Lab Members

Principal Investigator

Associate Professor
Department of Pediatrics | Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine
Immunology and Molecular Biology
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The Krishnan lab investigates the pathophysiology of Transfusion-associated Necrotizing Enterocolitis (TA-NEC), Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (SIRS) and Neurodevelopmental outcomes in premature infants who are at high risk of anemia and heavily transfused. The lab research mainly focuses on understanding the inflammatory mechanisms of Neonatal Necrotizing Enterocolitis (NEC), specifically the subset of disease associated with red blood cell transfusions (TANEC). My cross-training in Biochemistry, Biotechnology, and Molecular Biology places me in a small group of researchers capable of elucidating the cellular and immunology events associated with NEC, SIRS and neuroinflammation. Since my postdoctoral training, I have delved deeply into NEC and have successfully characterized both the cellular mechanisms of NEC as well as inciting factors, both chemical and immunological. My seminal contribution includes the development of a highly innovative murine model of NEC caused by the administration of blood transfusions to phlebotomy-induced murine anemic pups, with resulting injury correlating to the severity and duration of the underlying anemia. Using this first pre-clinical model of TANEC, I have addressed longstanding controversies by untangling the individual contributions to injury from anemia versus its treatment, the subsequent transfusion. This high-caliber murine model sets the foundation for future rigorous evaluations of TANEC, particularly regarding immunological changes in the intestine that predispose to mucosal injury. In addition, I am extending research studies focusing on the mechanism(s) involved in transfusion-related neurodevelopmental deficits and systemic inflammatory response syndrome in premature infants.