149 Beaumont Avenue
HSRF 220
Burlington, VT 05405
United States
- Fellowship, Lipid Biochemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
- Ph.D., Biochemistry, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India
- M.S., Biochemistry, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India
- B.S., Chemistry, Botany, and Zoology, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India
Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
University of Vermont Cancer Center
Areas of expertise
- Particle and fiber-induced lung pathologies and related mechanisms
- Mesothelioma and lung cancer
BIO
My overall goal had been to understand mechanisms of lung diseases caused by asbestos, silica, particulate matter (PM2.5) and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Hoping to identify therapeutic targets for future interventions.
Specifically, my focus had been to understand asbestos-induced cancer called mesothelioma. For years we have developed and used relevant animal models, genetically modulated cell lines and human specimens/samples (from Biobank), to understand this cancer at molecular level. Over the years we have been able to identify some possible molecular targets leading to this cancer in response to asbestos exposure (see publications). Genetic or chemical modulations of some of these targets were able to slow down tumor growth and/or size in mouse models. More interestingly, we were able to demonstrate that ‘exosomes’ could be the carrier of information from asbestos-exposed lung cells to mesothelial cells in pleura or peritoneum and transform them to initiate mesothelioma. Furthermore, exosomes secreted from mesothelioma cells were found to contain high levels of tumor survival microRNAs, suggesting that inhibition of exosome secretion or overloading of mesothelioma cells/tumors with exosomes could be exploited as a possible therapeutic approach, an idea remains to be tested.
Publications
Bio
My overall goal had been to understand mechanisms of lung diseases caused by asbestos, silica, particulate matter (PM2.5) and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Hoping to identify therapeutic targets for future interventions.
Specifically, my focus had been to understand asbestos-induced cancer called mesothelioma. For years we have developed and used relevant animal models, genetically modulated cell lines and human specimens/samples (from Biobank), to understand this cancer at molecular level. Over the years we have been able to identify some possible molecular targets leading to this cancer in response to asbestos exposure (see publications). Genetic or chemical modulations of some of these targets were able to slow down tumor growth and/or size in mouse models. More interestingly, we were able to demonstrate that ‘exosomes’ could be the carrier of information from asbestos-exposed lung cells to mesothelial cells in pleura or peritoneum and transform them to initiate mesothelioma. Furthermore, exosomes secreted from mesothelioma cells were found to contain high levels of tumor survival microRNAs, suggesting that inhibition of exosome secretion or overloading of mesothelioma cells/tumors with exosomes could be exploited as a possible therapeutic approach, an idea remains to be tested.