Shanmughapriya "Priya" Santhanam, PhD

Priya earned her PhD from Bharathidasan University in India, supported by a grant from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) as a pre-doctoral student. Her doctoral research focused on the molecular and genetic mechanisms associated with pelvic cancers, particularly ovarian and cervical carcinoma. During her investigation into cancer metabolism, she cultivated a significant interest in the essential roles of mitochondria. This interest prompted her to advance her career in the laboratory of Dr. Muniswamy at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University after completing her doctoral studies. With funding from the American Heart Association (AHA) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) via a K99/R00 grant, she pursued postdoctoral training aimed at elucidating the physiology of mitochondrial calcium signaling and energy homeostasis across various health and disease states. As a postdoctoral researcher, Priya was the recipient of several prestigious awards, including the Young Bioenergeticist Award from the Biophysical Society and the Research Excellence Award from the American Heart Association.

In March 2019, she joined the Heart and Vascular Institute of the Penn State College of Medicine (PSCOM) as a tenure-track Assistant Professor. At Penn State, her laboratory focused on defining the comprehensive role of mitochondrial ion homeostasis-associated signaling pathways to elucidate the pathophysiological phenotypes associated with a diverse array of diseases. As an independent junior faculty member, she garnered multiple accolades, including the Mitochondrial Research Affinity Group (MitoRag) Competition Award, the Department of Medicine Innovation Pilot Award, and the Junior Faculty Development Program (JFDP) Project Support Award. Her research at Penn State was further supported by the NIH R00 grant, the W.W. Smith Charitable Trust, the Penn State College of Medicine Bridge grant, and the American Heart Association Career Development Award.

In January 2025, she began her role as an Associate Professor in the Department of Cell and Molecular Biology at Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine (Rowan-Virtua SOM), where she also holds a secondary appointment in the Rowan-Virtua School of Translational Biomedical Engineering & Sciences (Rowan-Virtua TBES). At Rowan-Virtua SOM, her laboratory has secured funding from an R01 grant from the NHLBI to investigate how the oxidation of the mitochondrial magnesium channel Mrs2 influences MCU-mediated mitochondrial calcium uptake, ultimately leading to cardiac dysfunction. In her personal life, she enjoys spending time with her son Paggie, as well as engaging in music and culinary arts.

Marianne Assogba

Marianne is a PhD student in the Molecular and Cell Biology program. Originally from Benin in West Africa, she earned her Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia. Outside the lab, she enjoys going to the gym, taking long walks on nice days, and spending time with friends and family. 

Thiruvelselvan Ponnusamy

Thiru obtained his Ph.D. in cardiovascular sciences from Manipal University, India, while working with Dr. Mundkur on a project focused on understanding the role of immune regulations in coronary artery disease (CAD). He qualified for the Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) with an All India Ranking of 222. He greatly enjoyed his research experiences and envisaged his future research would extend across the sub-arenas of cardiovascular diseases. Soon, he aspires to become a highly competent, creative, and independent researcher in cardiovascular research. Thiru received the New Investigator Travel Award from the American Heart Association (2022) and the Vary Endowment Travel Award (2022). Thiru is from a farmer’s family and loves farming outside the lab.    

Asha Parveen Sakkarai Mohamed 

I joined Dr. Santhanam’s lab as a Postdoctoral fellow. I received my Ph.D. in December 2023 from the CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Hyderabad. My doctoral research focused on uncovering the molecular mechanisms behind the overexpression of Dimethylarginine Dimethylaminohydrolase-1 (DDAH1) and its antioxidant role in regulating oxidative stress in prostate cancer.

Abishek Shastry

Abhishek is a first-year medical student at Rowan-Virtua SOM. Originally from Ontario, Canada, he earned his BSc and MSc from Queen's University, focusing on applying bioinformatics and systems biology techniques to investigate mitochondrial DNA-dependent susceptibilities to diet-induced obesity. He is currently interested in medical genetics and the role that mutations in the nuclear and mitochondrial genomes play in inherited mitochondrial disorders and complex disease states. Outside of medicine and research, he enjoys listening to music and reading.

Balaashwin Babu

Ashwin is a first-year medical student at the Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine. He earned both his bachelor's degree in biomedical sciences (2020) and a master’s degree in nanotechnology (2023) from the University of Central Florida. His prior research focused on cell interactions and molecular analysis of nanoparticles, and he continues bench work studying mitochondrial channel uptake of magnesium and calcium. Outside the lab, Ashwin enjoys cooking, listening to rock music, and taking walks with his two dogs. He lives in Philadelphia with his wife.

Past Lab Members

Jeremy Mehta, Rowan-SOM Medical Student

Haris Waseem, Rowan-SOM Medical Student