Aparna Shah

Aparna Shah is a Collegiate Assistant Professor at the School of Neuroscience, College of Science, Virginia Tech. She earned her Ph.D. in Pharmacology (Neuroscience Track) from UT Health San Antonio, a Master's in Life Sciences (Neurobiology), and a Bachelor's in Life Sciences and Biochemistry from the University of Mumbai, India.

• Joined Virginia Tech in 2021
• Postdoctoral Fellow at Johns Hopkins University
• Advocate for evidence-based teaching

Her research explores the neurobiology of psychiatric disorders, focusing on vagal nerve stimulation (VNS) and the microRNA-degrading enzyme translin/trax (TN/TX) complex. She investigates how VNS recruits multiple biological pathways in treatment-resistant depression and how TN/TX regulates microRNAs linked to neuronal function and synaptic plasticity.

Recent publications highlight her work on adiposity, vascular stiffness, and synaptic plasticity mechanisms. She teaches courses like NEUR 2025/2026 (Intro to Neuroscience) and NEUR 3084 (Cognitive Neuroscience).

Key collaborations span pharmacology, neuroscience, and cardiovascular research. Her contact: aparnashah@vt.edu.