Professor Karunya Kandimalla

These researchers are studying the pathological synergism between Aβ exposure and insulin resistance. They are currently testing the hypothesis that critical blood brain barrier (BBB) functions are regulated by insulin signaling pathways, whereas anomalous Aβ exposure and insulin resistance will synergistically cause BBB dysfunction. While insulin signaling has been shown to regulate Aβ trafficking at the BBB endothelium, enhanced Aβ exposure and its accumulation in the BBB endothelium in turn disrupts endothelial insulin signaling and cause insulin resistance. The researchers are currently investigating the biological mechanisms driving this vicious cycle in the BBB endothelium and elucidate their impact on insulin delivery to the brain.