Dr. Swathi Yadlapalli

Biography

Swathi Yadlapalli is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Michigan. Her research endeavors focus on circadian biology, sensory neuroscience, and thermoreceptors. Specifically, she examines the neural and molecular basis of circadian rhythms, which are 24-hour oscillations in behavior and physiology generated by endogenous clocks found in most living organisms. Disruptions in these clocks are linked to various human pathologies such as diabetes, cancer, and neurodegenerative diseases. Yadlapalli aims to understand the fundamental organizational processes within circadian systems at multiple levels, from molecules and cells to large-scale networks and overall organismal physiology. Utilizing the Drosophila circadian system, she leverages its conservation with human clock systems, advanced genetic tools, and robust behavioral paradigms to build an interdisciplinary research program. This program seeks to unravel the regulatory mechanisms of circadian clocks with the long-term goal of elucidating new therapeutic targets for treating human malignancies.

Research Interests