Dr. Ayyappan Rajasekaran a.k.a. (Raj Rajasekaran) is an internationally renowned cancer researcher. He completed his PhD from the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India. His post-doctoral training in basic cancer cell biology was at the cell biology departments of New York University Medical Center and the Weill Medical College of Cornell University. He was a junior faculty in the department of Cell Biology and the Director of the 3D (confocal) microscopy facility at Cornell University. At the University of California, Los Angeles he made many basic cancer discoveries. He was the founding director of the Cancer Center at the Alfred I DuPont Hospital for children, Wilmington, Delaware. His other academic appointments include Professor of Pediatrics, Thomas Jefferson University, Adjunct Professor of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Delaware, Senior Research Scientist at Helen F Graham Cancer Center, and Adjunct Professor, Lankenau Institute of Medical Research. In 2013, he founded Therapy Architects, LLC to bring his discoveries to the bedside in the clinic.
Teaching: Dr. Rajasekaran has been an educator for the past 25 years. He taught basic cell biology and cancer biology to PhD graduate and medical students at Cornell and UCLA. He was the program director for PhD graduate students in the department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at UCLA and has won many awards for his excellence in teaching. His philosophy of teaching is to provide students with a strong foundation and nurture their creative thinking capacity. Hundreds of students have benefitted from the critical thinking process reinforced by Dr. Rajasekaran. He simplifies complex biological processes so that a lay person can easily comprehend. He has given biology lectures at elementary schools, colleges, universities and in large national and international cancer research symposia. He strongly believes that childhood education on cancer will help them take preventive measures now and better deal with the disease in their future. To promote childhood cancer education he started a Global Cancer Biology Education program which provides free lectures on cancer to middle and high school students globally.
Research: Dr. Rajasekaran has 25 years of
experience in cancer research. His group focuses on basic mechanisms involved
in normal cell transformation into cancer, cancer biomarkers, drug discovery
and nanoparticle mediated drug delivery. He has published more than 80 peer
reviewed research articles. Six of his
publications were highlighted as journal cover articles. Cancer is a multistep
process in which normal cells accumulate genetic and epigenetic changes to
become a cancerous cell which then has the potential to multiply and produce a
tumor mass. During this development
cancer cells also acquire the ability to move to distant organs, a process
known as metastasis which is the cause of most of the cancer deaths.
Dr.
Rajasekarans’ research focused on this process and has identified biomarkers
that are involved in the transformation of normal cell into a metastatic cancer
cell. The biomarkers extensively characterized in his laboratory are sodium
pump beta-subunit, prostate specific membrane antigen, soluble form of
E-cadherin and Wilms tumor protein. These biomarkers are key targets for drug
development which is the current focus of his research interest. His group also
discovered gramicidin (an antibiotic) as a potential drug to for the treatment
of kidney cancer. In addition, his group pioneered nanoparticle-mediated
targeted drug delivery to mitigate side-effects of chemotherapy in children
with leukemia.
Education
|
|
1981
|
B.S. in
Botany, Chemistry, Zoology
University
of Madras, Madras, India
|
1983
|
M.S. in
Botany
University
of Madras, Madras, India
|
1988
|
Ph.D. in
Biochemistry
Indian
Institute of Science, Bangalore, India
|
2007
|
The
Executive Program in Management
UCLA Anderson
School of Management
|
Academic Appointments
|
|
1994 –
1997
|
Instructor,
Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy
Weill
Medical College of Cornell University
New York,
NY 10021
|
1997 –
2004
|
Assistant
Professor, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
University
of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
Los
Angeles, CA 90095
|
2003 –
2007
|
Director, Cellular
and Molecular Pathology Graduate Program
University
of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
Los
Angeles, CA 90095
|
2004 –
2006
|
Associate
Professor (Step I)
Department
of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, UCLA
Los
Angeles, CA 90095
|
2006 –
2007
|
Associate
Professor (Step III, Accelerated Promotion)
Department
of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, UCLA
Los Angeles,
CA 90095
|
2007 –
2012
|
Director, Nemours
Center for Childhood Cancer Research
A. I.
duPont Hospital for Children
Wilmington,
DE 19803
|
2012 - 2013
|
Director,
Basic Research Program
A.I.
duPont Hospital for Children
Wilmington,
DE 19803
|
2007 –
Present
|
Affiliated
Scientist, Department of Biological Sciences
University
of Delaware
|
2008 –
Present
|
Professor,
Department of Pediatrics
Thomas
Jefferson University
|
2008 –
Present
|
Adjunct
Professor, Department of Material Science & Engineering
Newark,
DE 19716
|
2012 –
Present
|
Senior
Research Scientist
Helen F.
