Suite 501, Curtis Bldg.
Philadelphia, PA 19107
Most Recent Peer-reviewed Publications
- The expression and relationship of pro-inflammatory chemokine RANTES/CCL5 and Cytokine IL-1β in painful human intervertebral discs
- Exhaustion of nucleus pulposus progenitor cells with ageing and degeneration of the intervertebral disc
- Prolyl hydroxylase 3 (PHD3) modulates catabolic effects of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) on cells of the nucleus pulposus through co-activation of nuclear factor κB (NF-κB)/p65 signaling
- Smad3 controls β-1,3-glucuronosyltransferase 1 expression in rat nucleus pulposus cells: Implications of dysregulated expression in disc disease
- Expression of Prolyl Hydroxylases (PHDs) is selectively controlled by HIF-1 and HIF-2 proteins in nucleus pulposus cells of the intervertebral disc: Distinct roles of PHD2 and PHD3 proteins in controlling HIF-1α activity in hypoxia
Medical School
MSc, Biochemistry, University of Pune - 1997
M.Tech., Indian Institute of Technology (IIT): Bombay
- 1999
PhD, National Center for Cell Science, India
- 2001
Fellowship
Post Doc Fellowship, Harvard University, Boston, 2001-2002
Expertise & Research Interests
Major research focus of my lab is to study the mechanisms by which nucleus pulposus cells of the intervertebral disc adapt to avascular (hypoxic) and osmotically compromising environment. In this regard, we are studying role of transciption factors HIFs and TonEBP and signaling events that control their function. Another major research interest is to device tissue-enginering based strategies for intervertebral disc regeneration. We are testing hypothesis that adult mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) transplanted into the disc will assume nucleus pulposus-like phenotype and achieve functional restoration of degenerate disc. Our recent work shows that MSC differentiate into nucleus pulposus-like cells when cultured under conditions similar to that exist in the disc in vivo. A whole disc organ culture is also under investigation to understand aspects of disc cell function in an ex vivo setting.
Other Expertise
Cell-Scaffold intereactions at molecular level and chitosan based scaffolds
Industrial Relevance
My reaserch has a strong translational component. Regeneration of degenerate intervertberal disc using adult-mesenchymal stem cells could be a clinical therapy in future and is of immense interest to many biotech and health science companies.
Keywords
Intervertebral Disc; Mesenchymal Stem Cells; Nucleus Pulposus Cells; Hypoxia; HIF-1, hypertonicity, TonEBP, Cell signaling; Tissue Engineering, Scaffolds
Languages
English, Hindi, Marathi