Dr. Sandeep Kumar is a contractual senior scientist in the molecular pathology team at Centers for Disease Control and manages the NGS and Bioinformatics facility in the Branch. He is also an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the Emory University and Georgia Tech, Atlanta, where he has been a faculty member since 2015. Sandeep completed his Ph.D. at University of Pune, India and his postdoctoral studies at Texas A&M and Emory University. His research interests lie in the area of gene network regulation, ranging from transcription factors, regulatory RNAs (microRNAs and long-noncoding RNAs), with a focus on their role in pathophysiology of cardiovascular diseases, especially atherosclerosis and Cardiomyopathy. In recent years, he has focused on mechanosensitive microRNAs that are regulated by disturbed blood flow in the endothelium.  He is a member of a number of professional organizations including the American Heart Association, the Cellular and Molecular Bioengineering (CMBE) committee, the Chapter Presidents Committee of the Biomedical Engineering Society, the New York Academy of Science, and the American Society of Investigative Pathology. Sandeep has collaborated actively with researchers in several other disciplines, including vascular surgery, biomaterials, nanotechnology, xenograft/tissue engineering, and systems biology. Outside of academics, Sandeep enjoys outdoor activities including camping, hiking, ziplining, and rafting.