medhasree Allu
Class of 2028
About
Projects
- "PCSK9 and thrombosis in heart disease" with mentor Joshua (Working project)
Project Portfolio
PCSK9 and thrombosis in heart disease
Started May 28, 2025
Abstract or project description
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in both the world and the United States. In the past three years, single cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) atlases of the human heart, blood, and other tissues from individuals with heart disease have been published and provided unprecedented detail into the gene expression changes that occur in heart disease. In her project, Medhasree is analyzing these datasets to study the role of PCSK9 in heart disease, particularly in thrombosis. PCSK9 is known to increase low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or bad cholesterol, by degrading LDL receptors on the surface of cells in the liver. Medhasree's research will focus on whether PCSK9 contributes to thrombosis in individuals with heart disease through an LDL-dependent fashion, LDL-independent fashion, or both.