Graham Cancer Center
Newark,
DE 19713
|
2013 - Present Founder
and President
Therapy
Architects, LLC Wilmington, Delaware
Selected Awards and Honors
|
|
1981
|
B.S. (with honors, National Merit
Scholarship)
|
1983
|
M.S. (with honors, National Merit
Scholarship)
|
1983 – 1988
|
Indian Institute of Science
Fellowship
|
1994 – 1996
|
Toohey Foundation Award
|
1997 – 1998
|
Academic Senate Award, UCLA
|
1998
|
Academic Senate Award, UCLA
|
1998
|
CaP CURE Award
|
1999
|
BZL Biologics PSMA Research
Recognition Award
|
2003
|
Best Pathology Course Recognition Award
from Graduate Students
|
2003
|
Full Member, Molecular Biology
Institute, UCLA
|
2006
|
Elected Member, CURE Digestive
Diseases Research Center, UCLA
|
2006
|
Accelerated promotion to Associate
Professor Step III
|
2008
|
Elected Member, Delaware Cancer
Consortium, Tobacco and Other Risk Factors Committee
|
2008
|
Elected Member, Delaware Health
Sciences Alliance Task Force
|
2009
|
Elected Advisory Panel Member, American
Cancer Society’s India Cancer Initiative
|
2009
|
Advisory Group Member, Supporting Kidds: Grief Awareness Coalition
|
2009
|
Panel Member, Stronger Health Based
Partnership Conference, Delaware Health Sciences Alliance
|
2009
|
Panel Member, Delaware Health
Sciences Alliance: Symposium on Clinical and Translational Science
|
2010
|
Panel Member, Florida Department of
Health, Center for Disease Control, University of West Florida and Nemours,
collaboration on Florida Childhood Cancer Cluster, Tallahassee, FL
|
2010
|
Delegate, representing Nemours for
Congressional Delegation Meeting National EPSCoR/IDeA Coalition and
Foundation, Washington DC.
|
2013
|
Delaware Bioscience Winterfest
Research Award, Newark, DE
|
Press Releases and Other
Recognitions
|
|
2005
|
Na,K-ATPase beta-subunit as a
motility suppressor: paper published in Molecular Biology of the Cell
recognized as Editors Choice in the Science SKTE (AAAS Online journal)
|
Role of Na,K-ATPase in epithelial
cells and cancer: Recognized as a New Development Cancer Research highlighted
in the Science SKTE Commentary Article
|
|
New approach to PSMA Based
Immunotherapy: Molecular Cancer Therapeutics paper recognized by UCLA press
release, National Broadcast Radio, KCAL9 TV news, commentary article in Drug
Discovery Today, and as Research Highlights in the Department of Defense
website.
|
|
2007
|
A.I. duPont launches cancer effort: UCLA researchers are tapped to lead new
Nemours Center for Childhood Cancer Research, Nemours press release,
Wilmington News Journal, April 14, 2007
|
2008
|
New function of PSMA in induction of
Aneuploidy: Molecular Cancer Therapeutics paper recognized by Nemours press
release, National Broadcast Radio, PBS TV news, commentary article in
Delaware News Journal and as Research Highlights in the Department of Defense
prostate cancer program website.
|
Nemours
find may help treat cancer of prostate. Article in Wilmington News Journal,
July 17, 2008
|
|
2009
|
Nemours
Center for Childhood Cancer Research receives over $1 million in grants for
Center Research in 2008. PRWeb press release, January 8, 2009
|
Childhood
cancer: on the front lines. Article in The Philadelphia Inquirer, April 23,
2009
|
|
Beta
protein of sodium pump plays role in heart. Nemours press release, November
18, 2009
|
|
An
indicator of cancer risk? Interview on
radio station WDEL, featured on Health Watch segment, November 20, 2009
|
|
2010
|
Personalized
Medicine, From genetic tests to tailored care: Article in Wilmington News Journal,
June 1, 2010.
|
2011
|
The
Kaylyn Elaine Warren Foundation Fight for the Gold Ribbon Kids Main Event at
Frawley Stadium, ceremonial first pitch
|
2012
|
Nanotechnology
for Pediatric Leukemia Treatment,
Nemours
and University of Delaware press release, December, 2012
|
Delaware
On-Line News Journal article
|
|
2013
|
Highlighted
in 50+ health-related web sites, Science Monitor, Science
Daily and
Hematology Times
Nanotechnology research recognized by:
Best proffered preclinical research paper: American Association for Cancer Research -
Gerald B. Grindey Memorial Scholar-in-Training Award
Graduate student award: International Student
Research Presentation Contest, International Society for
Pharmaceutical Engineering Annual Meeting, Washington, DC.
Graduate student award - Regional Student Research
Presentation Contest, International Society for
Pharmaceutical Engineering Delaware Valley Chapter Event, Philadelphia.
|
2015
|
Nanotechnology
to mitigate side effects of cancer treatment in children, University of
Delaware Press Release
Nanotechnology
based drug delivery for children, Action 6 TV News
A cancer
breakthrough finding regarding cancer cells poisoning normal cells to become
cancerous, University of Delaware Press Release
How
cancer cells infect normal cells, Delaware Source of Public Media, WDDE 91.1
Dover, DE source of NPR news,
|
2016 Gene sequencing offers
promising avenue for VP Biden’s moonshot
to cure Cancer, Delaware Source of
Public Media, WDDE 91.1
Dover, source of NPR news.
