Two postdoctoral researchers from the J. Crayton Pruitt Family Department of Biomedical Engineering have been recognized with the UF Graduate School’s Excellence in Research Award for Postdoctoral Scholars.
Sandra Mara Ferreira, who recently completed her postdoctoral training in the lab of Edward Phelps, and Wasif Khan, a postdoctoral researcher in the lab of Ruogu Fang, received the award in recognition of their outstanding research contributions.
Ferreira’s research focuses on understanding how pancreatic islets regulate blood glucose, with a particular emphasis on the signaling molecule gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). Her work examines how GABA, produced by insulin-secreting beta cells, influences cell-to-cell communication within the islet and contributes to both normal function and the progression of diseases such as Type 1 diabetes.
Khan’s research explores how physical activity influences brain health and cognitive aging. Using large-scale datasets and neuroimaging, he studies how both the amount and timing of physical activity affect cognitive performance and brain structure, with the goal of identifying strategies to reduce the risk of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s.
The Excellence in Research Award recognizes postdoctoral scholars who have demonstrated outstanding research contributions and impact in their field. Ferreira and Khan’s work reflects the strength and innovation of UF BME’s research enterprise.