Soumya Krishnan, PhD

Soumya S. Krishnan, Ph.D., is a biomedical scientist whose research spans pulmonary pharmacology, cancer biology, and lipid metabolism. She began her research career at SUNY as a postdoctoral researcher and currently serves as a Research Scientist in the Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care, in the team of scientists led by Dr. Itsaso Garcia-Arcos. Dr. Krishnan’s research primarily focuses on pulmonary fibrosis, a progressive and life-threatening lung disorder. A central theme of her work is investigating how lipid signaling and metabolic pathways influence lung health, particularly in the context of chronic respiratory diseases.

Her postdoctoral experience includes research appointments at Alabama State University’s Center for Nano Biotechnology Research and the JB Campus, University of Bangalore, Karnataka, India.  She is a recipient of the prestigious Dr DS Kothari Postdoctoral Research Fellowship awarded by the University Grants Commission, Government of India. Her postdoctoral research training in India was in the area of cancer biology. Earlier in her career, she served as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biotechnology at Southeast Asian College in Bangalore.

Dr. Krishnan completed her Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of Madras, Chennai, India. Her doctoral research explored the anti-fibrotic mechanisms of daidzein in bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis. She worked as a Senior Research Fellow on an Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)-funded project at the University of Madras during her doctoral studies. She also holds a Master of Science in Advanced Biochemistry from the University of Madras and a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry from the University of Kerala.

Dr. Krishnan has authored numerous peer-reviewed publications and book chapters addressing pulmonary fibrosis, oxidative stress, immune signaling, and cancer therapeutics. She was an invited speaker at the International Conference on Biotechnology, Medicine, and Cancer Therapeutics in 2024. In addition to her research, Dr. Krishnan has mentored postgraduate students and co-guided Ph.D. scholars, fostering a spirit of inquiry and a strong commitment to biomedical research in the next generation of scientists.

Beyond her scientific endeavors, Dr. Krishnan is a passionate dancer and continues her training in Indian classical dance forms. She was honored with the President's Guide Award for her service in the Bharat Scouts & Guides movement.