Patents
|
1. Low pressure shear type cell
homogenizer (1995) (U.S. Patent # 5,390,859).
|
2. Stably transfected cell selection
plate (1995) (U.S. Patent # 5,411,872).
|
3. DNA band isolation insert (1995)
(U.S. Patent # 5,384,022).
|
4. A novel endocytosing vehicle for
drug and antibody delivery to prostate and other tissues (2010) (U.S. Patent
# 7,776,548).
5. Diagnostic and therapeutic potential
of Na,K-ATPase beta-subunit in cancer (International and US Patents pending).
|
6. Method to increase the efficiency of
anti PSMA antibody for treatment of prostate cancer (patent pending).
|
7. A novel PSMA based prostate cancer
treatment (patent pending).
|
8. A novel serum marker to assess
activated oncogenic signaling in human cancers and inflammatory epithelial
diseases (patent pending).
|
Conference
Organization
|
|
2005
|
Co-founded UCLA Cytoskeleton Club together
with Drs. Frank Laski and Rachelle Crosbie
|
2007
|
Co-organized UCLA cytoskeleton club
symposium
|
2008
|
Organized Nemours Center for
Childhood Cancer Awareness and Education Symposium
|
2008
|
Co-founded
the Nemours Center for Childhood Cancer Research Translational Meeting Series
together with Christopher Frantz, MD
|
National
Review Boards
|
|
Ad
Hoc Reviewer
|
|
National
Science Foundation:
|
|
Cell Biology Panel and International
Grants Review Panel
|
|
National
Institute of Health:
|
|
Cellular and Molecular Biology of
the Kidney Study Section
|
|
Department
of Defense:
|
|
Prostate Cancer Research Program:
Cell Biology Study Section and Programmatic Review Panel Member
|
|
American
Institute of Biological Sciences:
|
|
Industrial Prostate Cancer Research
Program
|
|
South
Plain Foundation, Texas:
|
|
Prostate Cancer Grants
|
|
Research Competitiveness Program at the
American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
|
|
Washington's
Life Sciences Discovery Fund (LSDF) Grants
|
|
Barrow Neurological Institute,
|
|
Translational
research grants
|
|
International Review Boards
|
|
Hadwen Trust
|
|
Dr. Hadwen
Trust for Humane Research
|
|
United States – Israel Binational Science
Foundation
|
|
National
Cancer Institute
|
|
Special
Review and Logistic Branch,
NCI
Provocative Review Question Study Section Member
NCI
Omnibus grants review study section member
|
Editorial
Board
|
||
2010-2013 Cancer Research
|
||
2011-
2012- |
American Journal of Molecular
Biology
ISRN Journal of Nephrology
|
|
2014- Annals of Materials Science and
Engineering
2015- Journal of
kidney cancer and VHL
Reviewer
|
Journal of Clinical Investigation
|
Molecular
Biology of the Cell
|
Journal
of Cell Science
|
Molecular
Cancer Therapeutics
|
American
Journal of Physiology (Renal)
|
Cancer
Research
|
PLoSONE
|
Oncogene
|
Clinical
Cancer Research
|
Journal
of Biological Chemistry
|
Journal
of Cellular and Molecular Medicine
|
Experimental
Cell Research
|
FASEB
Journal
|
Journal
of Clinical Pathology
|
Cell
Biology International
|
Histology and Histopathology
|
Journal
of Histochemistry and Cytochemistry
|
Molecular
Cell Biology
|
Development
|
Journal
of Membrane Biology
|
British
Journal of Oncology
|
Human
Pathology
|
The
International Journal of Biochemistry & Cell Biology
|
International
Journal of Cancer
Journal
of Patent Analysis
Molecular
Pharmaceutics
Clinical
Pharmacology and Therapeutics
ACS
Chemical Biology
Molecular
Diagnosis and Therapy
Nanomedicine
|
Committee Service
|
|
National
Committees
|
|
2009 – 2012
|
Advisory Panel Member, American
Cancer Society, India Cancer Initiative
|
State
Committees
|
|
2008 – Present
|
Member, Delaware Cancer Consortium, Tobacco
and Other
Risk Factors Committee
|
2009 – 2013
|
Task Force Member,
|
2009 – 2013
2013-
|
Delaware Health Sciences Alliance
pilot grants review committee
Center for Translational Research
pilot grants section Co-investigator with Dr. Buchanan
|
Institutional
Committees
|
|
2008 – 2012
|
Executive Committee, Nemours Center
for Childhood Cancer Research (NCCCR), Wilmington, Delaware
|
2008 – Present
|
Steering Committee, Center for
Translational Cancer Research, Helen F. Graham Cancer Center, Newark,
Delaware
|
2009 – 2013
|
Institutional Animal Care and Use
Committee, Nemours Biomedical Research, A. I. duPont Hospital for Children,
Wilmington, Delaware
|
2009 – 2011
|
NCCCR/Mayo Clinic/American Cancer
Society Symposium, Organization Committee
|
2010- 2013
|
Center for Pediatric Research Pilot Grants
Review Committee
|
University: UCLA
|
|
1998 – 2007
|
Dean's Cell Biology Focus Group
|
1999
|
Bing Professorship Search Committee
|
2003 – 2007
|
UCLA Access Steering Committee
