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Ashok K. Shetty, PhD

Ashok K. Shetty
Ashok K. Shetty, PhD

Professor, Department of Cell Biology and Genetics

Associate Director, Institute for Regenerative Medicine

Contact

Cell Biology and Genetics
Institute for Regenerative Medicine
240A Reynolds Medical Building
College Station, TX 77843-1114
akskrs@tamu.edu
Phone: 979.436.9653
Fax: 979.845.9481

Biography

Ashok K. Shetty received a Ph.D. degree in Neuroscience from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi.  Following his postdoctoral research work at Duke University, Dr. Shetty joined the Division of Neurosurgery (Department of Surgery) at Duke University Medical Center as an Assistant Professor in 1995. He became Associate Professor in 1999 and held the position of Professor from 2004 to 2011. Dr. Shetty joined the faculty at Texas A&M University Health Science Center in July 2011.

Dr. Shetty has received continuous extramural research funding as Principal Investigator for over 25 years from sources such as the National Institutes of Health, Department of Defense, and Department of Veterans Affairs. These include seven R01 grant awards and an R21 grant award from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), seven Peer-Reviewed Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program (CDMRP) grant awards from the Department of Defense (DOD), and five Merit Review grant awards and two Research Career Scientist Awards from the Department of Veterans Affairs. Grants from the NIH and DOD fund Dr. Shetty's current research.

Dr. Shetty has authored 184 peer-reviewed publications (149 as Senior or First author). His work has appeared in many top-class journals including Science Advances, Molecular Psychiatry, Journal of Extracellular Vesicles, BRAIN, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), NPJ Regenerative Medicine, Brain, Behavior and Immunity, EBioMedicine, Journal of Controlled Release, Redox Biology, Progress in Neurobiology, Aging Cell, Aging & Disease, Aging Research Reviews, Neuropsychopharmacology, Journal of Neuroscience, Stem Cells, Stem Cells Translational Medicine, Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Neurobiology of Disease, Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews, Experimental Neurology, Neurotherapeutics, Frontiers in Immunology, and Epilepsia. Dr. Shetty has received over 18,000 citations (h-index = 65) for his published research articles.

Dr. Shetty has the distinction of serving on two NIH Study Sections and one VA study section as a Chartered Member. These include Clinical Neuroplasticity and Neurotransmitters (CNNT-CSR) study section panel (2004-2008) and Developmental Brain Disorders (DBD-CSR) study section panel (2010-2016), and Brain Injury and Health (VA, 2020-2023). Besides, he has served as a member of over 75 other study section panels of the NIH, Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program of DOD, Maryland State Stem Cell Research Fund, New York State Stem Cell Research Fund and Henry M. Jackson Foundation Regenerative Medicine Program, and the Department of Veterans Affairs. He has also served as a reviewer of grant applications for over 12 international funding agencies from Germany, France, England, Ireland, Israel, India, and Singapore.

Dr. Shetty is Co-Editor-in-Chief of the journal, Aging & Disease and Associate Editor of 7 journals (Frontiers in Immunology, Frontiers in Neuroscience, Frontiers in Molecular Neuroscience, Frontiers in Neurology, Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, Neurogenesis, and Neuroscience Insights). Dr. Shetty is also a Member of the Editorial Board for many other international journals, which include the Journal of Extracellular Vesicles, Stem Cells, Aging Cell, and Cell Transplantation. Dr. Shetty is a member of Sigma Xi and a Fellow of the American Society for Neural Transplantation and Repair. Dr. Shetty received the Senior Research Excellence Award from the TAMU College of Medicine in 2021. He is among the "World's Top 2% of Scientists" across all scientific fields and among the "World's Top 1% of Neuroscientists” (Research.com).

