Dr. Sadanand Fulzele

Associate Professor

Director, Endocrine Research
Division, Endocrinology
Department, Medicine

 Office: 706-721-4850
 Lab: 706-721-4600

Dr. Fulzele's lab is at the forefront of investigating the intricate relationship between nutrition metabolism and age-related muscle and bone loss.

With a primary focus on understanding how nutrition impacts musculoskeletal health over time, the team explores the roles of Tryptophan, Arginine, and Vitamin C in the pathophysiology of age-related musculoskeletal conditions. Beyond this, their research extends to exploring microbiota-derived tryptophan metabolites, illuminating their potential impact on brain-gut-brain pathways and their intricate connections to musculoskeletal well-being. Additionally, the lab delves into the fascinating dynamics between the brain and bone marrow, uncovering pivotal signaling pathways relevant to conditions like traumatic brain injury (TBI) and stroke. Through collaborative, interdisciplinary efforts, Dr. Fulzele's dedicated team is committed to pioneering novel therapeutic strategies to combat age-related diseases affecting muscles, bones, and neurological health

Ongoing Projects

  1. Nutrition Metabolism in Age-dependent muscle and bone loss
  2. Arginase 1 in Age-dependent muscle and bone loss
  3. Microbiota-derived Tryptophan Metabolites in Brain-Gut-Brain Pathophysiology
  4. Brain pathology and Bone Marrow interaction

 

Lab members

Sagar Vyavahare

  • Postdoctoral Fellow
Projects: Xanthurenic Acid and Musculoskeletal Health, miR-141 and Musculoskeletal health, Brain and bone Marrow interaction

Sonu Kumar Gupta

  • Postdoctoral Fellow
Projects: IDO1 and Musculoskeletal Health, Autophagy and Age-related Musculoskeletal complications

Current Undergraduate & Medical Students

Shivum Lal

  • Medical Student 1st year
Projects: Kyn-IDO1 pathway in bone and muscle loss

Mason Arbery

  • Medical Student 1st year
Projects: Aging induced bone and muscle loss

Sagar Patel

  • Medical Student 2nd year
Projects: Stroke induced bone marrow dysfunction

Joshua Fernicola

  • Medical Student 2nd year

Project: Branched Chain Ketoacid Dehydrogenase Kinase (BCKDK) in Skeletal Muscle biology and pathogenesis.

John N. Manfredi

  • Medical Student 2nd year

Project: Gut Microbiome dysbiosis in Alzheimer's disease

Mohini Gharpure

  • Medical Student 3rd year

Project:

a) Muscle RNA sequencing and Aging Geroscience. 2023 Jun;45(3):1303-1316

Project:

b) Brain-Bone complication in AD Neurobiol Dis. 2024 Jan 4:106404

Gabriel Brunkow-Schnell

  • Undergraduate

Project: Autophagy and Aging

Ford Berger

  • Undergraduate

Project: Gut-Microbiota derived metabolites in longevity


Former Students & Lab Members

Andrew Murphy

Project: Dietary Interventions for Healthy Musculoskeletal Aging

Biogerontology. 2022 Dec;23(6):681-698.

Duchesne Blanes

Project: Microbial-derived tryptophan metabolites role in muscle cells pathology

Exp Gerontol. 2023 Nov;183:112319

Adrian Girald Rodriguez

Project: Xanthurenic acid role in muscle and bone cells

Dhara Patel

Project: Bone Metabolites with Age in mice Model

Publication

  • Mech Ageing Dev. 2021 Apr;195:111464. doi: 10.1016/j.mad.2021.111464.
  • 2022 Oct;23(5):629-640. doi: 10.1007/s10522-022-09986-7.

 

Matthew Potter

Project: MicroRNAs and aging

Publication

  • Bone.2021 Jan;142:115679. doi: 10.1016/j.bone.2020.115679. Epub 2020 Oct 3. PMID: 33022453.
  • Biomol Concepts. 2021 Oct 13;12(1):132-143. doi: 10.1515/bmc-2021-0015. PMID: 34648701.

 

Ibrahim Yusufu

Project: Tryptophan and Gut Microbiota

Publication: Int J Mol Sci. 2021 May 8;22(9):5005. doi: 10.3390/ijms22095005.

 

G Taylor Patterson

Project: Covid19 and musculoskeletal

Publication

  • Aging Dis. 2021 Feb 1;12(1):14-26.
  • Diagnostics (Basel). 2021 Sep 5;11(9):1622.

 

Nicholas Cantu

Project: Covid19 and musculoskeletal

Publication

  • Aging Dis. 2021 Feb 1;12(1):14-26.
  • Diagnostics (Basel). 2021 Sep 5;11(9):1622.

 

P Robinson Muller

Project: Identification of Biomarkers for osteoarthritis

Publication: Life (Basel). 2023 Feb 22;13(3):605. doi: 10.3390/life13030605

Publications, Google Scholar & TV Media

 

Print Media

Dr. Fulzele
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Blocking a tiny RNA may forestall age-related bone and muscle loss, inflammation

Inhibiting a tiny RNA whose levels significantly increase with age, along with problems like weaker bones and sagging muscles, may be a way to keep our bodies more youthful and healthy, scientists say.

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AU experts uncover a clue to why COVID-19 preys on seniors

Researchers at Augusta University may have gained an understanding of why older people and those with pre-existing health conditions are more vulnerable to coronavirus.

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Small molecule plays big role in weaker bones as we age

With age, expression of a small molecule that can silence others goes way up while a key signaling molecule that helps stem cells make healthy bone goes down, scientists report.

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A Diet Lacking in Tryptophan Alters Gut Microbiota, Increases Inflammation

With age, a diet lacking in the essential amino acid tryptophan — which has a key role in our mood, energy level, and immune response — makes the gut microbiome less protective and increases inflammation body-wide, investigators report.

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