|
2003 – 2007
|
UCLA Access Student Admission
Committee
|
Department
of Laboratory and Medicine: UCLA
|
|
1998 – 2007
|
Graduate Executive Committee
|
2000 – 2002
|
Basic Science Compensation Plan
Committee
|
2000 – 2002
|
Academic Personnel Committee
|
2001 – 2002
|
Departmental Lunch Seminar Series
Organizing Committee
|
2003 – 2007
|
Department Graduate Advisor
|
2003 – 2007
|
Department Research Committee
|
2006 – 2007
|
Pathology Seminar Series Organizing
Committee
|
Teaching
|
|
NYU
Medical Center
|
|
1989 – 1992
|
Instructor, Cell and Molecular
Biology Course (G16.2104)
|
Weill
Medical College of Cornell University
|
|
1993 – 1997
|
Director, Institutional Confocal
Microscopy Facility
|
1995 – 1996
|
Instructor, Histology Course
|
University
of California, Los Angeles
|
|
1999 – 2005
|
Director, Departmental Confocal
Microscopy Facility
|
1999 – 2007
|
Cell Adhesion Molecules and Cancer,
M297, UCLA Access Seminar Course (Course Director)
|
1999 – 2007
|
Lecturer, Molecular Basis of
Disease, M237, Biology of Cancer and Metastasis
|
2000 – 2007
|
Lecturer, Cell Biology and
Pathogenesis, M229, Membrane Polarization and Regulation
|
2002 – 2003
|
Course Director, Histology and
Pathology for Graduate Students, M238
|
2004
|
Lecturer,
Basic Concepts in Oncology, M294
|
2004 – 2007
|
Course Director, Cellular and
Molecular Basis of Disease, M237
|
University
of Delaware
|
|
2012 – 2014
|
Lecturer, BISC 675, Cardiovascular
Physiology, Leukemia
|
Mentoring
Mentored
more than 65 faculty, postdocortal fellows, graduate and under graduate
students
|
Research
Grants and Fellowships
Raised more than $5 million in grants
and fellowships for research.
Presentations
More than
100 national and international research presentations
Peer
reviewed publications:
Research papers recognized as Journal
covers and highlights:
Research
papers:
Biomarker, sodium pump
beta-subunit: Sodium pump is an ion channel protein that
maintains sodium and potassium levels in cells. This is a key protein that
regulates the function of various organs such as heart, brain, kidney, and many
glandular organs. Sodium pump is composed of three subunits, alpha, beta and
gamma. Dr. Rajasekarans’ research established that the beta subunit has
cell-cell adhesion function that is lost in metastatic cancers.
1.
Rajasekaran SA, Ball Jr WJ, Bander
NH, Liu H, Pardee JD, Rajasekaran
AK. (1999). Reduced expression of beta-subunit of Na, K-ATPase in human
clear-cell renal cell carcinoma. J Urol.
162: 574-580.
2.
Rajasekaran SA, Palmer LG, Quan K, Harper JF,
Ball Jr WJ, Bander NH, Peralta-Soler A, Rajasekaran
AK. (2001). Na,K-ATPase beta-subunit is required for epithelial
polarization, suppression of invasion, and cell motility. Mol Biol Cell. 12: 279-295.
3.
Rajasekaran SA, Palmer LG, Moon SY, Peralta
Soler A, Apodaca GL, Harper JF, Zheng Y, Rajasekaran
AK. (2001). Na,K-ATPase activity is required for the formation
of tight junctions, desmosomes, and induction of polarity in epithelial
cells. Mol Biol Cell. 12: 3717-3732.
4. Espineda C, Seligson D, Ball Jr WJ, Rao JY, Palotie A, Horvath S, Huang
Y, Shi T, Rajasekaran AK. (2003). Analysis of the Na,K-ATPase alpha- and beta-subunit
expression profiles of the bladder cancer using tissue microarrays. Cancer.
97:1859-1868.
5.
Rajasekaran SA, Hu J, Gopal J, Gallemore R,
Ryazantsev S, Bok D, Rajasekaran AK. (2003). Na,K-ATPase inhibition alters tight junction
structure and permeability in human retinal pigment epithelial cells. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol. 284(6): C1497-1507.
6.
Rajasekaran AK, Gopal J,
Rajasekaran SA. (2003). Na,K-ATPase in
the regulation of epithelial cell structure.
Ann NY Acad Sci. 986:649-651.
7.
Rajasekaran SA, Gopal J, Rajasekaran AK. (2003).
Expression of Na,K-ATPase b-subunit in
transformed MDCK cells increases the translation of the Na,K-ATPase alpha-subunit. Ann NY Acad Sci. 986:652-654.
8. Rajasekaran AK, Rajasekaran SA. (2003). Role of Na,K-ATPase in the assembly
of tight junctions. Am
J Renal Physiol. 285: F388-F396.
9. Rajasekaran SA, Anilkumar G, Oshima E, Bowie JU, Liu
H, Heston W, Bander N, Rajasekaran
AK. (2003). A novel cytoplasmic tail MXXXL motif mediates the
internalization of prostate specific membrane antigen. Mol Biol Cell. 14: 4835-4845.
10. Espineda ES, Chang J, Twiss J, Rajasekaran SA, Rajasekaran AK. (2004). Repression of Na,K-ATPase beta1-subunit by the transcription
factor Snail in carcinoma. Mol Biol
Cell. 15: 1364-1373.
11. Rajasekaran SA, Gopal J, Willis D, Espineda C, Twiss
J, Rajasekaran
AK. (2004).
