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Sara Mithani

Contact

210-567-5612

mithanis@uthscsa.edu

Sara Mithani, PhD, RN

Assistant Professor

Sara Mithani, PhD, RN, is an Assistant Professor at the UT Health San Antonio School of Nursing. Dr. Mithani’s long-term research objective is to develop a pragmatic, translational program that utilizes ‘omics’ (e.g. transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics) approaches to elucidate mechanisms of sleep disorders, improve diagnosis, and develop personalized treatment paradigms. Specifically, my objective is to identify early genomic biomarkers of insomnia disorder that are practical, trackable, and derived from biofluids that can be easily obtained from civilian, active duty and veteran populations. Doing so would enable the discovery of biomarkers and treatments that are precise, predictive, preventative, and patient centered. Dr. Mithani received her PhD from the University of Illinois Chicago (in Nursing with an emphasis on Molecular Genetics) after completing a prestigious pre-doctoral fellowship from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), where she completed her dissertation research. She completed her post-doctoral fellowship NIH with an emphasis on proteomic biomarker discover and traumatic brain injury. In addition to her research, Dr. Mithani is passionate about teaching and mentoring the next generation of nurses and scientists.

  • Professional Background

    Education

    • 2020 - Doctor of Philosophy - Nursing Science - University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL
    • 2016 - Bachelor of Science in Nursing - Nursing - Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH

    Highlights

    Licensures and Certifications

    • RN (Texas

    Honors and Awards

    • 2020, American Academy of Sleep Medicine, Young Investigators Research Forum  
    • 2018, Jonas Healthcare Scholar (2018-2020) 
    • 2016, W.E. Van Doren Scholarship, University of Illinois, School of Nursing  

    Appointments

    • 2022 - Assistant Professor - UT Health San Antonio, School of Nursing

  • Research & Grants

    Grants

    Currently Funded:  

    • 2021-2023 Funder: American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Dollars: $50,000. Title: Discovery of Plasma Proteomic Biomarkers Relating to Insomnia and its Link to Subjective and Objective Measures of Insomnia. Role: PI. 
    • 2021-2023 Funder: Heilbrunn Nurse Scholars, The Rockefeller University. Dollars: $24,500. Title: Role of Neuronally Derived Exosomes and its Links to Cognitive Impairment in Veterans with Traumatic Brain Injury. Role: PI. 

    Submitted and Awaiting Review: 

    • 2022-2027 Funder: Veterans Affairs. Dollars: $980,000. Title: Molecular Mechanisms Associated with Insomnia and Response to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia. Role: PI. 
    • 2022-2026 Funder: Department of Defense. Dollars: $4,000,000. Title: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia vs Brief Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia in Military Personnel with Post Concussive Symptoms following Mild TBI. Role: Co-Investigator (PI: K. Pruiksma).  
    • 2022-2026 Funder: Department of Defense. Dollars: $2,000,000. Title: A Randomized Clinical Trial to Augment Prolonged Exposure with Aerobic Exercise. Role: Co-Investigator (PI: S. Young-McCaughan). 

  • Service

    School

    Student Mentees/Trainees  

    • 2020-2021 S. Hussain, MSN candidate, Aga Khan University School of Midwifery and Nursing, Karachi, Pakistan, co-supervisor of master’s thesis research project 
    • 2021– present C. McMhon, PhD candidate, University of Texas San Antonio, co-supervisor for NIH F31 and dissertation project
    • 2022– present S.Sachwani, PhD student, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee School of Nursing, dissertation mentor
    • 2022– present D.Rios, PhD student, UT Health San Antonio, School of Nursing, dissertation mentor

    Service to the Profession

    Professional Affiliations (memberships) 

    • 2019 – present American Academy of Sleep Medicine  
    • 2019 – present National Neurotrauma Society  
    • 2019 – present Society for Neuroscience  
    • 2013 – 2018 Midwest Nursing Research Society  

    Community

    • 2022– present National Programing Aga Khan Social Welfare Board, USA 
    • 2021– present Academic Mentor EdVenture Programing 
    • 2019-2021 Strategic Initiatives Ismaili Professions Network, USA 

