Ashutosh Dharap, PhD

Dr. Ashutosh Dharap is an R01-funded Assistant Professor in the Department of Molecular Medicine and a Principal Investigator at the Byrd Alzheimer’s Center and Research Institute at USF. He leads a research program focused on the molecular mechanisms of stroke and vascular dementia, with expertise in transcriptomics, RNA biology, and epigenetics. His lab investigates noncoding RNAs, mRNA isoforms, and enhancer-RNAs in cerebrovascular injury using both rodent models and cell culture systems. Dr. Dharap has published pioneering work on miRNAs, piRNAs, lncRNAs, and enhancer-centric gene networks and has identified novel mRNA isoforms relevant to stroke pathology.

Dr. Dharap has over 17 years of mentoring experience and has trained students and fellows across all levels, including undergraduates, post-baccalaureate researchers, graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows. Many of his trainees have progressed to careers in academia, industry, or medical and graduate programs. He is strongly committed to hands-on scientific training, collaborative research, and developing the next generation of scientists in vascular dementia and RNA biology.