Dr. Meera Sundaram

Biography

Meera V. Sundaram is a Professor in the Department of Genetics at the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania. Her research primarily revolves around developmental biology and genetics, focusing on the cellular mechanisms governing tube development and apical extracellular matrix (aECM) biology using the model organism C. elegans. Through her investigations, she has elucidated the role of aECM in shaping tubular structures that are crucial for protecting against environmental challenges and maintaining organismal integrity. Her lab's work highlights the significance of specific protein families, such as collagens and lipocalins, in forming complex extracellular matrices. Sundaram has garnered a reputation for her foundational studies that emphasize the dynamic nature of matrix formation and its implications in developmental biology and disease. She has made notable contributions to the understanding of epithelial organization and its relationship to genetic signaling pathways, particularly in the context of C. elegans vulval development. Among her collaborators are postdoctoral and research associates dedicated to advancing the lab's research objectives.

Research Interests

Experience