  • Publications

      Peer-reviewed Articles  

      • Mithani, S., Leete, J., Guedes, V., Pucci, J., Kenney, K., Gill, J., Werner, K. (Pending Resubmission) Blood-Based Exosomal MicroRNA is Associated with Sleep Quality in Military Veterans with Traumatic Brain Injuries. Frontiers of Neurology. 
      • Vorn, R., Mithani, S., Devoto, C., Meier, T., Guedes, V., Lai, C., Yun. S., Broglio, S., McAllister, T., Giza, C., Kim, H., Huber, D., Harezlak, J., Cameron, K., McGinty, G., Jackson, J., Guskiewicz, K., Mihalik, J., Brooks, A., Duma, S., Rowson, S., Nelson, L., Pasquina, P., McCrea, M., Gill, J., and the CARE Consortium. (In Review) Inflammatory Proteomic Pathways and 14-3-3 and Phosphorylated Tau Activity Following a Sports Concussion: Findings from the NCAA and Department of Defense CARE Consortium. Frontiers in Neurology. 
      • Vorn, R., Devoto, C., Meier, T., Lai, C., Yun. S., Broglio, S., Mithani, S., McAllister, T., Giza, C., Kim, H., Huber, D., Harezlak, J., Cameron, K., McGinty, G., Jackson, J., Guskiewicz, K., Mihalik, J., Brooks, A., Duma, S., Rowson, S., Nelson, L., Pasquina, P., McCrea, M., Gill, J., and the CARE Consortium. (In Review) EPB41 and Alpha Synuclein are Diagnostic Biomarkers of Sport-Related Concussion: Findings From the NCAA and Department of Defense CARE Consortium. Journal of Sport and Health Science.  
      • Guedes, V., Williams, C., Mithani, S., Sass, D., Smith, E., Vorn, R., Wagner, C., Lai, C., Gill, J., Hinson, H. (In Review). Extracellular Vesicle Levels of Nervous System Injury Biomarkers in Critically Ill Trauma Patients with and without Traumatic Brain Injury. Journal of Neurotrauma.  
      • Elliott, J., Keil, A., Mithani, S., Gill, J., O'Neil, M., Cohen, A., Lim, M. (In Press).  Dietary supplementation with branched chain amino acids to improve sleep in Veterans with traumatic brain injury: A randomized double-blind placebo-controlled pilot and feasibility trial. Frontiers Systems Neuroscience. 
      • Gottshall, J., Agyemang, A., O’Neil, M., Wei, G., Presson, A., Hewins, B., Fisher, D., Mithani, S., Shahim, P., Pugh, M., Devoto, C., Wilde, E., Yaffe, K., Gill, J., Kenney, K., Werner, K. (2022). Sleep quality: A common thread linking depression, post-traumatic stress, and post-concussive symptoms to biomarkers of neurodegeneration following traumatic brain injury. Brain injury, 1-11. 
      • Devoto, C., Guedes, V., Lai, C., Leete, J., Mithani, S., Edwards, K., Vorn, R., Qu, B., Wilde, E., Walker, W., Diaz-Arrastia, R., Werner, J., Kenney, K., Gill, J. (2022). Remote blast-related mild traumatic brain injury is associated with differential expression of exosomal microRNAs identified in neurodegenerative and immunological processes. Brain injury, 1-10. 
      • Guedes, V., Lange, R., Lai, C., Mithani, S., Devoto, C., Edwards, K., Wagner, C., Martin, C., Driscoll, A., Wright, M., Gillow, K., Baschenis, S., Brickell, S., Brickell, T., Lippa, S., French, L., Gill, J. (2022) Extracellular vesicle neurofilament light is elevated within the first 12-months following traumatic brain injury in a US military population. Scientific reports, 12(1), 1-11. 
      • Meier, T.,^ Guedes, VA.,^ Smith, EG., Sass, D., Mithani, S., Vorn, R., Savitz, J., T. Kent Teague TK., McCrea, MA., Gil,l JM. (2022) Extracellular vesicle-associated cytokines in sport-related concussion. Brain, behavior, and immunity, 100, 83-87. ^Equal contribution 
