By Kip (PR) Kinchington, PhD, and Kira Lathrop, MAMS, PhD
Nirmala Sundarraj, PhD, was a truly wonderful person who was a pioneering scientist, a kind and considerate friend, and a cherished colleague. She passed away on March 12, 2026, at the age of 83, with her family by her side.
Nirmala was a passionate corneal vision researcher who had a 35-year career as an Associate Professor of Ophthalmology at the University of Pittsburgh. Dr. Sundarraj’s academic journey began with a PhD in Microbiology from the Indian Institute of Science and a postdoctoral degree from the University of Connecticut. Her investigations during her career at Pitt focused largely on corneal wound healing research, contributing to advancements in regenerative medicine and our understanding of corneal inflammation and healing. Her studies included finding some of the first antibodies to corneal structural domains and proteins. Her work on corneal inflammation, its biochemistry, and signaling in healing wounds was key to what we know of corneal repair today.
Nirmala was a dedicated collaborator and teacher to countless medical students, graduate and undergraduate students, but many of us will recall her warm and welcoming mentorship as we — new basic research faculty in a clinical department — were guided through the challenging stages of starting labs from scratch, hiring people, developing ideas, and writing grants.
Beyond her scientific contributions, Nirmala was an avid Pittsburgh Steelers fan and took great joy in creative pursuits, including cooking, painting, and crafting. She was always eager to share her talents and celebrate the accomplishments of others. She was a bright star in our research family and we will cherish her memory. She is survived by her devoted husband Dr. Cholappadi V. Sundarraj, daughter Sonali Joyce (Ryan), and beloved grandson Krishna, to who she was “Amana.” We remember her scientific dedication, mentorship, integrity and sense of humor.