Dr. Vikram's research interests include understanding the role of environmental factors (diet and microbiota) in cardiometabolic disorders. During his doctoral studies, Dr. Vikram studied the role of diet-induced insulin resistance in aging-related disorders and identified that the overactivation of insulin signaling alters the expression of several genes involved in aging and aging-related diseases. During his post-doctoral research, Dr. Vikram worked on understanding the microbiota–microRNA connections in the regulation of blood vessel contractility. The gut microbiota is an environmental factor that regulates the pathogenesis of cardiovascular and metabolic disorders. The central idea is that the lag between environmental changes and genetic adaptations is the cause for the increased incidences of cardiometabolic disorders, and the identification of signaling intermediaries can source novel drug targets. Currently, his laboratory is focused on understanding the role of gut microbiota-sensitive microRNAs in heart failure, vascular dysfunction, and diabetes.