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Isaac Kirubakaran Sundar, Ph.D.

Isaac Sundar portrait
Associate Professor, Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine
isundar@kumc.edu

Professional Background

Dr. Isaac Sundar is an Associate Professor in the Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine at the University of Kansas Medical Center. He is the principal investigator for the NIH/NHLBI funded R01 that is focused to understand the role of circadian clock molecule REV-ERB alpha in allergic asthma.

Dr. Sundar received his bachelor’s degree in Microbiology from University of Madras, Chennai, India and master’s degree in Applied Microbiology from Periyar University, Salem, India. Later, he pursued his Ph.D. in Biotechnology from Pondicherry University, Pondicherry, India. He was extensively trained under the guidance of Prof. Irfan Rahman (University of Rochester Medical Center), a pioneer in the field of oxidative stress, lung inflammation and redox biology during his postdoctoral training. Dr. Sundar’s ongoing research interests include, basic and translational aspects of circadian rhythms and their role in chronic inflammatory lung disease models. Additionally, his research will include other emerging areas such as epigenetics and chromatin remodeling role in chronic lung disease and extracellular vesicles/exosomes as novel circulating biomarkers in chronic lung disease.

Dr. Sundar is a member of the American Thoracic Society. He serves within the program and planning committee of ATS Assemblies: Respiratory Cell and Molecular Biology, Respiratory Structure and Function and Allergy, Immunology and Inflammation. Additionally, he recently joined the Society of Toxicology as a professional member and will be actively involved within the Central State SOT chapter in the forthcoming years.

Education and Training
  • BSc, Microbiology, University of Madras, Chennai, TamilNadu
  • MSC, Applied Microbiology, Periyar University, Salem, TamilNadu
  • PhD, Biotechnology, Pondicherry University, Puducherry, Puducherry
  • Post Doctoral Fellowship, Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York
Professional Affiliations
  • Society of Toxicology, Inhalation and Respiratory Specialty Section, Member, 2020 - Present
  • Internaltional Society for Extracellular Vesicles, ISEV Member, Member, 2019 - Present
  • American Thoracic Society, Member, 2009 - Present

Research

Overview

I am an Associate Professor in the Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine at the University of Kansas Medical Center. I am an active member of the American Thoracic Society and serves within the program and planning committee of selected assemblies such as Respiratory Cell and Molecular Biology, Respiratory Structure and Function and Allergy, Immunology and Inflammation. I am actively involved in basic and translational research utilizing novel in vitro and in vivo models of chronic inflammatory lung disease. My long-term career goal is to excel in scholarly research, teaching and services with the abreast knowledge and understanding on the role of circadian clock in regulating immune function that contributes to the pathobiology of chronic inflammatory lung disease. Seeking potential collaboration with clinicians and basic scientists alike within the institution and outside to help understand the clinical translational aspects of circadian clock role in the context of gene-environmental interaction leading to chronic airway disease.

Publications