Top genetics researcher joins UTRGV’s South Texas Diabetes and Obesity Institute
Another top scientist has joined the UTRGV South Texas Diabetes and Obesity Institute's team of world-class researchers. Dr. Srinivas Mummidi became a research associate professor in the UTRGV School of Medicine early this year and already has been awarded a prestigious $1.47 million R01 grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The competitive award is from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (award number R01 AI119131) and will support Mummidi's innovative research on gene expression and its relationship to disease progression. "Dr. Mummidi has a demonstrated record of successful and productive research in several projects in the area of gene regulation, genetic epidemiology and mechanisms related to genetic variants," said Dr. Francisco Fernandez, inaugural dean of the UTRGV School of Medicine. Identifying the genetic determinants of risk for diabetes and for disease progression will generate information that can help us improve the quality of healthcare, as well as the quality of life, in the Rio Grande Valley. We are so pleased to have Dr. Mummidi on board." Mummidi said he was attracted to the STDOI by the great research opportunities available in the Rio Grande Valley and the UTRGV School of Medicine. "This is an exciting move for me, a wonderful chance to work with an outstanding group of investigators, many of whom I collaborated with in San Antonio," he said. "These investigators are world leaders in complex disease genetics, especially in the area of diabetes and obesity. The STDOI provides an excellent environment for the successful conduct of my proposed studies."