Breast Cancer-Presently, I am involved in understanding the link between lactation and breast cancer. Studies have shown that prolonged lactation is overall protective against breast cancer. However, identifying the mechanism of the protective effect of lactation is difficult due to the numerous variables that exist among women. The primary focus of my research is investigating the impact of mitochondrial background on lactation and breast cancer. With the help of mice with different mitochondrial genome but similar nuclear, I have analyzed the molecular-level differences that determine the benefits and drawbacks of lactation more comprehensively. In addition, I am delving deeper into the impact of short and extended lactation periods on spontaneous mammary hyperplasia and oncogenes-driven mammary tumors. If successful, the results will offer a novel breast cancer prevention approach.

Liver Cancer-I worked on hepatocellular carcinoma which is the fifth most frequent type of cancer. The mechanism behind liver cancers is very poorly understood. To date, we do not know how differences in mitochondrial DNA shapes liver tumor progression, histology, and immune- environment before the acquisition of oncogenic mutation. I have demonstrated that differences in mitochondrial DNA with similar nuclear backgrounds can result in combined activation of the mitochondrial unfolded protein response and the PAPP-A/DDR2/SNAIL pathway in the normal liver which creates a favorable soil for oncogenic transformation. My findings indicate a link between mitochondrial haplotype, mitochondrial unfolded protein response activation, and invasion. Further, my findings of gender disparity in mice reveal that not only mitochondrial genetics but also sex impact liver cancer outcome. This study provides new targets for drug development. This work has been published in Cell Reports.

I was working as a postdoc at UPENN on the role of mitochondrion-targeted human cytochrome P450 2D6 (CYP2D6) in chemically (MPTP-mimic compounds) induced Idiopathic Parkinson's disease. During this time, I determined that mitochondrial-CYP2D6 can efficiently catalyze three MPTP mimic compounds i.e. n-methyl1,2,3,4-tetrahydrosoquinoline, 2-methyl dihydro-β carboline and 9-methyl-norharmon which induces Parkinson's disease by affecting brain mitochondrial activity. During this period, I have two publications in peer-reviewed journals.