Na,K-ATPase beta1-subunit increases the translation efficiency of the a1-subunit in MSV-MDCK cells. Mol Biol Cell. 15: 3224-3232.
12. Christiansen JJ, Rajasekaran AK. (2004). Biological impediments to
antibody based cancer immunotherapy, invited review. Mol Cancer Ther. 11: 1493-1501.
13.
Rajasekaran SA, Gopal J, Espineda C,
Ryazantsev S, Schneeberger EE, Rajasekaran AK. (2004). HPAF-II cells, a pancreatic
cell model for studying epithelial polarity and junctional complexes. Pancreas.
29: e77-e83.
14.
Kim G, Rajasekaran SA, Thomas G, Rosen E,
Landaw E, Shintaku P, Lassman C, Said J, Rajasekaran AK. (2005). Renal clear-cell carcinoma: an
ultrastructural study on the junctional complexes. Histol Histopathol. 20: 35-44.
15.
Barwe S, Anilkumar G, Moon S, Zheng Y,
Whitelegge J, Rajasekaran SA, Rajasekaran AK. (2005). Novel role for Na,K-ATPase in
phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase signaling and suppression of cell motility. Mol Biol Cell. 16: 1082-1094. (Comment in Science STKE,
2005, Issue 273, pp. tw81, 1 March 2005).
16.
Rajasekaran SA, Barwe S, Rajasekaran AK. (2005). Multiple functions of
Na,K-ATPase. Sem Nephrol. 5: 328-334.
17.
Barwe SP, Rajasekaran SA, Rajasekaran AK. (2006). Identification of protein kinase C as
an intermediate in Na,K-ATPase beta-subunit mediated lamellipodia formation and
suppression of cell motility in carcinoma cells. Cell Mol Biol. 52: 41-47.
18.
Rajasekaran SA, Barwe SP, Gopal J, Ryazantsev
S, Schneeberger EE, Rajasekaran AK. (2007). Na,K-ATPase regulates tight junction
permeability through occludin phosphorylation in pancreatic epithelial cells. Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol. 292: G124-G133.
19.
Barwe SP, Kim S,
Rajasekaran SA, Bowie J, Rajasekaran AK. (2007). Janus model of the Na,K-ATPase beta-subunit
transmembrane domain: distinct faces mediate alpha/beta assembly and beta-beta
homo-oligomerization. J Mol Biol. 365: 706-714.
PMCID: PMC2459552.
20.
Seligson D, Rajasekaran SA, Yu H,
Liu X, Eeva M, Tze S, Ball Jr. W, Horvath S, deKernion J, Rajasekaran AK. (2008).
Na,K-adenosine triphosphatase alpha1-subunit predicts survival of renal
clear cell carcinoma. J Urol. 179: 338-345.
21.
Rajasekaran SA, Beyenbach KW, Rajasekaran AK. (2008).
Interactions of tight junctions with membrane channels and
transporters. Biochim Biophys ACTA. 1778: 757-769.
22.
Inge LJ, Rajasekaran SA, Yoshimoto K, Mischel
PS, McBride W, Landow E, Rajasekaran AK. (2008).
Evidence for a potential tumor suppressor role for the Na,K-ATPase
beta1-subunit. Histol Histopathol. 23: 459-467.
23.
Rajasekaran SA,
Rajasekaran AK. (2009).
Na,K-ATPase and epithelial tight junctions. Front Biosci. 4: 2130-2148.
24.
Tummala R, Wolle D, Barwe SP, Sampson VB, Rajasekaran AK, Pendyala L. (2009).
Expression of Na-K-ATPase-beta(1) subunit increases uptake and
sensitizes carcinoma cells to oxaliplatin Cancer Chemother Pharmacol. 64: 187-194.
PMCID: PMC2728910.
25. Barwe SP, Jordan MC, Skay A, Inge L, Rajasekaran SA,
Wolle D, Johnson CL, Neco P, Fang K,
Rozengurt N, Golhaber JI, Roos KP, Rajasekaran
AK. (2009). Dysfunction of ouabain-induced cardiac
contractility in mice with heart-specific ablation of Na,K-ATPase
beta1-subunit. J Mol Cell Cardiol. 47: 552-560.
PMCID: PMC2749246.
26. Rajasekaran S, Huynh TP, Wolle D, Espineda C, Inge L,
Skay A, Lassman C, Nicholas SB, Harper JF, Reeves AE, Ahmed MM, Leatherman JM,
Mullin JM, Rajasekaran AK (2010). Na,K-ATPase subunits as markers for
epithelial-mesenchymal transition in cancer fibrosis Mol Cancer Ther. 9: 1515-1524.
PMCID: PMC2884047.
27. Presson AP, Yoon NK, Bagryanova L, Mah V, Alavi M, Maresh
EL, Rajasekaran AK, Goodglick L,
Chia D, Horvath S (2011). Protein
expression based multimarker analysis of breast cancer samples. BMC Cancer.
11: 230. PMCID: PMC3142534
28. Huynh TP, Vei M, Ball Jr. WJ, Chia D, Fishbein MC,
Horvath S, Wu DC, Harper J, Sarafian T, Dubinett SD, Sampson V, Langhans SA,
Goodglick L, Rajasekaran AK (2012).