      • Sass, D., Guedes, V., Smith, E., Vorn, R., Devoto, C., Edwards, K., Mithani, S., Hentig, J., Lai, C., Wagner, C., Dunbar, K., Hyde, D., Saligan, L., Roy, M., Gill, J. (2021) Sex differences in behavioral symptoms and the levels of circulating GFAP, tau, and NfL in patients with traumatic brain injury. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 3367. 
      • Guedes, V., Lai, C., Devoto, C., Edwards, K., Mithani, S., Sass, D., Vorn, R., Qu, B., Rusch, H., Martin, C., Wilde, E., Walker, W., Arrastia, R., Gill, J., Kenney, K. (2021) Extracellular Vesicle Proteins and MicroRNAs Are Linked to Chronic Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms in Service Members and Veterans With Mild Traumatic Brain Injury. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 12.   
      • Mithani, S., Sijung, Y., Fink, A., Pattinson, C., Leete, J., Guedes, V., Kim, HS., Weljie, A., Gill, J., Gehrman, P. (2021). Whole Blood Transcriptome Analysis using RNA Sequencing in Individuals with Insomnia: A Pilot Study. Sleep Medicine, 80, 1-8.  
      • Guedes, V. A., Devoto, C., Leete, J., Sass, D., Acott, J. D., Mithani, S., & Gill, J. M. (2020). Extracellular Vesicle Proteins and MicroRNAs as Biomarkers for Traumatic Brain Injury. Frontiers in Neurology, 11, 663. 
      • Mondello S, Guedes VA, Lai C, Czeiter E, Amrein K, Kobeissy F, Mechref Y, Jeromin A, Mithani S, Martin C, Wagner CL, Czigler A, Tóth L, Fazekas B, Buki A, Gill J. Circulating Brain Injury Exosomal Proteins following Moderate-To-Severe Traumatic Brain Injury: Temporal Profile, Outcome Prediction and Therapy Implications. Cells. 2020 Apr 15;9(4):977. 
      • Pattinson CL, Guedes VA, Edwards K, Mithani S, Yun S, Taylor P, Dunbar K, Kim HS, Lai C, Roy MJ, Gill JM. Excessive daytime sleepiness is associated with altered gene expression in military personnel and veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder: an RNA sequencing study. Sleep. 2020 Sep 14;43(9):zsaa036. 
      • Kanefsky, R., Motamedi, V., Mithani, S., Mysliwiec, V., Gill, J. M., & Pattinson, C. L. (2019). Mild traumatic brain injuries with loss of consciousness are associated with increased inflammation and pain in military personnel. Psychiatry Research, 279, 34–39. 
      • Mithani, S., & Fink, A. M. (2019). Mathematical Models of Sleep and Circadian Rhythms: A Case for Using the 2-Process Model in Neuroscience Nursing. The Journal of neuroscience nursing: Journal of the American Association of Neuroscience Nurses, 51(1), 48–53. 
      • Motamedi, V., Kanefsky, R., Matsangas, P., Mithani, S., Jeromin, A., Brock, M. S., Mysliwiec, V., & Gill, J. (2018). Elevated tau and interleukin-6 concentrations in adults with obstructive sleep apnea. Sleep Medicine, 43, 71–76. 
      • Williams, K. A., Mithani, S., Sadeghi, G., & Palomo, L. (2018). Effectiveness of Oral Hygiene Instructions Given in Computer-Assisted Format versus a Self-Care Instructor. Dentistry Journal, 6(1), 2. 
      • DeBaz, C., Shamia, H., Hahn, J., Mithani, S., Sadeghi, G., & Palomo, L. (2015). Periodontitis impacts quality of life in postmenopausal women. Climacteric: The Journal of the International Menopause Society, 18(4), 637–642. 

