Mridula Pachen has received the Neural Control and Autonomic Regulation (NCAR) Research Recognition award by the American Physiological Society. Research Recognition Awards (RRAs) recognise outstanding research by graduate students and postdoctoral fellows who present a first-author abstract at the Experimental Biology Meeting.

Her research focuses on the carotid body chemoreflex in modulating cardiac sympathetic nerve activity and coronary blood flow. Her study includes the first direct recordings of cardiac sympathetic nerve activity during activation of the chemoreflex. The Cardio-renal lab has established a clinically relevant heart failure model in conscious sheep, and Mridula examined, the carotid chemoreflex role in modulating coronary flow in this heart failure model. Moreover, she used the renovascular model of hypertension in her study, and her abstract for this award based on her work using high nasal flow in this model. This is a new research area in their cardio-renal lab.

As a 2021 Research Recognition award, she will receive a certificate of recognition, advanced-rate meeting registration reimbursement, a cash prize, and an invitation to give an oral presentation at the Experimental Biology 2021 virtual meeting.