Na,K-ATPase is a target of cigarette smoke and reduced expression
predicts poor patient outcome of smokers with lung cancer. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol, 302:1150-L1158.
29. Barwe SP, Skay A, McSpadden R, Langhans SA, Huynh TP,
Inge LJ, Rajasekaran AK (2013). Na,K-ATPase beta-subunit cis
homo-oligomerization is necessary for epithelial lumen formation in mammalian
cells. J Cell Sci.125:5711-20.
30. Selvakumar P, Owens TA, David JM, Petrelli NJ,
Christiansen BC, Lakshmikuttyamma A, and Rajasekaran
AK (2014). Epigenitic silencing of Na,K-ATPase beta1 subunit gene ATP1B1 by
methylation in clear cell carcinoma. Epigenetics, 22;1-9.
31. Huynh, TP, Barwe, SP, Lee SJ, McSpadden R, Franco OE,
Hayward SW, Damoiseaux, R, Grubbs SS, Petrelli, NJ and Rajasekaran AK (2015).
Glucocorticoids suppress renal cell carcinoma progression by enhancing
Na,K-ATPase beta-subunit expression. Plos One. 10, (4) e0122442.
Biomarker, prostate specific
membrane antigen (PSMA): PSMA is a biomarker present in
high levels in metastatic prostate cancers. Dr. Rajasekaran’s group together
with Dr. Neil Bander’s group from Weill Medical College of College of Cornell
University established an antibody against this biomarker which has therapeutic
and diagnostic value. They also showed that PSMA induces aneuploidy (multiple
chromosomes), a key phenomenon involved in the development of drug resistance
and metastasis in cancer cells.
32.
Liu H., Moy P, Kim S, Xia Y, Rajasekaran AK, Navarro V, Knudsen B,
Bander N. (1997). Monoclonal antibodies to the extracellular
domain of prostate specific membrane antigen also react with tumor vascular
endothelium. Cancer Res. 57: 3629-3634.
33.
Liu H*, Rajasekaran
AK*, Moy P, Xia Y, Kim S, Navarro V, Rahmati R, Bander N. (1998). Constitutive and antibody induced
internalization of prostate specific membrane antigen. Cancer Res. 58: 4055-4060 (*shared authorship).
34. Christiansen J, Rajasekaran SA, Moy P, Butch A,
Goodglick L, Bander N, Reiter R, Gu Z, Rajasekaran
AK. (2003).
Polarity of prostate specific membrane antigen, prostate stem cell
antigen, and prostate specific antigen in MDCK cells and in prostate
tissue. Prostate 55: 9-19.
35. Anilkumar G, Rajasekaran SA, Wang S, Hankinson O,
Bander N, Rajasekaran
AK. (2003). Prostate specific membrane antigen association
with filamin A modulates its internalization and NAALADase activity. Cancer Res.
63:2645-2648.
36.
Rajasekaran AK, Anilkumar
G, Christiansen JJ. (2005). Is prostate specific membrane antigen a
multifunctional protein? Am J Physiol
Cell Physiol. 288: C975-C981.
37.
Christiansen JJ,
Rajasekaran SA, Inge L, Chang L, Anilkumar G, Bander N, Rajasekaran AK. (2005).
N-glycosylation and microtubule integrity are involved in apical
targeting of prostate specific membrane antigen: implication for immunotherapy.
Mol Cancer Ther. 4: 704-714.
(Cover Article).
UCLA press release, National Broadcast Radio,
KCAL9 TV news, comment in Drug Discovery Today, and as Research Highlights in
the Department of Defense website.
38. Anilkumar
G., Barwe SP, Christiansen JJ, Rajasekaran SA, Kohn DB, Rajasekaran AK. (2006).
Association of prostate specific membrane antigen with caveolin-1 and its
caveolae-dependent internalization in
microvascular endothelial cells: implications for targeting to tumor
vasculature. Microvasc Res. 72: 54-61.
39.
Christiansen JJ, Rajasekaran AK.
(2006). Reassessing epithelial to mesenchymal transition
as a prerequisite for carcinoma invasion and metastasis. Cancer Res.
66: 8319-8326.
40.
Christiansen JJ, Weimbs
T, Bander N, Rajasekaran AK. (2006). Differing effects of
microtubule depolymerizing and stabilizing chemotherapeutic agents in t-SNARE
mediated apical targeting of Prostate Specific Membrane Antigen. Mol Cancer Ther. 5: 2468-2473 (Cover Article).
41.
Barwe SP, Maul RS, Christiansen JJ, Anilkumar
G, Cooper CR, Kohn DB, Rajasekaran AK. (2007).
Preferential association of prostate cancer cells expressing prostate
specific membrane antigen to bone marrow matrix. Int J Oncol.
4: 899-904.
42.
Olson WC, Heston WD, Rajasekaran AK. (2007).
Clinical trials of cancer therapies targeting prostate-specific membrane
antigen. Rev Recent Clin Trials. 2: 182-190.
43.
Goodman Jr OB, Barwe SP, Ritter B, McPherson
PS, Vasko AJ, Keen JH, Nanus DM, Bander NH, Rajasekaran AK. (2007).