Research Interests

  • Dr. Shetty’s laboratory is interested in developing clinically applicable strategies that are efficacious for enhancing brain function after injury, disease, or aging. The central areas of investigation are focused on the following topics.
  • Mechanisms by which intranasally administered stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) promote neuroprotection, neuroregeneration, neural plasticity, and alleviate neuroinflammation. The sources of EVs include human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs), and human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neural stem cells (hiPSC-NSCs), astrocytes, and microglia. The model systems include penetrating traumatic brain injury (TBI), concussion or closed head injury (CHI), status epilepticus (SE), temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE), and Alzheimer’s disease (AD).
  • Mechanisms by which transplanted human neural stem cells or human GABA-ergic precursor cells derived from hiPSCs promote brain repair, and alleviate spontaneous seizures, and cognitive and mood impairments in prototypes of SE, TLE, and TBI.
  • Elucidating mechanisms of brain dysfunction and chronic neuroinflammation in prototypes of Gulf War Illness and veterans with Gulf War Illness. Developing therapeutic strategies to alleviate neuroinflammation, increased oxidative stress, systemic inflammation, and learning, memory, and mood impairments in models of Gulf War Illness (GWI) and veterans with Gulf War Illness.
  • Developing clinically feasible strategies for improving hippocampal neurogenesis memory and mood function and alleviating neuroinflammation in aging and AD models using drugs, nanoparticles and biologics.

