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RESUME

Anchor 1
Background/ Summary

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                                                       Research  accomplishments & interests:

Molecular targeted therapy for Cancer and  therapy resistant cancer stem cells using small tyrosine kinase inhibitors

 

Genetherapy  

  • Conditional Replicatin competent Adenovirus (Phase I Clinical trial)

  • Suicidal genetherapy 

 

Molecular Imaging & Diagnosis

  • Molecular genetic imaging

  • Aptamer Immuno Assay (AIA)  for detecting biomarkers

 

Transgenic Cancer model

  • Developing cancer Transgenic model for viweing cancer and       metastases.

Work​ experience​
Post-doctoral Associate (Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Busch campus, NJ, USA).

​Oct 2015 - present

 

​Research focus:

Developing a stratgey based on CD markers to detect therapy resistant ovarian cancer stem cells and cancer genetherapy based on suicidal gene therapy targeting not only the tumor cells but also the therapy resistant cancer stem cells.

 

Guiding and supervising PhD student

 

 

Post-doctoral Research (Virginia Commonwealth University, MCV Campus, Richmond, VA). 

Oct 2010- Sept 2015

 

​Resarch focus:

Chemoprevention & genetherapy in Pancreatic cancer:

Replication competent Adenovirus under the control of cancer selective PEG-3 promoter with concomittant production of immunomodulatory cytokine mda-7/IL-24 (Ad.PEG-E1A-mda-7) is used as gene therapy vehicle that selectively replicates in pancreatic cancer cells sparring the normal cells.  D-limonene and its derivatives e.g Perillyl alcohol and various small molecules are used as second arm of combination therapy and found to synergize with mda-7 mediated genetherapy in pancreatic cancers both in vitro and in-vivo models.

 

Developing an effective therapy for Prostate Cancer:

A truncated version of the CCN1/CYR61 gene promoter was used to design conditional replicating Adenovirus with concomittant production of therapeutic cytokine mda-7/IL-24 (Ad.tCCN1-E1A-mda-7) displayed dose-dependent killing of prostate cancer without harming normal prostate epithelial cells in vitro with significant anti-cancer activity in vivo in both nude mouse prostate cancer xenograft and transgenic Hi-myc mice (using ultrasound targeted microbubble (MB)-destruction, UTMD, with decorated MBs). Resistance to mda-7/IL-24-induced cell death is correlated with overexpression of Bcl-2 family proteins. Inhibiting Mcl-1 using an enhanced BH3 mimetic, BI-97D6, sensitized CaP cell lines to mda-7/IL-24-induced cell death by upregulating ER stress and downregulating antiapototic Mcl-1 and Bcl-xL.

Skills & Specialization

Molecular Cell Biology

  • 2D& 3D Cell culture

  • PCR, qPCR, Sequencing

  • SDS-PAGE, Western blotting

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Biochemistry/ Assay Development

  • ELISA,

  • Flow cytometry

  • Cell Imaging (Microscopy)

  • Viability & Toxicity

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Cell engineering & Gene editing

  • Recombinant protein & Biologics

  • Chimeric recombinant receptor

  • Reporter gene/protein

  • Vectorization (Plasmid, Virus)

  • Editing (TALEN, CRISP-Cas9, Cre-LoxP)

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Pharmacology (PK-PD)

  • Dose-response curve

  • Drug interaction and stability

  • Toxicity

  • Endpoint measurement/selection

  • USG, MRI, BLI/Fluorecence

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Biostatistics and softwares   

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Project management

  • Interpersonal Skill

  • Communication

  • multi-tasking

  • Collaboration

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Softwares

C/C+

Visual Basics

Microsoft Office

Photoshop

Living Image

Sigma-Plot

GraphPad Prism

Awards & Fellowships

Education
PhD. Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Khargpur, INDIA

​2006 - 2010

 

Thesis: The molecular effect of ZD6474, a dual tyrosine kinase inhibitor of epidermal growth factor receptor and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor on breast cancer progression and treatment.

 

Abnormalities in gene expression and signaling pathways downstream of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR) contribute to the progression, invasion, and maintenance of malignant phenotype in human cancers, including breast. We have shown that breast cancer cells can be selectively programmed to cell death or decreased cell proliferation by targeting dual tyrosine kinase EGFR and VEGFR by tyrosine kinase inhibitor-ZD6474. In combination therapy, ZD6474 enhances the efficacy of chemotherapy (paclitaxel) and radiotherapy (UV-B) by inhibiting cell proliferation, migration and metastasis. The combination of ZD6474 with paclitaxel or UV-B versus either agent alone also more potently down-regulated the anti-apoptotic bcl-2 protein, up-regulated pro-apoptotic signaling events involving the expression of bax, activation of caspase-3 and caspase-7 proteins, and induced poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase resulting in apoptosis. These observations have considerable potential clinical relevance for patients with locally advanced metastatic breast cancer, where clinical studies of dose-intensive paclitaxel therapy and radiotherapy are currently in progress. Moreover, the local administration of chemotherapeutic drugs often leads to nonspecific distribution in the body via circulatory system. This resulted in cytotoxicities to normal cells other than tumor nest. Nanoparticle (AuNp) assisted drug (ZD6474) delivery system will play a crucial role in tissue and site specific drug delivery with lesser cytotoxicity and greater efficiency. The recurring problem of cancer therapies is the development of chemo-resistance. Thus, the development of chemo (paclitaxel)-resistant breast cancer cell line will help in elucidation of molecules that may be targeted to sensitize and overcome chemo-resistance to conventional therapies.

 

 

M.S (Biotechnology). Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee, INDIA.

​2002-2004

Courses- Biotechnology, Molecular Diagnostics & Therapeutics, Biochemistry, Cell & Molecular Cell Biology, Immunology, Applied Microbiology, Genetic Engineering, Computer application, Mathematics, Biochemical Engineering, Analytical Chemistry.

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B.S (Biochemistry). University of Delhi, New Delhi, INDIA.

1999-2002

Courses- Biochemistry, Enzymology, Statistics, Chemistry, Zoology, Molecular biology, Immunology

 

 

2017: Gallo Award for outstanding cancer research 'DEVELOPMENT OF THERAPEUTIC PROTOCOL FOR DRUG RESISTANT OVARIAN CANCER' presented by Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey.

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2016: Received Gallo Award for scientific excellence presented by Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey for outstanding cancer research 'DEVELOPMENT OF THERAPEUTIC PROTOCOL FOR DRUG RESISTANT OVARIAN CANCER'.

 

2013: Received Travel grant from Department of Defense, U.S. Army Medical Research and Material Command to defend my Late breaking abstract and to attend the Annual Meeting 2013 held at Washington DC organized by American Association for Cancer Research.

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