Dr. Abhijit Nirwane is working as a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences at the College of Pharmacy, University of Georgia. He received his Ph.D. in Pharmacology from Bombay College of Pharmacy, University of Mumbai, India. His research is motivated by the need to better understand the basement membrane changes during CNS physiological and pathological states. The primary purpose of his research is to strengthen empirical knowledge about structural and functional aspects of the basement membrane during physiology and stroke pathology. Over the last several years, he built an arsenal of skills including TEM studies, genetic tools (Cre-lox technique), molecular methods, learning different experimental stroke models (tMCAO, pMCAO, OGD, and collagenase-induced hemorrhage), behavioral testing, cerebral blood flow measurements. His long‐term goal is to identify underlying molecular targets and develop novel therapies for various neurological disorders including stroke and Alzheimer’s. Currently, he is understanding the contribution and role of different CNS cell-derived laminins (basement membrane protein), in neurovascular unit regulation and blood-brain barrier integrity. He also mapping the relative contributions and roles of laminins from different CNS cell types. Also, investigating the biological roles and possible therapeutic benefits of these laminins in various neurological disorders, such as stroke and Alzheimer’s disease. His work is by nature interdisciplinary and utilizes the most recent advances in the neuroscience field. He published several peer review articles and serving as a reviewer for many prestigious journals. By pairing the knowledge and tools he has gained from this work with the desire to utilize novel scientific approaches and expand his research interests and look forward to continuing his pursuits in the field of neuroscience.

Dr. Nirwane’s research interest includes identifying the functional role of basement membrane (laminin) proteins and their receptors in stroke and neurodegeneration (involving Blood-Brain Barrier/Neurovascular Unit, Pericytes, Microglia, BMECs, and Astrocytes). Role of mitochondria in Aging, Diabetes, and Cardiovascular disease (Caloric restriction and exercise mimetics).