Representative Publications

  • Kodali M, Madhu LN, Reger RL, Milutinovic B, Upadhya R, Gonzalez JJ, Attaluri S, Shuai B, Gitai DLG, Rao S, Choi JM, Jung SY, Shetty AK. Intranasally administered human MSC-derived extracellular vesicles inhibit NLRP3-p38/MAPK signaling after TBI and prevent chronic brain dysfunction. Brain Behavior & Immunity, 108:118-134, 2023. Research Article 
  • Upadhya D, Attaluri S, Liu Y, Hattiangady B, Castro OW, Shuai B, Dong Y, Zhang SC, Shetty AK. Grafted hPSC-derived GABA-ergic interneurons regulate seizures and specific cognitive function in temporal lobe epilepsy.NPJ Regenerative Medicine, 7(1):38, 2022. Research Article
  • Shetty AK. Can rapamycin slow down memory decline in Alzheimer’s disease with seizures? BRAIN, 145:14-16, 2022. Research Article
  • Madhu LN, Somayaji Y, Shetty AK. Promise of irisin to attenuate cognitive dysfunction in aging and Alzheimer's disease. Ageing Res Rev, 78:101637, 2022. Research Article
  • Wei ZD, Shetty AK. Can mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease be diagnosed by monitoring a miRNA triad in the blood? Aging Cell, 10:e13627, 2022. Research Article
  • Attaluri S, Upadhya R, Kodali M, Madhu LN, Upadhya D, Shuai B, Shetty AK. Brain-Specific Increase in Leukotriene Signaling Accompanies Chronic Neuroinflammation and Cognitive Impairment in a Model of Gulf War Illness. Frontiers in Immunology, 13:853000, 2022. Research Article
  • Attaluri S, Arora M, Madhu LN, Kodali M, Shuai B, Melissari L, Upadhya R, Rao X, Bates A, Mitra E, Ghahfarouki KR, Ravikumar MNV, and Shetty AK. Oral nano-curcumin in a model of chronic Gulf War Illness alleviates brain dysfunction with modulation of oxidative stress, mitochondrial function, neuroinflammation, neurogenesis and gene expression. Aging and Disease, 13: 583-613, 2022. Research Article
  • Wei Z-YD, Shetty AK. Treating Parkinson’s disease by astrocyte reprogramming: Progress and challenges. Science Advances, 7(26): eabg3198, 2021. Research Article
  • Kodali M, Attaluri S, Madhu LN, Shuai B, Upadhya R, Gonzalez JJ, Rao X, Shetty AK. Metformin treatment in late middle age improves cognitive function with alleviation of microglial activation and enhancement of autophagy in the hippocampus. Aging Cell, 20: e13277, 2021. Research Article
  • Shetty AK, Shetty PA, Zanirati G, Jin K. Further validation of the efficacy of mesenchymal stem cell infusions for reducing mortality in COVID-19 patients with ARDS. NPJ Regenerative Medicine, 6:53, 2021. Research Article
  • Upadhya R, Shetty, AK. Extracellular Vesicles in Health and Disease, Aging and Disease, 12: 1358-1362, 2021. Research Article
  • Upadhya R, Shetty, AK. Extracellular Vesicles for the diagnosis and treatment of Parkinson’s disease, Aging and Disease, 12: 1438-1450, 2021. Research Article
  • Kodali M, Mishra V, Hattiangady B, Attaluri S, Gonzalez JJ, Shuai B, Shetty AK. Moderate, intermittent voluntary exercise in a model of Gulf War Illness improves cognitive and mood function with alleviation of activated microglia and astrocytes, and enhanced neurogenesis in the hippocampus. Brain
    Behavior Immunity, 97:135-149, 2021. Research Article
  • Dickey B, Madhu LN, Shetty AK. Gulf War Illness: Mechanisms Underlying Brain Dysfunction and Promising Therapeutic Strategies. Pharmacology & Therapeutics, 220:107716, 2021. Research Article
  • Madhu LN, Kodali, M, Attaluri S, Shuai B, Melissari L, Rao X, Shetty AK. Melatonin improves brain function in a model of chronic Gulf War Illness with modulation of oxidative stress, NLRP3 inflammasomes, and BDNF-ERK- CREB pathway in the hippocampus. Redox Biology, 43:101973, 2021. Research Article
  • Upadhya R, Madhu LN, Attaluri S, Gitai DLG, Pinson MR, Kodali M, Shetty G, Zanirati G, Kumar S, Shuai B, Weintraub ST, Shetty AK. Extracellular vesicles from human iPSC-derived neural stem cells: miRNA and protein signatures, and antiinflammatory and neurogenic properties. Journal of Extracellular Vesicles, 9: 1809064, 2020.  Research Article
  • Hattiangady B, Kuruba R, Shuai B, Grier R, Shetty AK. Hippocampal Neural Stem Cell Grafting after Status Epilepticus Alleviates Chronic Epilepsy and Abnormal Plasticity- and Maintains Better Memory and Mood Function. Aging and Disease- 11(6):1374-1394, 2020. Research Article
