Mandana Pahlavani, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Nutrition and Food Sciences
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Contact
mpahlavani@twu.edu
940-898-2650
SRC 204I
Biography
Mandana Pahlavani, Ph. D., is an Assistant Professor of Nutrition at ²ÝÝ®´«Ã½¹ÙÍøÏÂÔØ in Denton, Texas, and an adjunct assistant professor at UTSW, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Cardiology. She has a strong research background in Nutrition, Obesity, Cardiometabolic health, and Inflammation. Her research program seeks to understand the physiological, cellular, and molecular mechanisms of HDL function, lipid metabolism, reverse cholesterol transport (RCT), as well as the use of bioactive food compounds such as polyphenols to favorably manipulate lipid metabolism and gut microbiota to ultimately reduce coronary artery disease (CAD), and obesity. Additionally, her Nano-Nutrition and Cardiometabolic Research (NNCMR) lab focuses on encapsulating dietary compounds, especially polyphenols, on enhancing their bioavailability to positively impact HDL function, lipid metabolism, and gut microbiota.
Her doctoral dissertation focused on elucidating the cellular and molecular basis for the physiological effects of an omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid in brown adipose tissue using animal models and cellular and molecular approaches. She was awarded a two-year USDA postdoctoral fellowship, to address a novel area of molecular nutrition to understand mechanisms mediating the metabolic effects of omega-3 fatty acids in preventing and/or decreasing obesity. With this solid foundation in basic science, she decided to pursue patient-oriented research in HDL function in cardiometabolic health at UT Southwestern Medical Center (UTSW), supported by an NIH T32 training program. Her second postdoc training at UTSW focused on deep phenotyping approaches to understand the role of lipid metabolism and lipoproteins in cardiometabolic health. Additionally, she was awarded American Heart Association (AHA) Postdoctoral Fellowship to perform deep phenotyping approaches to understand the role of lipid metabolism in cardiometabolic health.
Her combined training in basic science on bioactive food compounds (especially polyphenols), and patient-oriented research on HDL function have equipped her with unique cross-disciplinary training and experiences to effectively address major cardiometabolic disease challenges that are modulated by lipids and fatty acids.
Education
Ph.D., Nutritional Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX
M.S., Food Science and Technology, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
B.S., Food Science and Technology, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran
Research Interests
Latest Articles
Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry (2024)
Mandana Pahlavani, N.S Kalupahana, L. Ramalingam, K. Pham, A. Morovati
International Journal of Molecular Medicine and Advance Sciences (2023)
Y. Zu, Mandana Pahlavani, L. Ramalingam, S. Jayarathne, J Andrade
Arteriosclerosis Thrombosis and Vascular Biology (2023)
H. Wynn, A. Smith, R. Pinto, S Saldanha, A. Gangwar
Current Developments in Nutrition (2021)
K Albracht-Schulte, S Wilson, P Johnson, Mandana Pahlavani, L Ramalingam
Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry (2021)
Emily K Miller, Mandana Pahlavani, Latha Ramalingam, Shane Scoggin, Naima Moustaid-Moussa
Arteriosclerosis Thrombosis and Vascular Biology (2021)
Ayea El-Ghazali, Sneha Deodhar, Suzanne Saldanha, Brooke Smyth, Mark Izbrand
Nutrients (2020)
Mandana Pahlavani, L Ramalingam, E Miller, H Davis, S Scoggin
Biomolecules (2019)
T Ramalho, Mandana Pahlavani, N Kalupahana, N Wijayatunga, L Ramalingam
Molecular Nutrition and food research (2019)
Mandana Pahlavani, L Miller, E Miller, S Scoggin, K Menikdiwela
Oncotarget (2018)
N Wijayatunga, Mandana Pahlavani, R Kottapalli, P Kottapalli, L Ramalingam
Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - Molecular and Cell Biology of Lipids (2018)
Mandana Pahlavani, N Wijayatunga, R Kottapalli, L Ramalingam, P Gunaratne
Journal of Investigative Medicine (JIM) (2017)
Mandana Pahlavani, T Ramalho, I Koboziev, M LaMieux, S Jayarathne
Comprehensive Physiology (2017)
Mandana Pahlavani, N Kalupahana, L Ramalingam, N Moustaid-Moussa
Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry (2017)
Mandana Pahlavani, F Razafimanjato, L Kalupahana, S Moussa, H Moussa
Externally Funded Projects
Novel microencapsulation of red wine pomace to modulate gut health in coronary artery disease
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), Food and Human Health | $300,000.00 | 2024
Role: Principal Investigator
The role of glycolytic beige fat in atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease
PRI-American Heart Association | $300,000.00 | 2023
Role: Co-Principal Investigator
The Role of Inflammation and Oxidation in Impaired Reverse Cholesterol Transport: A Translational Approach
American Heart Association (AHA) Postdoctoral Fellowship | $141,000.00 | 2022
Role: Principal Investigator
Integrated gene and microRNA networks mediating anti-inflammatory effects of omega 3 fatty acids in diet-induced obesity
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), Postdoctoral Fellowship | $165.00 | 2018
Role: Principal Investigator
Internally Funded Projects
The role of inflammation and oxidation in impaired reverse cholesterol transport: a translational approach in Dallas Heart Study
²ÝÝ®´«Ã½¹ÙÍøÏÂÔØ | $8,000.00 | 2024
Research Grant
Professional Affiliations
- American Heart Association (AHA)
- American Society for Nutrition (ASN)
- The Obesity Society (TOS)
Page last updated 2:37 PM, April 9, 2025