Physiology & Biophysics congratulates Medha Pathak, Ph.D.

The Department of Physiology and Biophysics is excited to welcome Medha M. Pathak, Ph.D. as an Assistant Professor effective June 1^st, 2016.  A congratulations party hosted by the Department Chair Michael D. Cahalan, Ph.D. was held on Friday, April 15^th, 2016.

Read more about Medha and her background:

Medha Pathak is a biophysicist who seeks to understand, how mechanical forces direct neural processes at molecular, cellular, and systems levels.  Her lab in Irvine Hall will explore the role of Piezo channels in stem cell differentiation.  She has already established a  strong network of collaborators in the Stem Cell Research Center and in the Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, as well as within our Department. 

Dr. Pathak received her Bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry & Chemistry at St. Xavier’s College in Ahmedabad, India; followed by a Master’s in Life Sciences from the National Centre for Biological Sciences in Bangalore, India and a Ph.D. in Biophysics from the University of California, Berkeley, performing her doctoral work in Dr. Ehud Y. Isacoff’s laboratory.

She worked as a postdoctoral fellow with Dr. David P. Corey at Harvard Medical School, and as research specialist with Dr. Francesco Tombola at UC Irvine where she also collaborated closely with Dr. Lisa Flanagan.  Her mentors have a primary research focus on ion channels, as does Dr. Pathak who has pioneered methods for future research bringing to light the role of ion channels in cell fate determination.