معرفی
Dr. Ivona Pandrea is a Professor of Pathology in the Division of Experimental Pathology at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and a member of the Cellular and Molecular Pathology Graduate Training Program. Board certified in Pathology since 1997, she specializes in Pathology, Immunology, and Virology with a research focus on HIV/SIV pathogenesis.
Dr. Pandrea received her MD (1992) and PhD (1999) from Grigore T. Popa School of Medicine and Pharmacy in Iași, Romania. Her research has been recognized with numerous awards including the Tempus Fellowship, multiple Tulane University research awards, and the TUHSC Auxiliary Research Career Development Award.
Her laboratory pioneered HIV research in African nonhuman primates to establish mechanisms responsible for lack of disease progression in these species. Current research focuses on intestinal dysfunction in infectious diseases, particularly examining how SIV/HIV and SARS-CoV-2 infections impact gut health and cause systemic changes through microbial translocation, metabolite alterations, and inflammation. The lab also studies immunometabolic axes between the gut and other organ systems, the role of gut dysfunction in accelerating aging in HIV, and the impact of behavioral factors like diet and alcohol on disease progression.
Dr. Pandrea's publication record shows consistent output in high-impact journals, with recent work emphasizing gut microbiome changes, cardiovascular comorbidities in HIV, and novel nonhuman primate models. Her research has evolved from basic SIV pathogenesis to therapeutic interventions targeting chronic inflammation.
Awardee of prestigious fellowships and research grants, Dr. Pandrea's scientific contributions include:
- Tempus Fellowship (1995-1996)
- Association pour la Recherche contre le Cancer Fellowship (1996-1998)
- NIH Young Scientist Travel Grant (2002)
- IAS Conference International Award (2003)
- Tulane University Promise and Leadership in Research Awards (2005)
- TUHSC Auxiliary Research Career Development Award (2006)
Dr. Pandrea maintains an active research program with NIH funding, developing numerous nonhuman primate models for AIDS research, inflammatory bowel diseases, and myocardial infarction. Her lab investigates dietary and pharmaceutical interventions to reduce chronic inflammation in people living with HIV, with recent work focusing on adenosine pathways and NETosis inhibition.
The Pandrea Research Lab is located at the University of Pittsburgh with laboratory facilities focused on nonhuman primate studies, gut immunology, and microbiome analysis. The lab maintains collaborations with multiple institutions for specialized analyses including microbiome sequencing, metabolomics, and imaging studies.