  • Shetty AK, Attaluri S, Kodali M, Shuai B, Shetty GA, Upadhya D, Hattiangady B, Madhu LN, Upadhya R, Bates A, Rao X. Monosodium luminol reinstates redox homeostasis, improves cognition, mood and neurogenesis, and alleviates neuro- and systemic inflammation in a model of Gulf War Illness. Redox Biology 28:101389, 2020. Research Article
  • Upadhya R, Zingg W, Shetty S, Shetty AK. Astrocyte-derived extracellular vesicles: Neuroreparative properties and role in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders. Journal of Controlled Release, 323:225-239, 2020. Research Article
  • Shetty AK, Zanirati G. The interstitial system of the brain in health and disease. Aging and Disease, 11:200-211, 2020. Research Article
  • Kodali M, Castro OW, Kim DK, Thomas A, Shuai B, Attaluri S, Upadhya R, Gitai D, Madhu LN, Prockop DJ, Shetty AK. Intranasally Administered Human MSC- Derived Extracellular Vesicles Pervasively Incorporate into Neurons and Microglia in both Intact and Status Epilepticus Injured Forebrain. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 21:181, 2020. Research Article  
  • Gitai D, Santos YDR, Upadhya R, Kodali M, Madhu LN, Shetty AK: Extracellular Vesicles in the Forebrain Display Reduced miR-346 and miR-331- 3p in a Rat Model of Chronic Temporal Lobe Epilepsy. Molecular Neurobiology, 57(3):1674-1687, 2020. Research Article
  • Shetty AK. Mesenchymal Stem Cell Infusion Shows Promise for Combating Coronavirus (COVID-19)- Induced Pneumonia. Aging and Disease, 11(2):462-464, 2020. Research Article
  • Upadhya D, Hattiangady B, Castro O, Shuai B, Kodali M, Attaluri S, Bates A, Dong Y, Zhang S-C, Prockop DJ, Shetty AK: Human iPSC-derived MGE cell grafting after status epilepticus attenuates chronic epilepsy and co-morbidities via synaptic integration. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), USA, 116:287-296, 2019. Research Article
  • Leite Góes Gitai D, de Andrade TG, Dos Santos YDR, Attaluri S, Shetty AK: Chronobiology of limbic seizures: Potential mechanisms and prospects of chronotherapy for mesial Temporal lobe epilepsy. Neuroscience &Biobehavioral Reviews, 98:122-134, 2019. Research Article
  • Madhu LN, Attaluri S, Kodali M, Shuai B, Upadhya R, Gitai D, Shetty AK: Neuroinflammation in Gulf War Illness is linked with HMGB1 and complement activation, which can be discerned from brain-derived extracellular vesicles in the blood. Brain Behavior Immunity, 81:430-443, 2019. Research Article
  • Upadhya D, Kodali M, Gitai D, Castro OW, Zanirati G, Upadhya R, Attaluri S, Mitra B, Shuai B, Hattiangady B, Shetty AK. A model of chronic Temporal lobe epilepsy presenting constantly rhythmic and robust spontaneous seizures, co-morbidities and hippocampal neuropathology. Aging and Disease, 10:915-936, 2019. Research Article
  • Shetty AK, Upadhya R, Madhu LN, Kodali M. Novel insights on systemic and brain aging, stroke, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and Alzheimer's disease. Aging & Disease, 10:470 482, 2019. Research Article
  • Upadhya D, Shetty AK: Promise of extracellular vesicles for diagnosis and treatment of epilepsy. Epilepsy & Behavior, Epilepsy & Behavior. 121(PtB):106499, 2021.. Research Article
  • Kodali M, Hattiangady B, Shetty G, Bates A, Shuai B, Shetty AK: Curcumin Treatment Leads to Better Cognitive and Mood Function in a Model of Gulf War Illness with Enhanced Neurogenesis, and Alleviation of Inflammation and Mitochondrial Dysfunction in the Hippocampus. Brain, Behavior and
    Immunity.69:499-514, 2018. Research Article
  • Vogel A, Upadhya R, Shetty AK:  Neural stem cell derived extracellular vesicles: Attributes and prospects for treating neurodegenerative disorders. EBioMedicine 38:273-282, 2018. Research Article
  • Shetty AK, Kodali M, Upadhya R, Madhu LN: Emerging Anti-Aging Strategies - Scientific Basis and Efficacy. Aging and Disease 9:1165-1184, 2018. Research Article
  • Upadhya U, Castro, OW, Upadhya R, Shetty AK (2018): Prospects of Cannabidiol for Easing Status Epilepticus Induced Epileptogenesis and Related Co-morbidities. Molecular Neurobiology, In press, 2018. Research Article
