Uma Anand

Dr. Uma Anand is a Research Fellow in the Department of Surgery & Cancer at Imperial College London's Faculty of Medicine. Her work focuses on neuronal plasticity, ion channel/receptor function, and neurodegeneration, with particular emphasis on chronic pain mechanisms. She investigates novel drug targets using calcium imaging and cell-based assays, currently studying cannabinoid analgesics in the Medical Cannabis Research Group. Her techniques include live-cell nanoimaging with Scanning Ion Conductance Microscopy (SICM) and collaborations with Prof. Yuri Korchev.

Dr. Anand holds a PhD in Neuroscience from the United Medical and Dental Schools of Guy's and St. Thomas's Hospitals, University of London. Her research spans neurotoxicology (e.g., mycolactone effects), drug development (e.g., CT327 for psoriasis pruritus, EMA401 for neuropathic pain), and advanced imaging. She has published extensively on cannabinoid pharmacology, TRPV1 signaling, and mechanosensory neuron biology.

• Key Research Areas: Cannabinoid biology, ion channel modulation, drug discovery, neurotoxicology, SICM-based nano-delivery systems.
• Notable Contributions: Identification of AT2R antagonist EMA401 and TrkA inhibitor CT327, development of neuron-specific imaging techniques.

Her work bridges fundamental neuroscience with translational medicine, aiming to advance pain management strategies through molecular-level insights.