About the team
Achudhan David, Ph.D., M.S.
Postdoctoral Fellow
Dr. David earned his Ph.D. from China Medical University in Taichung, Taiwan. There, he pioneered the development of the first targeted, highly efficient biomedicine- and pharmacotherapy-based treatment for rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis and cancer therapy-related conditions. His work has garnered worldwide interest, as it introduced innovative approaches for these conditions. His work is opening new avenues to address some of the most aggressive molecular events of rheumatoid arthritis, including angiogenesis, synovial inflammation and monocyte adhesion.
In January 2024, Dr. David joined the lab as a postdoctoral fellow. He studies aging and the role of p21 in skeletal deterioration. He also explores the critical cross talk between skeletal cells and their niches. Dr. David also is working on a novel modulator of senescence-associated secretory phenotype and is generating key findings that will reform not only acute senescence-related pathologies but also chronic age-related morbidities, including metabolism, anxiety, locomotion and musculoskeletal health.
Priyanka Nag, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow
Dr. Nag finished her undergraduate degree in dentistry from Sapporo Dental College & Hospital, Dhaka University, in Dhaka, Bangladesh. She received postgraduate training in conservative dentistry and oral and maxillofacial surgery at Dhaka Dental College and Hospital and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University Hospital in Dhaka. She went on to receive her Ph.D. from the University of Osaka.
Dr. Nag's doctoral research focused on gene alterations in oral palate and tooth development that cause craniofacial abnormalities such as cleft palate and amelogenesis imperfecta. She later conducted postdoctoral research at Baylor College of Medicine, studying gene alterations during embryogenesis that contribute to craniofacial microsomia affecting the mandible, temporomandibular joint, ear, cheekbone, and facial muscles or nerves.
As part of Dr. Chandra's research program, Dr. Nag is studying tissue regeneration following pharmacological and genetic clearance of senescent cells or suppression of senescence-associated secretory phenotype. She is using fracture healing and bone marrow ablation surgeries as potential models.