Researcher Spotlight: Sadaf Dabeer Post Doctoral Fellow – Endocrinology

I have a PhD in Toxicology from Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi, India. My thesis was focused on the transgenerational effects of the environmental contaminant Bisphenol A on the offspring of obese parents. Interestingly, I observed that the female offspring in this scenario were more severely affected for multiple generations compared to the males. Those observations (along with the fact that I am a woman) skewed my interest toward research on female health and sex differences.

Which division do you work in? Who is your mentor? 
I work in the division of Endocrinology, Metabolism, and Lipids. My mentor is Dr. M. Neale Weitzmann.

Briefly describe your research. Why is it important? 
In a nutshell, I am currently working on the intersection of postmenopausal osteoporosis with bone loss in people living with HIV (PLH). Postmenopausal osteoporosis is the archetypal bone disease of women, resulting from estrogen decline at menopause and is driven in part, by the development of an inflammatory state. HIV infection is also associated with bone loss, which is worsened by antiretroviral therapy (ART) due to inflammation associated with CD4+ T-cell reconstitution/immune reactivation (immune reconstitution bone loss (IRBL)) and is thus a property of all ART drug classes. Clinical studies show significantly increased fracture prevalence in PLH. I am investigating the collision between postmenopausal osteoporosis and ART-induced bone loss in PLH and studying whether early prophylactic interventions for IRBL and postmenopausal bone loss are more beneficial than late drug applications after the bone has already been lost and is more difficult to regenerative effectively. This research is extremely important as PLH now have a normal life expectancy, but comorbidities like fractures are occurring earlier than the general population and offsetting the health gains achieved through ART.

What do you like most about Emory? 
Emory is a place where every conversation is a learning experience. It’s heaven for an inquisitive mind.

What is your favorite movie or TV show? 
The Mentalist, Sherlock, and The Big Bang Theory.

What do you like to do in your spare time?
I read…a lot. Currently, I am finishing War of Lanka by Amish Tripathi.

What is a fun fact about you? 
I am a trained classical dancer of Kathak. I love to sketch and paint.