Mariappan Muthuchamy

Mariappan Muthuchamy is a Professor of Medical Physiology and Director of the Cardiovascular Research Institute at Texas A&M University. His research focuses on cardiac and lymphatic muscle contraction mechanisms, mechanotransduction signaling, and the interplay between mechanical forces and cellular functions. He holds the Lyndon Baines Johnson Research Award.

Education:

• B.S. Chemistry, Madurai Kamaraj University, India (1980)
• M.S. Biochemistry, Madurai Kamaraj University, India (1983)
• Ph.D. Biochemistry/Molecular Biology, Madurai Kamaraj University, India (1991)

Research Interests:

Dr. Muthuchamy’s work explores molecular mechanisms underlying cardiac muscle dynamics in health and disease, including thin filament activation, crossbridge kinetics, and mechanotransduction. His lab employs molecular, cellular, and structural techniques to study myofilament regulation. He pioneered methods to exchange myofibrillar proteins via transgenic manipulation. Additionally, he investigates lymphatic muscle contraction, its role in fluid transport, and its unique smooth-striated hybrid contractile properties. Recent work includes studying lymphatic dysfunction in metabolic disorders and inflammatory conditions using advanced tools like Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and microphysiological systems (e.g., Lymphangion-Chip).

Key Findings:

• Established AFM-fluorescence microscopy fusion for mechanotransduction studies.
• Discovered lymphatic muscle’s role in systemic fluid dynamics and disease pathogenesis (e.g., lymphedema, metabolic syndrome).
• Linked inflammatory mediators (e.g., IL-1β, TNF-α) to lymphatic pump impairment.

Awards:

• Lyndon Baines Johnson Research Award (Lyndon Baines Johnson Foundation)

Lab & Collaborations:

His lab includes Research Assistant Akshaya Narayanan (akshaya.narayanan@tamu.edu). Collaborations focus on translational research in cardiovascular and lymphatic physiology, leveraging engineered tissues and animal models. Ongoing projects target lymphatic dysfunction in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, and metabolic diseases.

Labs/Teams:

Cardiovascular Research Institute (CRI) at Texas A&M, with interdisciplinary teams studying mechanobiology, integrin signaling, and lymphatic-inflammatory interactions.