Team | Karki-Rajbhandari Laboratory

Abha Karki Rajbhandari

Dr. Abha Karki Rajbhandari is a principal investigator in the Departments of Psychiatry and Neuroscience at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. She received her Ph.D. in Neuroscience from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where she studied how brain regions such as the amygdala, bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, and locus coeruleus regulate stress and sensorimotor gating through norepinephrine and the neuropeptide corticotropin-releasing factor.

Dr. Rajbhandari completed her postdoctoral training at the University of California, Los Angeles, where her research focused on the role of pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating peptide in regulating fear and stress-related behaviors through amygdala subregions. At Mount Sinai, her research team investigates how the brain, vagus nerve, and peripheral organs—including the liver, heart, and adipose tissue—interact to regulate fear, stress, and energy metabolism.

Outside the lab, Dr. Rajbhandari is a whole-body health enthusiast who teaches yoga philosophy and practice. Born in Nepal, she moved to the United States to pursue higher education. She is passionate about bridging modern scientific and ancient wisdom traditions to deepen our understanding of life, health, healing, and wellness.

Biswaranjan Sahoo

Biswa earned his Master’s degree in Zoology from Utkal University, Bhubaneswar, and my Ph.D. from the National Brain Research Centre. His doctoral research focused on the role of protein tyrosine O-sulfation in synaptic plasticity, specifically long-term potentiation in rat hippocampal slices, as well as its contribution to long-term spatial memory using rat models.

He did his postdoctoral training with Ioana Carcea at Rutgers University, where he investigated the neural mechanisms underlying social thermoregulation in mice. His research interests lie in understanding the interplay between stress, physical exercise, and metabolism, and their relevance to neuropsychiatric conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder. He is also enthusiastic about the beneficial effects of yoga and meditation on human health.

Sanutha Shetty

I am a Neuroscience PhD candidate in the Karki-Rajbhandari lab studying how neural circuits coordinate stress responses and autonomic regulation. My work focuses on brain-cardio-respiratory networks and their impact on behavior, physiology, and metabolism. Outside of the lab, I love hiking and spending time outdoors, enjoying nature, exploring new trails, and visiting national parks.

Pamela Toh

Pamela graduated from the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa with dual BS degrees in Biochemistry and Psychology, and minors in Mathematics and Microbiology. They joined ISMMS in 2023 as part of the MSBS program and have remained with the Karki-Rajbhandari Lab ever since. Currently a Neuroscience PhD student, Pamela studies the role of PAC1 receptor expressing neurons in the locus coeruleus in integrating stress and diet, and how this impacts metabolism. Outside the lab, Pamela enjoys yoga, board games, and storytelling.

Gabriella Fricklas

Gabriella is a PhD candidate in the neuroscience program fascinated by the cellular and physiological interplay between the brain and the body. Her project focuses on how the brain interprets chronic stress to regulate metabolism. She received her undergraduate degree from USC and spent three years as a technician at the University of Pittsburgh. Outside of the lab, she is learning how to paint with the supervision (and sometimes interference) of her two cats, and loves the outdoors!

Alumni

Samuel Duesman, PhD – Postdoctoral Scholar (Current: Instructor at New York University)

Neha Ogale, MS – Research Associate (Current: Student Pace University, New York)

Andrew Fajardo, MS – Master’s Student (Current: applying for medical school

Anika Das – High School Student from the Center for Excellence in Youth Education (Current: Undergraduate at University of Michigan, Ann Arbor)

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