Medha Pathak

Medha Pathak is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Physiology & Biophysics at the University of California, Irvine School of Medicine. Her research focuses on understanding the molecular mechanisms of voltage-gated ion channels, particularly the role of Piezo1 channels in mechanotransduction and neural development. She investigates how mechanical forces influence cellular behavior through ion channel activation, with a focus on cholesterol biosynthesis pathways in neural stem cells and the interplay between membrane curvature and ion channel distribution.

Research Interests:

• Mechanotransduction via Piezo1 channels
• Ion channel structure-function relationships
• Neural stem cell fate determination
• Cellular responses to mechanical cues
• Membrane biophysics and ion channel localization

Recent Work Highlights:

• Discovered Piezo1's role in cholesterol-dependent neural stem cell differentiation
• Elucidated how membrane curvature modulates Piezo1 distribution
• Characterized Piezo1's involvement in macrophage polarization and inflammation
• Investigated PIEZO1's role in collective cell migration during wound healing

Grants & Funding:

Recipient of NIH NINDS grant 2R01NS35549-9A2 supporting mechanotransduction research.