  • Long Q, Upadhya D, Hattiangady B, Kim DK, An SY, Shuai B, Prockop DJ, Shetty AK (2017) Intranasal MSC-derived A1-exosomes ease inflammation and prevent abnormal neurogenesis and memory dysfunction after status epilepticus. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), USA. Apr 25;114(17): E3536-E3545, 2017. Research Article 
  • Shetty G, Hattiangady B, Upadhya D, Bates A, Attaluri S, Shuai B, Kodali M, Shetty AK (2017) Chronic oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, Nrf-2 activation and inflammation in the hippocampus accompany heightened systemic inflammation and oxidative stress in Gulf war illness. Frontiers in Molecular Neuroscience, Jun 14;10:182. 2017. Research Article 
  • Shetty AK, Hattiangady B (2016): Grafted subventricular zone neural stem cells display robust engraftment and similar differentiation properties and form new neurogenic niches in the young and aged hippocampus. Stem Cells Translational Medicine, Sep;5(9):1204-15, 2016. Research Article
  • Kodali M, Megahed T, Mishra V, Shuai B, Hattiangady B, Shetty AK (2016): Voluntary running exercise mediated enhanced neurogenesis does not obliterate retrograde spatial memory. Journal of Neuroscience, Aug 3;36(31):8112-22. 2016. Research Article
  • Upadhya D, Hattiangady B, Shetty GA, Zanirati G, Kodali M, Shetty AK (2016): Neural stem cell or human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived GABA-ergic progenitor cell grafting in an animal model of chronic temporal lobe epilepsy. Current Protocols in Stem Cell Biology, Aug 17; 38: 2D.7.1-
    2D.7.47. 2016. Research Article
  • Shetty AK, Upadhya D (2016): GABA-ergic cell therapy for epilepsy: Advances, Limitations and Challenges. Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews, 62:35-47, 2016. Research Article
  • Kim DK, Nishida H, An SY, Shetty AK, Bartosh TJ, Prockop DJ (2016). Chromatographically isolated CD63+CD81+ extracellular vesicles from mesenchymal stromal cells rescue cognitive impairments after
    TBI. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), USA. 113: 170-175, 2016. Research Article
  • Mishra V, Shuai B, Kodali M, Shetty GA, Hattiangady B, Rao X, Shetty AK (2015): Resveratrol treatment after status epilepticus restrains neurodegeneration and abnormal neurogenesis with suppression of
    oxidative stress and inflammation. Scientific Reports (Nature Publishing Group), 5:17807; Dec7, 2015. Research Article
  • Agadi S, Shetty AK (2015): Prospects of Bone Marrow Mononuclear Cells and Mesenchymal Stem Cells for Treating Status Epilepticus and Chronic Epilepsy. Stem Cells, 33:2093-2103, 2015. Research Article
  • Kodali M, Parihar V, Hattiangady B, Mishra V, Shuai B, Shetty AK (2015): Resveratrol prevents age-related memory and mood dysfunction with increased hippocampal neurogenesis and microvasculature and reduced glial activation. Scientific Reports (Nature Publishing Group), 5:8075; Jan 28, 2015. Research Article 
  • Shetty AK, Mishra V, Kodali M, Hattiangady B (2014): Blood brain barrier dysfunction and delayed neurological deficits in mild traumatic brain injury induced by blast shock waves. Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience, 8:232, Aug 13, 2014. Research Article 
  • Hattiangady B, Mishra V, Kodali M, Shuai B, Rao, X, Shetty AK (2014): Object location and object recognition memory impairments, motivation deficits and depression in a model of Gulf War illness. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, 8:78, March 13, 2014. Research Article 
  • Parihar VK, Hattiangady B, Shuai B, Shetty AK (2013): Mood and memory deficits in a model of Gulf war illness are linked with reduced neurogenesis, partial neuron loss and mild inflammation in the hippocampus. Neuropsychopharmacology, 38: 2348-2362, 2013. Research Article
  • Watanabe J. Shetty AK, Hattiangady B, Kim D-K, Foraker JE, Nishida H, Prockop DJ (2013): Administration of TSG-6 improves memory after traumatic brain injury in mice. Neurobiology of Disease, 59:86-99, 2013. Research Article
  • Shetty GA, Hattiangady B, Shetty AK (2013): Neural stem cell- and neurogenesis-related gene expression profiles in the young and aged dentate gyrus. AGE, 35: 2165-2176, 2013. Research Article 
