Sabhya Rana, PhD is a Research Assistant Scientist in the Department of Physical Therapy, and an investigator in the Breathing Research and Therapeutics Center and the McKnight Brain Institute at the University of Florida.
Dr. Rana earned her B.S. in Biological Sciences from the University of California, Irvine, in 2011. She first became interested in spinal cord injury (SCI) research as an undergraduate student at the Reeve Irvine Research Center (RIRC) in California. She participated in studies developing genetic approaches to promote axonal regeneration and locomotor recovery in rodent SCI models. Her early involvement at RIRC fostered valuable connections within the SCI community and underscored the necessity of developing therapies that enhance both survival and quality of life for SCI patients. She completed her PhD in Neuroscience at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, in 2018, focusing on cellular mechanisms at the motor neuron level supporting respiratory recovery after SCI. In 2019, Dr. Rana joined Dr. David Fuller’s lab as a postdoctoral associate at the University of Florida. She is also a founding member and current co-chair of the International Online Spinal Cord Research Seminars (IOSCIRs). Dr. Rana is deeply committed to supporting conversations between the SCI community and researchers in order to make meaningful strides toward a cure.
Dr. Rana’s current research program is dedicated to elucidating the pathophysiology of SCIs, with a particular focus on spinal motor control mechanisms. Given that respiratory failure is the leading cause of mortality following SCI, she is motivated to develop innovative strategies for preserving and restoring independent breathing. Her primary research goal is to leverage spinal cord neuroplasticity to improve breathing and other motor functions after injury. Dr. Rana is currently exploring pharmacological and non-invasive neuromodulation approaches to achieve these objectives.