Poonam Jaiswal

PhD candidate
Department of Physiological Sciences
Expected year of graduation: 2012
Major Advisor: Paul W. Davenport

poonam.jaiswal@ufl.edu
Office Location: BSB (B3-16)
Physio Sci, BSB B2-3
1600 SW Archer Rd UF
Gainesville, FL 32610
(352) 294-4063

Education

• PhD, Dept of Physiological Sciences, University of Florida, FL 2009-present
• M-Biotechnology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 2006-2007
• BS Microbiology, Mumbai University, India 2001-2004

Honors and Awards

• College of Veterinary Medicine Spring Faculty Research Grant, $10,000 2011
• University of Florida Graduate Student Council, travel grant $250 2010
• University of Florida Department of Physiological Sciences, travel grant $250 2010
• Outstanding International Student Award, University of Florida 2010
• Regents Fell-Biotechnology and Graduate School Scholarships,
• Texas A&M University 2006-2007 

Current Research

I am a third year graduate student, mentored by Dr Paul W Davenport at the University of Florida, Gainesville. Our laboratory has developed an animal model of respiratory loading using intrinsic transient tracheal occlusions (ITTO) and demonstrated its load compensation responses. Respiratory load compensation is driven by the muscles of respiration, which include the diaphragm, intercostals, abdominal oblique, rectus abdominus among many others. In my last study, I demonstrated an increase in activation (EMG) of the external abdominal oblique muscles in response to ITTO. Presently, I am involved in studying the neuro-physiological activity pattern of the external intercostal muscle in response to ITTO in normal awake rats. Cervical spinal cord injury disrupts the neural input to the muscles of respiration, which results in severe respiratory deficits. My dissertation research project is to study respiratory recovery in an animal model of cervical C2 hemisection (C2HS). The central hypothesis of my project is that ten days of ITTO conditioning will rehabilitate external intercostal and external abdominal oblique muscles in C2HS rats.

Selected Publications

• P Jaiswal, H Tsai, P W Davenport. Expiratory Muscle Response to Tracheal Occlusions in Conscious Rats. Experimental Biology, Washington DC 2011. FASEB J.2011, Available at http://submissions.miracd.com/Verify/EB2011/submission/temp/radEDFE7.pdf
• P Jaiswal, K M Pate, H Deoghare, Deborah Scheuer, P W Davenport. Cardiovascular Responses to Acute and Chronic Tracheal Occlusions in Conscious Rats. Society for Neuroscience, San Diego 2010. Program #/ Poster #: 388.13/ FFF21
• P B Jaiswal, R Parmer, F J Thompson and P Bose. Locomotor Disabilities and Gait Impairments Following Closed Head Traumatic Brain Injury In Rat. 5th Annual Neuromuscular Symposium, University of Florida 2010.
• F J Thompson, P B Jaiswal, R Parmer, C Nereim, J Hou and P Bose. Enduring Anxiety and Pain Related Behaviors Following Mild/Moderate Closed Head TBI in the Rat. Society for
• Neuroscience, Chicago 2009. Program #/ Poster #: 335.10/ K30
• P. B. Jaiswal, J. Hou, C. Phadke, F. J. Thompson, P. Bose. Effect of Ketamine on Transcranial Magnetic Motor-Evoked Potentials of Soleus Muscle. Society for Neuroscience, Chicago 2009. Program #/ Poster #: 788.21/ GG115