Interaction of prostate specific membrane antigen with clathrin and the adaptor
protein complex-2. Int J Oncol. 31: 1199-2003.
44.
Rajasekaran S, Christiansen JJ, Schmid I,
Oshima E, Ryazantsev S, Sakamoto K, Weinstein J, Rao N, Rajasekaran AK. (2008). Prostate specific membrane antigen
associates with anaphase promoting complex and induces chromosomal
instability. Mol Cancer Ther. 7:
2142-2151. PMCID: PMC2548318.
Nemours
press release, National Broadcast Radio, PBS TV news, comment Delaware News
Journal and as Research High lights in the Department of Defense prostate
cancer program website.
Biomarker, soluble E-cadherin
(sE-cad): sE-cad is the extracellular fragment of the cell-cell adhesion
molecule E-cadherin. This fragment is observed in high levels in cancer
patients’ sera. Dr. Rajasekaran’s group established that this fragment has the
potential to convert a normal cell into a cancer cell.
45. Inge LJ, Barwe SP, D’Ambrosio J, Gopal J, Lu K,
Ryazantsev S, Rajasekaran SA, Rajasekaran
AK (2011). Soluble E-cadherin
promotes cell survival by activating epidermal growth factor receptor. Exp Cell Res.
317(6):838-848
46.
Reckamp K, Gardner B, Figlin R, Elashoff D,
Krysan K, Dohadwala M, Mao J, Sharma S, Inge L, Rajasekaran AK, Dubinett S.
(2008). Tumor response to combination celecoxib and erlotinib therapy in
NSCLC is associated with a low baseline matrix metalloproteinase-9 and a
decline in serum soluble E-cadherin. J
Thorac Oncol. 3: 117-124.
47. David J,
Rajasekaran AK (2012). Dishonorable
discharge: the oncogenic roles of
cleaved e-cadherin fragments. Invited review, Cancer Res. 72 (12):2917-23.
48. Patil PU,
D'Ambrosio J, Inge L, Mason RW and Rajasekaran AK (2015). Carcinoma Cells
Sequentially Induce Pre-neoplastic Lumen Filling and EMT in Epithelial Cells by
soluble E-cadherin-Mediated Activation of EGFR. J cell Sci.128: 4366-79.
University
of Delaware Press Release, Delaware WDDE news
Biomarker, Wilms’ tumor protein
(WT1). Wilms’ tumor protein is a tumor suppressor expressed in
pediatric kidney cancer and is expressed in high levels in many cancers. Dr. Rajasekaran’s group established that this
protein is involved in inducing metastatic phenotype in adult kidney
cancer.
49. Sampson V, David J, Puig I, , Said JW, Garcia de Herreros
A, Thomas GV, Rajasekaran AK (2014).
Wilms‘ tumor portein induces an epithelial-mesenchymal hybrid
differentiation state in clear cell renal cell carcinoma. Plos One, 15;1-12.
Gramicidin
(GA) as potential drug for kidney cancer: GA is an old antibiotic used primarily in
animals. This is a short peptide that forms a pore in the cell membrane and
facilitates the transport of sodium ions into the cells. Dr. Rajasekaran’s
group established that GA is potent drug candidate to treat aggressive and
metastatic kidney cancer.
50. David JM, Owens TA, Barwe SP, Rajasekaran AK (2013). Gramicidin A
induces metabolic dysfunction and energy depletion leading to cell death in
Renal Cell carcinoma cells. Mol Cancer Ther. 12
(11):2296-307.
51. David JM, Owens TA, Inge LJ,
Bremner RM, Rajasekaran AK (2014).
Gramicidin A blocks tumor growth and angiogenesis through inhibition of
hypoxia-iinducible factor in renal cell carcioma. Mol.Can Ther, 13(4); 1–12.
52. David JM and Rajasekaran AK (2015). Gramicidin A: A new mission for an
old antibiotic. Journal of Kidney
Cancer and VHL, 2(1):15-24
Childhood leukemia: The most common cancer
in children is acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). While there is 85-90% cure
rate of ALL most of the children suffer from treatment related devastating
side-effects. Dr. Rajasekaran’s group
for the first time established nanoparticle based targeted drug delivery for
childhood ALL.
1. Amin R, Bohnert A, Holmes L, Rajasekaran A, Assanasen C.
(2010). Epidemiologic mapping of
Florida childhood cancer clusters.
Pediatr Blood Cancer. 54:
511-518. (Cover Article)
2. Krishnan V, Xu X, Barwe S, Yang X, Czymmek K, Waldman SA,
Mason RW, Jia X, Rajasekaran AK (2013). Dexamethasone-loaded block copolymer
nanoparticles induce leukemia cell death and enhances therapeutic efficacy: a
novel application in pediatric nanomedicine. Mol Pharm. 2013. 10:2199-210.
3. Krishnan V, Xu X, Barwe S, Yang X, Jia X, Rajasekaran AK (2013).
Nanomedicine for childhood leukemia.
Polymer Prepr (American Chemical Society, Division of Polymer Chemistry),
53(2); 387-88.
4. Krishnan V and Rajasekaran
AK (2014). Clinical Nanomedicine: a solution to the chemotherpy conundrum
in pediatric leukemia therapy. Clinical Pharmacol Ther. 95(2):168-78. Top
three downloaded article.
