Research

Thrombotic diseases such as myocardial infarction, stroke, deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolisms are the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. The primary focus of Dr. Dayal’s laboratory is to define the mechanisms of thrombosis using murine models and clinically relevant human specimens. She is currently funded to study risk factors such as aging, obesity and pre-diabetes, COVID-19 and cancer. A secondary interest is to investigate cognitive function and neuronal abnormalities in aging. A developing interest is also in studying thrombosis associated with hormonal therapy and in postpartum women with prior preeclampsia or gestational diabetes. The lab uses well established methods to conduct in vivo models of experimental thrombosis (for arterial as well as venous systems) in mice. We also use assays to monitor ex vivo platelet activation, aggregation, and thrombus formation and in vivo thrombosis, and study mechanistic involvement of reactive oxygen species including mitochondria, and NETs (neutrophil extracellular traps) in thrombosis. The Dayal laboratory is currently funded through the R01s from National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID, NIH) and Heart, Lung and Blood (NHLBI, NIH), VA Merit Award (CSRD), as well as through internal research funding.