PhD Graduate Student
Ankita Poojari
Research focus: Cellular and molecular mechanisms of lipedema fat resistance, with emphasis on adipocyte metabolic flexibility, mitochondrial function, and thermogenic potential.
Ankita studies adipose stem cells and differentiated adipocytes from lean, obese, and lipedema donors to understand why lipedema adipocytes show impaired bioenergetic performance despite evidence of preserved or elevated mitochondrial capacity. Her work integrates qPCR, RESIPHER oxygen-consumption measurements, proteomics, and mitochondrial pathway analysis to identify mechanisms that may be therapeutically targeted to restore beige-like thermogenic function.
