Natasha Jaiswal
Title:
Assistant Professor
PhD Granting Institution:
Purdue University
Contact:
Email Address: jaiswa19@purdue.edu
Office Phone: 765-496-0569
Lab Website Link: https://hhs.purdue.edu/directory/natasha-jaiswal/
Primary Training Group:
Computational and Systems Biology
Secondary Training Groups:
Membrane Biology
Research Areas:
My research investigates skeletal muscle and adipose tissue physiology at the nexus of metabolic signaling, neuromuscular plasticity, and gut-muscle crosstalk across aging, obesity, metabolic disease, and spaceflight.
Current Projects:
Skeletal muscle exhibits remarkable structural and functional heterogeneity, enabling a high degree of plasticity that allows it to adapt to diverse physiological and pathological challenges. These include exercise, disuse, aging, muscular dystrophies, chronic diseases, and environmental extremes such as microgravity. This adaptability is essential for sustaining locomotor performance, metabolic homeostasis, and organismal health, particularly under conditions of nutrient deprivation or stress. My research program centers on two foundational aspects of skeletal muscle physiology—glucose homeostasis and contractile performance—across the lifespan and in disease. To this end, my lab integrates molecular, cellular, and translational approaches across four interrelated projects: 1. Metabolic Signaling and Neuromuscular Junction (NMJ) Plasticity 2. Molecular Drivers of Sarcopenic Obesity and Age-Related Changes in skeletal muscle and adipose tissues 3. Gut-Muscle Axis: Microbiome Regulation of Skeletal Muscle Physiology 4. Single-Cell Mitochondrial Health in Muscle: From Earth to Spaceflight
Importance of Interdisciplinary Research:
Interdisciplinary research is vital for addressing complex scientific questions that cannot be resolved within the confines of a single discipline. By integrating diverse perspectives, methodologies, and theoretical frameworks, interdisciplinary research fosters innovation, accelerates discovery, and enhances the real-world relevance of scientific outcomes. In the context of skeletal muscle physiology, understanding the interplay between molecular signaling, metabolic regulation, neurobiology, and environmental factors (e.g., aging, obesity, or spaceflight) requires collaborative insight from cell biology, neuroscience, endocrinology, bioengineering, and computational science. This approach enables a more holistic understanding of physiological systems, promotes translational applications, and supports the development of multifaceted therapeutic strategies. For example, the convergence of muscle biology with microbiome science or space medicine can yield novel insights into metabolic resilience and musculoskeletal health across contexts. Ultimately, interdisciplinary research not only deepens our scientific understanding but also maximizes the societal and clinical impact of biomedical science.