Contact Information
Summary
Dr. Kaundal completed her Ph.D. in Life Sciences (Stem Cells and Immunology) in Dec 2018 from Panjab University, Chandigarh, India. Her research work primarily included evaluation of the effects of mesenchymal stromal cells on the immune cell repertoire of kidney transplant patients. She had a brief research experience in autoimmune diseases, including primary glomerulonephritis and systemic lupus erythematosus, where she elucidated the effects of different immunosuppressive drug treatments on the effector and regulatory immune cell populations. After completing her Ph.D., she joined the Department of Internal Medicine (Rheumatology), Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, India, as a Research Associate. Her research project focused on neutrophil profiling for rheumatoid arthritis patients treated with methotrexate. In 2019, she came to NIH as a postdoctoral fellow to work with Dr. Pravitt Gourh in the Scleroderma Genomics and Health Disparities Unit, NIAMS, NIH.
Research Statement
Dr. Kaundal is interested in understanding the disease susceptibility and differential responsiveness to a drug treatment amongst a group of patients. Delineation of the underlying genetic mechanisms can prove to be a beneficial tool in achieving the long-term goal of individualized therapy for patients i.e. personalized medicine.
Scientific Publications
Education
2009 - B.Sc., Zoology, D.A.V. College, Chandigarh, India
2012 - M.Sc., Zoology, D.A.V. College, Chandigarh, India
2018 - Ph.D., Life Sciences, Punjab University, Chandigarh, India
Experience
Research Associate, Dept. of Internal Medicine (Rheumatology), PGIMER, Chandigarh, India
October 2018 - May 2019