      Abstracts 

      • Guedes, V., Mithani, S., Gottshall, J., Chen, L., Kenney, K., Gill, J., Werner, K. (2022). 0320 Sex Differences in Sleep Quality and Biomarker Levels in Service Members and Veterans with Chronic Mild Traumatic Brain Injury. Sleep.  
      • Mithani, S., Leete, J., Pucci, J., Guedes, V., Kenney, K., Gill, J., & Werner, J. K. (2021). 020 Sleep Quality Affects the Plasma Exosomal MicroRNA Expression Profile in Military Personnel with Traumatic Brain Injury. Sleep, 44 (Supplement_2), A9-A10. 
      • Pucci, J., Mithani, S., Leete, J., Lai, C., Kenney, K., Gill, J., & Werner, J. K. (2021). 021 Poor sleep quality in traumatic brain injury patients is associated with elevated inflammatory biomarkers. Sleep, 44 (Supplement_2), A10-A10. 
      • Maki, K., Mithani, S., Bronas, U. G., & Fink, A. M. (2019) Blood Pressure and Restorative Sleep Intensity are Altered by Chronic Daytime Sleep Disruption in Rats. Sigma Nursing.  
      • Mithani, S., Pattinson, C., Guedes, V., Edwards, K., Devoto, C., Turtzo, C., ... & Gill, J. (2019, July). Acute Postconcussive Symptom Domains And MRI Following Mild Traumatic Brain Injury. Journal Of Neurotrauma. Vol. 36, No. 13, pp. A89-A89.  

      Invited Podium Presentations (i. e. keynotes presentations)  

      • 2019 “From Bench to Bedside: The Future of Nursing Science” Summer Lecture, Aga Khan University School of Nursing and Midwifery, Karachi, Pakistan 

      Peer Reviewed Podium Presentations  

      • 2022 "Sex Differences in Sleep Quality and Biomarker Levels in Service Members and Veterans with Chronic Mild Traumatic Brain Injury”, SLEEP 2022, Charlotte, NC. 
      • 2021 “Deregulated Genes in the Night vs. Day Comparison for Patients with Insomnia: A RNA-Sequencing Study”, International Society Of Nurses In Genetics Virtual World Congress 
      • 2021 “Elevated Phosphorylated Tau Following a Sports Concussion: Findings from the NCAA and Department of Defense CARE Consortium”, Young Investigator TBI Virtual Summer Conference 
      • 2020 “RNA Sequencing Reveals Transcriptomic Changes in Individuals with Insomnia”, 34th SLEEP 2020, Virtual Conference 
      • 2020 “Exosomal miRNA in Blast-Exposed Veterans with Mild Traumatic Brain Injury”, National Capital Area Traumatic Brain Injury Research Symposium, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland. 
      • 2020 “High Throughput Sequencing of the Transcriptome in Individuals with Insomnia”, Graduate Research Symposium, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland. 

      Peer Reviewed Poster Presentations  

      • 2022 Sex Differences in Sleep Quality and Biomarker Levels in Service Members and Veterans with Chronic Mild Traumatic Brain Injury, SLEEP 2022, Charlotte, North Carolina 
      • 2021 Sleep Quality Affects the Plasma Exosomal MicroRNA Expression Profile in Military Personnel with Traumatic Brain Injury, 35th SLEEP 2021, Virtual Conference 
      • 2021 Exosomal microRNA is Associated With Sleep Quality In Military Personnel With Traumatic Brain Injury, Society for Neuroscience, Virtual Poster Presentation 
      • 2021 Sleep Quality Affects the Plasma Exosomal MicroRNA Expression Profile in Military Personnel with Traumatic Brain Injury, 35th Annual Meeting of the Associated Professionals Sleep Societies 
      • 2019 Acute Postconcussive Symptom Domains and MRI Results Following Mild Traumatic Brain Injury, National Neurotrauma Society, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia 
      • 2018 Sleep Restriction Increases Blood Pressure in Rats: Implications for Developing a Pre-Clinical Model to Measure Cardiovascular Responses to Shift Work Schedule, Midwest Nursing Research Society, Cleveland, Ohio 
      • 2017 Gene Expression in Military Veterans with Sleep Disturbances, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 
      • 2017 High-Density Electroencephalography to Quantify Cortical Neural Network Activity, Midwest Nursing Research Society, Milwaukee, Wisconsin