Rana A. Alaaeddine is the Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics Highlighted Trainee Author for the December 2019 issue. Ms. Alaaeddine is a pre-doctoral trainee and PhD candidate in biomedical sciences at the American University of Beirut.  Her mentor is Dr. Ahmed F. El-Yazbi. The Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics article that earned her selection as a Highlighted Trainee Author is titled “Impaired endothelium-dependent hyperpolarization underlies endothelial dysfunction during early metabolic challenge: Increased ROS generation and possible interference with NO function” and is available at http://jpet.aspetjournals.org/content/371/3/567. 

Ms. Alaaeddine’s current areas of research are molecular mechanisms underlying endothelial dysfunction during early metabolic challenge and novel poly-functional anti-inflammatory drug design and screening. Her research involves tracking the molecular changes in endothelial function during early metabolic challenges in vitro and in vivo. More specifically, she focuses on the effect of metabolic disease on the cross-talk between different endothelium-dependent mechanisms. Moreover, in an attempt to target endothelial dysfunction along with endothelial/vascular inflammation, she investigates the possible corrective effect of novel multi-targeted therapeutic tools developed and screened in her laboratory. She also examines the effect of the modification of thromboinflammation by direct oral anti-coagulant drugs on endothelial function in early metabolic disease.

The anticipated impact of Ms. Alaaeddine’s research is unraveling the early changes occurring during the course of metabolic disease, which may serve as potential therapeutic targets for future drug development. Also, the novel anti-inflammatory compounds studied by Ms. Alaaeddine’s group are promising for the treatment of inflammatory conditions associated with metabolic diseases. 

When not in the lab, Ms. Alaaeddine enjoys traveling and spending time with family and friends.