Page 8 - 2025 Impact Report

RISHI GULATI
UO College of Arts and Sciences, Human Physiology
The Kenda and Ken Singer/UO Endowment Scholar
I am investigating how estrogen preserves the contractile
function of human skeletal muscle. I’m looking at how its
presence influences the cellular response to stress and
resistance to damage, ultimately affecting the force and
velocity with which muscle fibers can contract.
By focusing on specific mechanisms of estrogen-induced
changes to skeletal muscle contractile function, this
research will provide information on potential
therapeutic targets to maintain strength and
mobility, reduce injury risk, and improve the quality
of life after menopause in cases where traditional
hormone replacement therapy is not an option. This
research will also provide a greater understanding of how
hormonal contraceptives affect skeletal muscle function at
the cellular level, both in terms of estrogen depletion and/
or synthetic estrogen exposure.
I enjoy learning how things function in the body, especially
at the cell level, and I wanted to work in an area where
I could improve people’s well-being and constantly work
towards something new.
The University of Oregon was my choice because I like how
collaborative the research environment is and how people
work together for mutual benefit. I was also excited about
opportunities to do research directly applicable to humans
and would ultimately like to have a career in biotechnology
and help develop therapeutics for muscle diseases.
The ARCS Award has helped me cover living
expenses while in my PhD program, ensuring I can
fully dedicate myself to my research. It has also
given me a network of fellow scientists to learn from and
develop alongside.
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“I enjoy learning
how things function
in the body...and
wanted to work in
an area where I can
improve people’s
well-being...”