5. Rajasekaran AK and Krishnan V (2014). Nanomedicine to mitigate toxic
side-effects of chemotherapy in children. Ann Materials Sci Eng, 1;1-2.
6. Gilkey, JM, Krishnan, V, Scheetz L, Jia X, Rajasekaran AK, Dhurjati, PS (2015). Physiologically
based pharmacokinetic modeling of fluorescently labeled block copolymer
nanoparticles for controlled drug delivery in leukemia therapy. CPT: Pharmacometrics
& System Pharmacology, 4, e13.
7. Krishnan, V, Xu X, Kelly D, Snook
A, Waldman SC, Mason RW, Jia X and Rajasekaran AK (2105). CD19 targeted nanodelivery of
doxorubicinenhances therapeutic efficacy in B-cell acute lymphoblastic
leukemia.” Mol. Pharm. 12:2101-11.
Graduate
and postdoctoral fellowship publications:
1.
Rajasekaran
AK,
Divakar S. (1987). 31P-NMR study
of Thermomyces lanuginosus. Ind J Biochem Biophys. 24: 255-256.
2.
Rajasekaran
AK, Divakar
S. (1988). Carbon 13-NMR spectroscopic
study of a thermophilic fungus Thermomyces
lanuginosus. Curr Sci 57: 235-237.
3.
Rajasekaran AK, Maheshwari R. (1990). Effect of temperature on the lipid
composition of Thermomyces lanuginosus. Ind J Exp Biol 28: 134-138.
4.
Rajasekaran AK, Maheshwari R.(1990). Growth kinetics and intra-cellular protein
breakdown in mesophilic and thermophilic fungi.
Ind J Exp Biol 28: 46-51.
5.
Sen I, Rajasekaran
AK. (1991). Angiotensin II-binding
protein in adult and neonatal rat heart.
J Mol Cell Cardiol. 23: 563-572.
6.
Rajasekaran
AK, Maheshwari R. (1993). Thermophilic fungi: an assessment of
their potential for growth in soil. J
Biosci. 18: 345-354.
7.
Rajasekaran
AK, Morimoto
T, Hanzel DK, Rodriguez-Boulan E, Kreibich G.
(1993). Structural reorganization
of the rough endoplasmic reticulum without size expansion accounts for
dexamethasone-induced secretory activity in AR42J cells. J Cell Sci.105: 333-345 (Cover Article).
8.
Rajasekaran
AK, Humphrey
JS, Wagner M, Miesenbock G, Le Bivic A, Bonifacino JS, Rodriguez-Boulan E. (1994). TGN38 recycles basolaterally in
polarized Madin-Darby canine kidney cells.
Mol Biol Cell. 5: 1093-1103.
9.
Wagner M, Rajasekaran A, Hanzel DS, Mayor S, Rodriguez-Boulan E. (1994).
Brefeldin A causes structural and functional alterations of the trans
Golgi network of MDCK cells. J Cell
Science. 107: 933-943.
10.
Schwartz SB, Higgins PJ, Rajasekaran AK, Staiano-Coico L.
(1994). Growth and
differentiation of normal human keratinocytes in culture: Modulation of
gelsolin expression. J Burn Care
Rehab. 15: 478-485.
11.
Rajasekaran AK, Zhou Z, Prakash K, Das G, Kreibich G.
(1995). Functional
characterization of the cis-regulatory elements of the rat ribophorin I
gene. Nucl Acids Res 23: 313-319.
12.
Monlauzeur L, Rajasekaran AK, Chao M,
Rodriguez-Boulan E, Le Bivic A. (1995).
A cytoplasmic tyrosine is essential for the basolateral localization of mutants
of the human nerve growth factor receptor in Madin-Darby canine kidney cells. J Biol Chem.
270: 12219-12225.
13.
Abe T, Arakawa Y, Rajasekaran AK, Yu T, Wada O.
(1995). Interaction of atrial
natriuretic peptide with its receptors in bovine lung membranes. J Biol Chem
270: 7672-7678.
14.
Rajasekaran AK, Langhans-Rajasekaran SA, Gould RM,
Rodriguez-Boulan E, Morimoto T. (1995).
A simple biochemical approach to quantitate rough endoplasmic
reticulum. Am J Physiol 268: C308-C316.
15.
Rajasekaran AK, Hojo M, Huima T, Rodriguez-Boulan
E. (1996). Catenins and zonula
occludens-1 form a complex during early stages in the assembly of tight
junctions. J Cell Biol. 132: 451-463 (Cover Article).
16.
Mendes de Almeida JC, Rajasekaran AK, Godwin T, Quaroni A, Rodriguez-Boulan E, Altorki
NK. (1996). Barret's esophagus and
adenocarcinoma of the esophagus and cardia ubiquitously express
sucrase-isomaltase and crypt cell antigen.
Dis Esophagus. 9: 191-197.
17.
Banerjee D, Rodriguez M,
Rajasekaran AK. (1997). Rapid movement of newly synthesized chicken apolipoprotein AI to
trans-Golgi network and its secretion in Madin-Darby canine kidney cells. Exp Cell Res.
235: 334-344.