The Sahu Lab is dedicated to uncovering the signaling capacity of skeletal muscle and its role as a central regulator of whole-body health. We investigate how skeletal muscle communicates with other organs to maintain homeostasis—and how this communication is disrupted in disease states and during aging. Recognizing skeletal muscle as a potent endocrine organ, our work seeks to understand how early-life and environmental factors shape trajectories of healthy aging.
At a mechanistic level, we study how intrinsic and extrinsic cues drive skeletal muscle aging and dysfunction. From a translational standpoint, our team develops targeted interventions to restore skeletal muscle architecture, with a particular focus on pelvic floor muscle remodeling following childbirth injury and menopause. Clinically, we examine how skeletal muscle responds to environmental stressors, including metal exposures and depression, to better understand muscle vulnerability across the lifespan.