  • Hattiangady B, Shetty AK (2012): Neural stem cell grafting counteracts hippocampal injury-mediated impairments in mood, memory and neurogenesis. Stem Cells Translational Medicine, 1:696 708, 2012.Research Article
  • Parihar VK, Hattiangady B, Kuruba R, Shuai B, Shetty AK (2011): Predictable chronic mild stress improves mood, hippocampal neurogenesis and memory. Molecular Psychiatry, 16, 171 183, 2011. Research Article
  • Shetty AK: Progress in Cell Grafting Therapy for Temporal Lobe Epilepsy. Neurotherapeutics, 8(4): 721-735, 2011. Research Article 
  • Hattiangady B, Kuruba R, Shetty AK: Acute seizures in old age leads to a greater Loss of CA1 pyramidal neurons, an increased propensity for developing chronic TLE and a severe cognitive dysfunction, Aging and Disease, 2:1-17, 2011. Research Article 
  • Shetty AK: Promise of resveratrol for easing status epilepticus and epilepsy. Pharmacology & Therapeutics, 131 (3), 269-86, 2011. Research Article 
  • Waldau B, Hattiangady B, Kuruba R, Shetty AK: Medial ganglionic eminence-derived neural stem cell grafts ease spontaneous seizures and restore GDNF expression in a rat model of chronic temporal lobe epilepsy. Stem Cells, 28, 1153-1164, 2010. Research Article 
  • Hattiangady B, Shetty AK: Decreased neuronal differentiation of newly generated cells underlies diminished neurogenesis in chronic temporal lobe epilepsy. Hippocampus, 20:97-112, 2010. Research Article 
  • Kuruba, Hattiangady B, Shetty AK: Hippocampal neurogenesis and neural stem cells in chronic temporal lobe epilepsy Epilepsy & Behavior, 14 Suppl 1:65-73, 2009. Research Article 
  • Shetty AK, Hattiangady B, Rao MS: Vulnerability of hippocampal GABA-ergic interneurons to kainate induced excitotoxic injury during old age. Journal of Cellular & Molecular Medicine, 13(8B):2408-2423, 2009. Research Article
  • Hattiangady B, Rao MS, Shetty AK (2008) Grafting of Striatal Precursor Cells into Hippocampus Shortly after Status Epilepticus Restrains Chronic Temporal Lobe Epilepsy. Experimental Neurology. 212:468-
    481, 2008. Research Article 
  • Hattiangady B, Rao MS, Shetty AK (2008): Plasticity of hippocampal stem/progenitor cells to enhance neurogenesis in response to injury is lost by middle age, Aging Cell, 7:207-224. 2008. Research Article 
  • Hattiangady B, Shetty AK (2008): Aging Does Not Alter the Number or Phenotype of Putative Stem/Progenitor Cells in the Neurogenic Region of the Hippocampus. Neurobiology of Aging, 29(1):129-47, 2008. Research Article 
  • Waldau B, Shetty AK Behavior of Neural Stem Cells in the Alzheimer's Brain, Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences, 65:2372-84, 2008. Research Article 
  • Acharya M, Hattiangady B, Shetty AK (2008): Progress in neuroprotective strategies for preventing epilepsy. Progress in Neurobiology, 84:363-404. 2008. Research Article 
  • Dhanushkodi A, Shetty AK (2008): Is exposure to enriched environment beneficial for functional post-lesional recovery in TLE? Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews, 32:657-674, 2008. Research Article
  • Hattiangady B, Shuai B, Cai J, Coksaygan T, Rao MS, Shetty AK (2007): Increased dentate neurogenesis after grafting of glial restricted progenitors or neural stem cells in the aging hippocampus. Stem Cells, 25:2104-2117, 2007. Research Article 
  • Shetty AK and Hattiangady B (2007). Prospects of Stem Cell therapy for Temporal Lobe Epilepsy. Stem Cells, 25:2396-2407, 2007. Research Article 
  • Rao MS, Hattiangady B, Shetty AK (2006): The window and mechanisms of major age-related decline in the production of new neurons within the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus. Aging Cell, 5:545-558, 2006. Research Article 
  • Shetty AK, Zaman V, Hattiangady B (2005): Repair of the injured adult hippocampus through graft-mediated modulation of the plasticity of the dentate gyrus in a rat model of temporal lobe epilepsy. Journal of Neuroscience, 25: 8391-8401, 2005. Research Article 
  • Shetty AK, Hattiangady B, Shetty GA (2005): Stem/progenitor cell proliferation factors FGF-2, IGF-1, and VEGF exhibit early decline during the course of aging in the hippocampus: role of astrocytes, GLIA, 51:173-186, 2005. Research Article

