Joel James, PhD
Assistant Professor of Medicine
Adjunct Assistant Professor of Anatomy, Cell Biology & Physiology
- Address
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R3 C400
PULM
IN
Indianapolis, IN
Bio
Dr. Joel James is an Assistant Professor of Medicine at the Indiana University School of Medicine, studying how vascular cell–cell interactions and metabolic signaling shape the development of cardiopulmonary diseases such as pulmonary hypertension. His research focuses on the dynamic interplay between endothelial cells and pericytes, with an emphasis on how disruption of this crosstalk drives vascular remodeling and disease progression. By combining single-cell approaches, mitochondrial biology, advanced experimental models, and targeted peptide therapeutics, his work aims to define how cellular heterogeneity and metabolic rewiring contribute to pulmonary vascular dysfunction. His laboratory also investigates 14-3-3 protein–mediated signaling as a regulatory axis linking metabolism to endothelial and pericyte behavior.
Dr. James is supported by an NIH K99/R00 Pathway to Independence Award and foundation funding, including the Jenesis Innovative Research Award, and is building a research program that bridges mechanistic discovery with translational application. His contributions span endothelial and pericyte biology, mitochondrial dysfunction, and vascular pathogenesis, with publications in journals such as Communications Biology, Journal of Experimental Medicine, Cell Metabolism, and Blood. His work has been recognized through multiple honors, including the Jenesis Innovative Research Award, American Thoracic Society awards, and the Grover Investigator Award. In addition to research, he is actively involved in mentoring trainees, teaching, and contributing to the scientific community through roles with the Pulmonary Vascular Research Institute and the American Thoracic Society.
Key Publications
James J, Dekan A, Kacar S, et al. Distinct populations of lung capillary endothelial cells and their functional significance. Commun Biol. 2025;9(1):140. Published 2025 Dec 26. doi:10.1038/s42003-025-09420-x
James J, Niihori M, Varghese M, et al. Mitochondrial dysfunction-induced hemolysis: a precursor to vascular leakage and pulmonary hypertension. Blood VTH. 2025;100097. doi:10.1016/j.bvth.2025.100097.
James J, Srivastava A, Varghese MV, et al. Heme induces rapid endothelial barrier dysfunction via the MKK3/p38MAPK axis. Blood. 2020 Aug 6;136(6):749–754. doi:10.1182/blood.2019003986. PMID: 32548640; PMCID: PMC7414589.
James J, Zemskova M, Eccles CA, et al. Single mutation in the NFU1 gene metabolically reprograms pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2021 Feb;41(2):734–754. doi:10.1161/ATVBAHA.120.314655. PMID: 33297749; PMCID: PMC7837686.
| Year | Degree | Institution |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Postdoctoral Training | Indiana University |
| 2018 | PhD | Vellore Institute of Technology |
| 2011 | M.Sc. | Vellore Institute of Technology |
| 2009 | BSC | Osmania University |
Pulmonary hypertension and cardiopulmonary vascular disease; endothelial–pericyte interactions and vascular remodeling; single-cell transcriptomics and cellular heterogeneity; mitochondrial dynamics and metabolic regulation; inter-organ crosstalk in vascular dysfunction; peptide-based therapeutic development; mechanisms of endothelial signaling and 14-3-3 protein biology.
Desc: Grover Investigator Award
Scope: National
Date: 2025-09-03
Desc: K99/R00 Award
Scope: National
Date: 2024-05-01
Desc: Jenesis Innovative Research Award
Scope: National
Date: 2023-12-01
Desc: ATVB early career research award
Scope: National
Date: 2021-11-13
Desc: American Heart Association Postdoctoral Fellowship
Scope: National
Date: 2021-04-01
Desc: Split-Site PhD Commonwealth Scholarship
Scope: International
Date: 2016-10-01