This profile is part of a series to highlight the researchers who will be honored at a ceremony on Oct. 29 for UNMC’s 2026 Scientist Laureate, Research Leadership, Distinguished Scientist and New Investigator recipients.
Ruxana Sadikot, MD, will receive a Distinguished Scientist Award. Distinguished Scientist Awards, which are sponsored by the chancellor, recognize researchers who have been among the most productive scientists at UNMC during the past five years.
- Name: Ruxana Sadikot, MD
- Title: Margaret R. Larson Chair and Professor of Pulmonary Medicine, chief of UNMC Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, UNMC Department of Internal Medicine, UNMC College of Medicine
- Joined UNMC: June 2021
- Hometown: Chicago, Illinois
Please describe your research focus in three words or less:
- Mitochondrial dysfunction
- Innate immunity
- Macrophage
Why is research important in the world today?
Mitochondria are autonomous cellular organelles that oversee a variety of functions such as metabolism, energy production, calcium buffering and cell fate determination. Mitochondria have indeed become critical regulators of innate immune responses to both pathogens and cell stress. Given their significant role in cellular function, mitochondria are a common target for viral and bacterial-derived effectors. We have focused on developing host directed therapies to enhance mitochondrial function through activation of PGC1 alpha a key transcriptional regulator of mitochondrial biogenesis.
My research will make a difference because:
My lab studies the interactions between resistant pathogens and host macrophage mitochondrial function in the setting of diseases such as cystic fibrosis, ventilator pneumonias and in patients living with HIV. Host defense mechanisms involved in resistant infections are extremely complex. Despite the extensive work in this field, effective immunomodulatory strategies to enhance host defense have yet to be developed. To this end, we have identified PGC-1 α activation as a potential molecular target that improves mitochondrial bioenergetics and propose strategies to enhance host immune responses by employing pharmacology approaches such as metformin and PPAR gamma agonists that can induce expression of PGC-1 α. Our research suggests that therapies to enhance mitochondrial function in host cells provide novel immunomodulatory strategies to enhance host defense and clear resistant infection.
The best advice I’ve ever received is:
“Your network is your net worth.”
Three things you may not know about me are:
I enjoy traveling, watching tennis and trail walking.