Shaminie Athinarayanan

Shaminie J Athinarayanan, PhD, is a trained metabolic researcher with a background in Pharmacology, Molecular Biology, and Metabolic Disease, having earned her PhD in MASLD/MASH with an emphasis on pharmacogenomics. Currently serving as Director of Clinical Research at Virta Health, she focuses on the benefits of a well-formulated ketogenic diet (WFKD) on metabolic diseases—particularly obesity, type 2 diabetes, and related co-morbidities. Her research, which spans clinical trials, retrospective studies, and real-world evidence, investigates the effectiveness, feasibility, and long-term sustainability of WFKD, as well as its broader metabolic implications beyond glycemic control and weight management. Over her seven-year tenure at Virta Health, she hCas coordinated long-term clinical trials, served as a principal investigator, and contributed to multiple publications.

Dr. Athinarayanan is well-qualified to write about gestational diabetes and other forms of diabetes in pregnancy based on her extensive research in metabolic disease and type 2 diabetes. Dr. Athinarayanan’s work has focused on insulin resistance and its impact on metabolic health, providing a strong foundation for understanding diabetes throughout all stages of the reproductive life cycle, including pregnancy.

Awards (6 total)

• 2021 – The Virtan of the Year
• 2016 – Jenkins-Knevel Awards for Excellence in Research, Purdue University
• 2022 – Lynn Fellowship, Purdue University

Number of publications

31 including, 5 under maiden name (Shaminie Jairaman)

Years of Clinical Research (not a clinician)

14+ years