Biography
Dr. Gullapalli received his medical degree from the Armed Forces Medical College in India and continued on to a Masters of Science in Optical Engineering (2005) and a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Bioengineering (2007) from Penn State University. He completed his clinical pathology residency (2011) and a fellowship (2012) in molecular diagnostics from the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
Dr. Gullapalli is currently an Associate Professor in the Departments of Pathology, Chemical and Biological Engineering at the University of New Mexico.
Personal Statement
The Gullapalli lab is focused on understanding the role of environmental pollutants as a driver of human hepatobiliary diseases. We study environmental pollutants such as heavy metals (e.g., cadmium), chemicals (e.g., polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) and nano- and microplastic exposures on human hepatic liver function with a focus on understanding metabolic (dysfunction) associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD).
Key research questions of interest in the Gullapalli lab -
i. How do chronic, low-dose heavy metal exposures (e.g., cadmium) affect insulin signaling activity and function within the liver?
ii. What role do nano- and microplastic exposures play in MAFLD causation?
iii. Do type II diabetics have increased susceptibility to environmental pollutants compared to normal individuals?
Areas of Specialty
Environmental Toxicology, Hepatobiliary Diseases, Clinical Molecular Diagnostics, Optics and Bioinformatics
Education
Medical School: Armed Forces Medical College, India (1999)
Graduate School: Pennsylvania State University (2005), MS, Electrical Engineering
Graduate School: Pennsylvania State University (2008), PhD, Bioengineering
Residency: University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (2011), Clinical Pathology
Fellowship: University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (2012), Molecular Genetic Pathology
Certifications
American Board of Pathology: Clinical Pathology (2011)
American Board of Pathology: Molecular Genetic Pathology (2013)
American Board of Pathology: Clinical Informatics (2015)