Edited Books:

Neural Stem Cells in Health & Disease (2015): Link to Chapters 

 

Resources

Curriculum Vitae

Google Scholar Citations

PUBMED ARTICLES

 

A ‘secret weapon’ for drug-resistant epilepsy, Vital Record, November 2022 

TEXAS A&M HEALTH FACULTY RANK AMONG TOP 2 PERCENT SCHOLARS WORLDWIDE, Vital Record, May 2022

Watson, Shetty honored with College of Medicine Research Excellence Award, Vital Record, February 2022

Running could improve brain function in Gulf War illness, Vital Record, January 2022

Medical student explores progress and challenges of new therapy for Parkinson’s disease, Vital Record, July 2021.

Could A Common Diabetes Drug Slow Down Aging? Texas A&M Today, March 2021

Could A Nasal Spray Of “Nanovesicles” Repair Brain Cells? Texas A&M Today, October 2020

Inside the stem-cell pharmaceutical factory, NATURE, June 2020

Are Mesenchymal Stem Cells a Promising Treatment for COVID-19?, THE SCIENTIST, April 2020

Drug shows promise for treating cognitive problems and inflammation in Gulf War Illness d to Gulf War Illness, Vital Record, TAMU, January 2020

Possible Treatment for Cognitive Dysfunction Related to Gulf War Illness, Vital Record, TAMU, July 2019

Stem cell-derived neurons stop seizures and improve cognitive function, Eureka Alert, AAAS, December 2018

Curcumin Shows Promise for Treating Gulf War Illness, Association of American Universities, March 2018 

Nasal spray may limit brain damage from seizures, Futurity.org, April 2017

Modeling Gulf War illness: Knowing the cause of brain dysfunction is key to finding a cure Science Daily, June 2017

Exercise Boosts Brain Health, but is there a Downside?  THE NEW YORK TIMES, August 2016 

Exercise & Neurogenesis: The Effects of Running on Memory INSITE Magazine, October 2016

Neural Stem Cells May Have Potential to Regenerate Memory in Old Brains THE SCIENCE EXPLORER, June 2016

Resveratrol Found In Red Wine May Help Prevent Memory Loss, HUFFINGTON POST, February 2015

Hippocampal Stem Cell Grafts Reportedly Improve Mood and Memory in Rats - Neurology Today, October 2012

Lab Members

 

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MAHEEDHAR KODALI, Ph.D. – Research Scientist 

Research Interests: Understanding pathophysiology and developing treatment strategies for neurodegenerative conditions including Gulf War Illness, Traumatic Brain Injury, Aging, Alzheimer's Disease and Temporal Lobe Epilepsy, 

Expertise: Developing experimental models for Gulf War Illness, Traumatic Brain Injury, and Temporal Lobe Epilepsy, Survival surgeries for transplantation of cells and chronic EEG recordings, isolation of microglia and astrocytes from rodent brains, functional assessment in rodents by neurocognitive tests, investigation of modulation of neuroinflammation and neurogenesis at the cellular and molecular level, human mesenchymal stem cell cultures and isolation of extracellular Vesicles.

Google Scholar 
Pubmed

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MADHU, L.N., Ph.D. – Research Scientist

Research Interests: Dr. Madhu’s research is mainly focused on different treatment strategies for neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, Gulf War Illness, Traumatic brain injury, Epilepsy and Aging-associated brain dysfunction.

Research skills and expertise: ELISA, Genotyping by PCR, qPCR, Western blotting, Transgenic animal breeding, Brain derived extracellular vesicle isolation, cognitive function behavioral tests, immunohistochemistry, and cell quantification.

Google scholar

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BING SHUAI, M.D. – Senior Research Associate

Research Interests: Animal modeling of Gulf War Illness, Aging, Alzheimer’s disease and Temporal lobe epilepsy

Research skills and expertise: Immunohistochemical procedures, Dual/triple immunofluorescence methods and Imaging, Animal model development, Animal perfusions, Brain tissue processing and Cryostat sectioning.

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Sahithi Attaluri, M.PHARM. – Senior Research Associate

Research Interests: Investigating therapeutic approaches for neurodegenerative conditions including Gulf War Illness, Aging, Temporal Lobe Epilepsy, Traumatic Brain Injury, and Alzheimer's Disease. 

