSF1 in reciprocation of thermal stress, my study was one of the first to identify non-canonical roles of HSF-1 connected to iron metabolism, mitochondrial function, morphogenesis and most importantly drug resistance of Candida albicans. My overall aim is to contribute to the better understanding of acquired resistance mechanisms in human diseases to improve drug efficacy for broader precision administration.