Dr. Priya Yadav Joins UAPB as Postdoctoral Research Fellow

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Dr. Priya Yadav has joined the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff’s School of Agriculture, Fisheries and Human Sciences as a postdoctoral research fellow. She will work under the supervision of Dr. Sankar Devarajan, associate professor and program director for the nutrition and food sciences program in the Department of Human Sciences.

In this position, Dr. Yadav will conduct research that focuses on exploring the medicinal properties of rice bran on Arkansas-grown rice varieties. Her responsibilities include conducting independent research, contributing to the objectives of the project, collaborating with a team of researchers, mentoring undergraduate students, managing laboratory equipment, writing grants, presenting research findings at scientific conferences and publishing scientific papers in journals.

“I am extremely excited to have Dr. Yadav as a welcomed addition to the Department of Human Sciences. Her post-doctoral research will serve as a catalyst to further our understanding of health disparities related to diabetes, hypertension and other inflammatory illnesses,” Dr. Marilyn Bailey, interim chair for the Deparrment of Human Sciences said. “She brings a wealth of knowledge to support Dr. Devarajan in his continued effort to research rice bran varieties and share knowledge, specifically with impacted communities, about how to prepare and use food as medicine to live healthier lives.”

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Dr. Yadav holds a doctoral degree in microbiology from the University of Kalyani, India. Her academic background is in biotechnology, microbiology and nanomedicine. She has

contributed to biomedical research, including work on theranostic nano formulations for early cancer detection.

Prior to joining UAPB, Dr. Yadav worked as a postdoctoral researcher and received the Dr. D.S. Kothari postdoctoral fellowship at Annamalai University in Tamil Nadu, India. She is a recipient of a research fellowship from the Indian Council of Medical Research in India. She also received a fellowship from the University Grant Commissions-Department of Atomic Energy (UGC-DAE) in India.

“Dr. Yadav’s expertise in handling both human and animal cell lines in vitro studies, her strong publication record and experience in research projects make her exceptionally suited for this postdoctoral research fellow position,” Dr. Devarajan said.

The primary focus of the project at UAPB is to enhance undergraduate students’ research skills in nutrition and food science, and to collaborate research and Extension efforts, he said.

“The project will investigate the medicinal properties of various Arkansas-grown rice bran varieties, leveraging Arkansas’s reputation for diverse rice production,” Dr. Devarajan said. “Undergraduates will conduct in vitro studies to examine the potential anti-inflammatory, antioxidative, antihyperglycemic, anti-cholesterolemic and antihypertensive effects of rice bran extracts.”

Despite the global recognition of rice bran and its byproducts for its numerous medicinal benefits, the medicinal properties of Arkansas-grown rice bran varieties have yet to be extensively studied, he said.

“This proposal aims not only to uncover the potential of these rice bran varieties but also to strengthen the undergraduate nutrition research capacity at UAPB,” Dr. Devarajan said. “It seeks to support the community through Extension efforts, including public education on the impact of nutritious foods on chronic disease prevention.”

Dr. Yadav will serve in this position for three years. It is funded through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

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“She will conduct in vitro studies to explore how rice bran can contribute to health, mainly through its potential anti-inflammatory, antioxidative, anti-aging, anti-diabetic, anti-cholesterolemic and antihypertensive properties,” Dr. Devarajan said. “This work will be in collaboration with Dr. Shengyu Mu at the College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. Through this partnership, her research will be devoted to clinically validating the efficacy of selected rice bran varieties through extensive in-vivo studies on animal models and future translational research.”