Research skills and expertise: Developing Experimental models for Gulf War Illness, Temporal Lobe Epilepsy and Traumatic Brain Injury, Neurobehavioral tests, Examination of alterations at the cellular level in neurodegenerative conditions, Human and Animal Cell Culture Techniques Including Isolation of Extracellular Vesicles from Stem Cells.

Google Scholar

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Yogish Somayaji, Ph.D. – Postdoctoral Research Associate

Research Interest: Gulf War illness, Alzheimer's disease, and Aging

Research skills and expertise: Dr. Yogish's research involves, exposure of various chemicals to animals (rats and mice), testing of animals for cognitive and mood function using a battery of behavioral tests, animal euthanasia, brain tissue harvesting for immunohistochemistry, biochemistry and molecular biology, immunocytochemical and immunofluorescence studies on brain issue sections, performing ELISA, WB, and quantitative real-time PCR.

Google scholar

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SHAMA RAO, Ph.D. – Postdoctoral Research Associate

Research Interests: Stem cell and cell derived extracellular vesicles as a therapeutic strategy for neurodegenerative diseases.

Research skills and expertise: Techniques in Mammalian Cell culture, Propagation and maintenance of cell lines, Isolation, characterization and differentiation of Human neural and mesenchymal stem cells, Synovium derived stem cells, Bone marrow stem cells, Cartilage derived stem cells and Umbilical cord derived stem cells, Dermal stem cells, Establishment of explant and monolayer culture of mammalian normal and cancer cells. PCR, Agarose gel electrophoresis, PAGE, Western Blotting and ELISA, Immunocytochemistry

Google scholar

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Vidya V. Rao, Ph.D. – Research Associate

Research Interests: Stem cell and cell derived extracellular vesicles isolation, EV therapeutic strategy for neurodegenerative diseases.

Research skills and expertise: Techniques in Mammalian Cell culture, Extracellular vesicle isolation, fluorescent microscopy, Agarose gel electrophoresis, ELISA

 xiaolan-rao.jpg

Xiaolan Rao, B.S. – Research Assistant

Research Interests: Neuropathological studies in neurodegenerative disease models

Research skills and expertise: Brain tissue processing, cryostat sectioning, immunohistochemical and immunofluorescence staining, neurobehavioral tests for assessing cognitive and mood function.

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Maha Kirmani, B.S. – Research Assistant

Research Interests: Neuroimaging and neurohistological studies on neurodegenerative disease models

Research skills and expertise: Immunohistochemical and immunofluorescence staining, Stereology, Confocal Microscopy, Image J.

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Charles Huard, Undergraduate Research Student

Research Interest: Charles’s research is mainly focused on senescence in animal models of neurodegenerative diseases. He is also interested in determining whether various senolytics that eliminate senescent cells could alleviate the progression of neurodegeneration.

Research skills and expertise: ELISA, qPCR, Flow Cytometry, Immunofluorescence, and Immunohistochemistry

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Vashishta Kolla, B. TECH. – Mbiot Research Student

Research Interests: Human induced pluripotent stem cell and human neural stem cell cultures, Traumatic Brain Injury and Gulf War Illness

Research skills and expertise: Animal Handling, Basic cell culture techniques, StereoInvestigator cell counting, Fluorescence Microscopy, Image J analysis

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ARFA JAWAID, B. TECH. – Mbiot Research Student

Research Interests: Human induced pluripotent stem cell and human neural stem cell cultures, Extracellular Vesicle isolation, Size-exclusion chromatography, and Neuropathological changes in Alzheimer’s disease

Research skills and expertise: Cell culture techniques, isolation of extracellular vesicles, immunohistochemistry, Light microscopy and imaging

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JESWIN E. JAMES, B. TECH. – Mbiot Research Student

Research Interests: Human induced pluripotent stem cell and human neural stem cell cultures, Extracellular Vesicle isolation, Size-exclusion chromatography, and Neurobiology of Aging and Alzheimer’s disease

Research skills and expertise: Cell culture techniques, isolation of extracellular vesicles, immunohistochemistry, Light microscopy and imaging