Congratulations to Dr. Valeria Vasquez for her recent publication in PNAS
Dr. Valeria Vasquez
The Vásquez group recently showed that the ion channel PIEZO1 is hyperactive in sickle red blood cells in both humans and mice. Feeding mice a diet enriched in eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) restored PIEZO1 activity toward normal and reduced hemolysis, hypoxia-induced sickling, and downstream inflammation, pointing to a potential dietary adjunct for people living with sickle cell disease. These findings were published in PNAS in October 2025 (“Enhanced PIEZO1 function contributes to the pathogenesis of sickle cell disease”).
