Chirayukumar Pandya, PhD

Dr. Chirayu D. Pandya, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery and faculty member of the Center for Advanced Translational Stroke Science (CATSS), investigates the molecular mechanisms linking complement activation, mitochondrial dysfunction, and neuroinflammation in acute ischemic stroke (AIS). His research integrates advanced multi-omics approaches including metabolomics, proteomics, and single-nuclei transcriptomics to define how complement–mitochondria interactions impair energy metabolism, leading to neuronal injury, cognitive decline, and post-stroke depression.

Dr. Pandya’s laboratory focuses on developing translational strategies to restore mitochondrial energy balance, reduce complement-mediated injury, and enhance neuroprotection. Using aged rodent models, high-resolution mitochondrial assays, and in vivo ¹³C-glucose isotope tracing, his team investigates cell- and tissue-specific mechanisms underlying stroke recovery and resilience.

Through collaborations with the Blood and Clot Thrombectomy Registry and Collaboration (BACTRAC) and FM Healing Center LLC (https://www.fmhealingcenter.com/), Dr. Pandya’s group translates preclinical discoveries into clinical contexts establishing complement–mitochondria biomarkers predictive of neurocognitive and psychiatric outcomes, and advancing precision neurotherapeutic strategies to improve stroke recovery.