Department of Physiology and Pharmacology

Hypertension and Host-Microbiome Interaction Research Laboratory (HHMI-RL)

Hypertension and Host-Microbiome Interaction Research Laboratory (HHMI-RL) is part of the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology at the UToledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, and the Center for Hypertension and Precision Medicine.  HHMI-RL utilizes an integrated approach of Microbiome Science, Genetics, Epigenetics, Genomics, Physiology of Model organisms and Bioinformatics to understand the etiology of hypertension and develop novel therapeutics.

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Principal Investigator:

Bina Joe, PhD, FAHA, FCVS (APS), ISHF

About Us

Rewriting Cardiometabolic Biology

HHMI-RL is redefining how we understand blood pressure regulation leading to hypertension, cardiovascular and metabolic disease. We investigate how microbial signals interface with the human host physiology and its epigenome to program blood pressure regulation, and long-term cardiovascular risk.

Cardiovascular and metabolic diseases remain the leading cause of global mortality. Traditional approaches focus on downstream symptoms. At HHMI-RL, we focus upstream  on biological programming.

We study how microbial metabolites, diet, environmental exposures, and host genetics and  epigenetic regulation converge to shape cardiovascular and metabolic health across the lifespan.

Our Scientific Vision

We believe cardiovascular and metabolic disease is not simply acquired — it is programmed.

Our work centers on the microbiome and epigenome axes, an integrated signaling network through which gut microbes influence host chromatin structure, transcriptional regulation, immune tone, and cardiovascular physiology.

By decoding these mechanisms, we aim to:

• Identify epigenetic signatures of hypertension risk
• Define microbial metabolites that reprogram blood pressure physiology
• Develop precision-targeted microbiome interventions
• Transform prevention strategies from reactive to predictive

What Makes Us Different

HHMI-RL operates at the intersection of:

• Microbiome science
• Epigenomics and chromatin biology
• Hemodynamics and Cardiovascular physiology
• Systems biology and multi-omics
• Translational disease modeling

We combine mechanistic rigor with translational ambition — moving from molecular pathways to clinical insight.

Our laboratory integrates animal models, and advanced epigenomic profiling to uncover actionable therapeutic targets.

See a complete list of Dr. Joe's publications

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Media:

 

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News/Announcements:

Read Lab News and Announcements

Listen to Dr. Joe on the Academic Minute

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Lab Members:

 

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Current Trainees:

• Dr. Sudhan Pachhain, Postdoctoral Fellow: Bile acid Physiology and metabolites regulating hypertension
• Oluwatosin Akinola, PhD student: Next-gen probiotics as therapeutics for hypertension
• Wisdom Ahlidja, PhD student: Mechanisms of salt-sensitive hypertension

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Volunteers:

TBA

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Alumni:

Graduate Students:

• Ishan Manandhar Department of Physiology and Pharmacology 2021-2025 PhD
• Ishan Manadhar Department of Physiology and Pharmacology 2019-2021 MS
• Sachin Aryal Department of Physiology and Pharmacology 2021-2025 PhD
• Sachin Aryal Department of Physiology and Pharmacology 2019-2021 MS
• Juthika Mandal Department of Physiology and Pharmacology 2018-2022 PhD
• Xue Mei Department of Physiology and Pharmacology 2018-2022 PhD
• Saroj Chakraborty Department of Physiology and Pharmacology2016-2020 Ph.D.
• Ahmad Alimadadi Department of Physiology and Pharmacology 2019-2020 Ph.D. 
• Sarah McMasters Galla Department of Physiology and Pharmacology 2016-MD/Ph.D. Completed Ph.D. 2019
• Muhtasham Sifaat Department of Physiology and Pharmacology 2017-2018 MS/BS 
• Youjie (Eric) Zhang, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology 2014-2018 Ph.D.
• Naveena Luke Department of Physiology and Pharmacology 2017 MS/BS (ongoing)
• Barbara Konku, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology 2016-2017 MS/BS
• Ying Nie, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology 2011-2015 Ph.D
• Resmi Pillai, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology 2011- 2015 Ph.D
• Harshal Waghulde, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology 2012-2016 Ph.D
• Edward Toland, Department of Physiology, Pharmacology, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Sciences 2005-2009 Ph.D.
• Seema Dhindaw, Department of Physiology, Pharmacology, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Sciences 2004-2007 MS. 
• Jagannath Saikumar, Department of Physiology, Pharmacology, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Sciences 2006-2008 MS. 
• Michael Bush-Arnold, MS/BS student, UT College of Medicine. Completed in Aug 2009
• Dipali Nemade, MPH Research, UT College of Medicine. Completed in June 2013

Post Doctoral Fellows:

• Suresh Koneshwaran, Cardiology fellow at UTHSC (2007)
• Kathirvel Gopalakrishnan (2008- 2011)
• Sivarajan Kumarasamy (2009-2014)
• Jayakumar Thangavel (2009-2010)
• Shakila Abdul-Majeed (2011- 2013)
• Cameron McCarthy (2019-2021)
• Tao Yang (2019-2021)
• Saroj Chakraborty (2020-2022)

Research Assistant Professors:

• Yasser Saad, Ph.D. (2005-2006, 2007-2008)
• Kathirvel Gopalakrishnan (2011-2014)
• Sivarajan Kumarasamy (2014-2016)
• Tao Yang (2021-2023)

Summer Undergraduate Students:

• Steven Ummel, 2004 SURF program, MUO
• Sapna Shah 2005, SURF program, MUO
• Diona Grefer 2005, SURF program, MUO
• Heidi Haufmann 2006, SURF program, UTHSC
• Amal Dudar 2006, UTHSC
• Joseph Pitt 2026, APS SURF fellowship awarded (student declined due to securing another opportunity)

MD/PhD Rotation Students:

• Joseph Lee, 2014
• Sarah McMasters Galla, 2014

Volunteers:

• Nelish Ardeshna
• Stephanie Clark
• Maya Nair

 Summer Research for Educators:

• Jeremy Nixon, Teacher, Springfield High School; 2009 and 2012 IMAGINE 2 Program funded by Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI).
• Tamra Bacon, Teacher, Toledo Public School; 2010 IMAGINE 2 Program (HHMI)
• Anthony Schiciano, Teacher, Ursula High School; 2011 IMAGINE 2 Program (HHMI)
• Jeremy Nixon, Teacher, Ottawa Hills High School; 2012 IMAGINE 2 Program funded by Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI).

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