Balasubramanian Palaniappan, PhD
Assistant Professor
palaniappan@marshall.edu

Research Interest 

Dr. Balasubramanian Palaniappan’s research primarily focuses on intestinal nutrient and electrolyte transport physiology, specifically their regulation in normal and pathophysiological states such as in inflammatory bowel disease and, in obesity and associated disorders such as diabetes, hypertension and, obesity-associated colon cancer. Currently, as a COBRE ACCORD investigator, his major focus is to study and understand the molecular mechanism of regulation of chloride absorption mediated by chloride bicarbonate exchanger (DRA) during obesity and obesity-associated colon cancer in in vivo genetic and diet-induced obesity models and in vitro models of obesity using adipocyte-derived secretome (ADS). He is also involved in a collaborate research project aimed to understand constitutive nitric oxide-mediated regulation of NaCl and glucose absorption and its regulation in normal physiology using stable in vitro and in vivo SGLT1 KO and NHE3 KO models. The novel outcome of the above study will provide a clear picture of the pathogenesis of genetic obesity, and obesity facilitated development of colon cancer, which could define more efficacious treatment options for obesity-associated colon cancer for a large percentage of the population afflicted with obesity.