PRAGNYA (Paku) J. DESAI, MS.

Phone: 760-***-****.

E-mail: abnbgk@r.postjobfree.com

http://www.linkedin.com/pub/paku-desai/a/216/537

Experienced Research Biologist with 8+ years of hands-on experience in drug

discovery activities impacting critical path, with current focus on GPCR

membrane protein biology and non-GPCR inflammatory drug targets. Extensive

assay development and research experience from target identification,

validation to advancing drugs into early drug development.

RESEARCH EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS:

. Nine years of extensive industry experience with small molecule drug

discovery targeting GPCRs to modulate inflammatory drug targets.

. Self-motivated researcher with solid numerical skills and excellent

conceptual grasp of the pharmacology of drug receptor interactions.

In-depth understanding of secondary cellular signaling with

application to the establishment and development of functional

readouts in cell-based assays including proof of concept studies using

primary cells.

. Extensive expertise in establishing, validating and implementing

radioligand receptor binding assays employed for HTS and

primary/secondary screens to support SAR for medicinal chemists.

. Established and validated numerous in vitro functional assays in

mammalian cell lines, primary human and mouse myeloid cells.

. Developed and established fluorescence-based in vitro functional

assays such to monitor cellular adhesion, receptor internalization and

transmigration in human endothelial cells, to understand the

mechanisms of target intervention.

. Broad base of expertise in cell and molecular biology, and

biochemistry:

-molecular cloning including DNA isolation, cloning and recombinant

protein expression, quantitavive RT-PCR, SiRNA-mediated gene knock-

down.

-extensive tissue culture experience including developing and

establishing both transient and stable transfections.

- Immunology and biochemistry techniques including polyacrylamide gel

electrophoresis, western blot analysis, immunoprecipitation, ELISA,

flow cytometry (surface and intracellular staining) FRET, TR-FRET

based and proliferation assays.

-Proficient at data processing and analysis using Excel and GraphPad

Prism.

. Excellent verbal and written communication skills, enthusiastic team

player with critical thinking, multi-tasking and problem solving

abilities that have helped to advance projects.

. Extensive publication and patent filing record.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:

Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research Development, La Jolla, CA,

2001-2010

Senior Associate Scientist, Drug Discovery, Immunology.

. Integral part of a successful cross-disciplinary team of chemists and

biologists that drive small molecule drug programs to clinical trials

for the treatment of inflammatory disorders.

. Contributed very positively on a number of GPCR targets for

inflammation that were in early drug discovery phase or advancing into

early development.

. Solid working knowledge of assay development, including the design and

execution of in vitro assays for HTS for new targets, and primary

assays based on ligand binding and functional readouts in support of

lead identification and optimization efforts.

. Lead role in studying the pharmacological effect of drug candidates in

cellular assays, probing signaling mechanisms such as calcium

mobilization, chemotaxis and the MAPK and AKT kinase pathways in bone

marrow derived mast cells, to dissect target-mediated effects on

mechanisms determining inflammatory cytokine production and migration.

. Developed and established PK/PD biomarker assays for various

inflammatory targets that have or are proceeding into early

development.

. Took a leadership role in a project that was in early development by

coordinating many of the early screening assays. Had a positive impact

on management of the project workflow and the team's readiness to make

decisions to move compounds along the critical path.

. Broadly based skill set that allows me to take on projects that are

very different in nature (target class, validation and screening

strategy).

. Knowledge base has also allowed intellectual contributions to project

teams; and in several instances became the "go to" person for assay

planning and troubleshooting.

. Mentored numerous team members with primary in vitro screening assays,

enabling projects to move forward rapidly and successfully.

Senior Associate Scientist, Genomic technologies. 2000-2001

. Spearheaded quality control and process development in Gene chip micro-

array leading to an HTS platform.

VA Medical Center (VA Medical Research foundation), San Diego, CA, 2000

Senior Research Associate, Department of Infectious Diseases.

. Molecular approaches toward the identification of potential parasitic

stage antigens and their characterization, for the development of a

Coccidioides immitis vaccine.

Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, 1997-1999

Research Associate, Department of Medicine, section for Infectious

Diseases,

. Lead role in conducting studies identifying the in vitro and in vivo

mechanisms of iron utilization and their role in virulence in Neisseria

gonorrhoeae and Neisseria meningitidis. Work lead to publications 9,

10 and 12 (see publication list).

Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, 1992-1997

Research Associate, Department of Microbiology and Immunology

. Lead role in conducting studies identifying the mechanisms of iron

acquisition and transcriptional regulation of iron-regulated genes in

N.gonorrhoeae and N. meningitidis. Work lead to publications 9, 10, 11

and 12 (see publication list).

Tropical Diseases Research Center (World Health Organization)

Ndola, Zambia, 1984-1992.

Scientific officer, Tropical Diseases Research Center, Department of

Microbiology

. Epidemiology of various tropical diseases such as malaria,

shistosomiasis and trypanosomiasis.

. Characterization of the diversity of major merozoite surface antigen

(MSA) in Plasmodium chabaudi chabaudi (VUB, Belgium, Europe).

. Investigation of opportunistic infections in AIDS patients (Ndola,

Zambia).

EDUCATION:

MS (Medical Microbiology) University of London, London School of Hygiene

and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), London, England

Thesis: The in vitro activity of nine, 4-quinolones and seven standard

antimicrobial agents against 38 Zambian isolates of Neisseria gonorrhoeae

(LSHTM, England).

BS, (Microbiology) University of Bombay, Bombay, India

PUBLICATIONS:

1. Yu, F., Wolin, R.L., Jianmei, W., Desai, P.J., McGovern, P.M.,

Dunford, P. J., Lars Karlsson, L., Edwards, J. P. and R. L. Thurmond.

2009. Pharmacological Characterization of Oxime Agonists of the

Histamine H4 Receptor. Accepted for publication in Journal of

Receptor, Ligand and Channel Research.

2. Desai, P, and R. L. Thurmond. The Histamine H4 receptor (H4R)

Potentiates LPS-induced IL-6 production via synergy in ERK

phosphorylation. In prep.

3. Jiang, W., Lim, H. D., Zhang, M., Desai, P., Dai, H., Colling, P.,

Leurs, R and R. L. Thurmond. 2008. Cloning and Pharmacological

Characterization of the Dog Histamine H4 Receptor. Eur J Pharmacol.

592:26-32.

4. Dunford, P. J., Williams, K. N., Desai, P. J., Karlsson, L., McQueen,

D and R. L. Thurmond. 2007. Histamine H4 receptor antagonists are

superior to traditional antihistamines in the attenuation of

experimental pruritus. J. Allergy Clin Immunol. 119: 176-183.

5. Venable, J., Cai, H., Chai, W., Dvorak, C., Grice, C., Jablanowski,

J., Shah, C., Kwok, A., Ly, K., Pio, B., Wei, J., Desai, P., Jiang,

W., Nguyen, S., Ling, P., Wilson, S., Dunford, P., Thurmond, R.,

Lovenberg, T., Karlsson, L., Carruthers, N. and J. Edwards. 2005.

Preparation and Biological Evaluation of Indole, Benzimidazole, and

Thienopyrrole Piperazine Carboxamides: Potent Human Histamine H4

Antagonists. J Med Chem. 48: 8289-8298.

6. Thurmond R. L., Desai, P. J., Dunford, P. J., Fung-Leung, W.-P,,

Hofstra, C. L., Jiang, W., Baker, S. M., Nguyen, S., Riley, J. P.,

Sun, S., Williams, K. N., Edwards J. P and L. Karlsson. 2004. A

Potent and selective Histamine H4 Receptor Antagonist with Anti-

inflammatory Properties. JPET. 309: 404-413.

7. Jablonowski, J A., Grice, C. A., Chai, W., Dvorak, C. A., Venable, J,

D., Kwok, A. K., Ly, K. S., Wei, J., Baker, S. M., Desai, P J., Jiang,

W., Wilson, S. J., Thurmond, R. L., Karlsson, L., Edwards, J. P.,

Lovenberg, T. W. and N I Carruthers. 2003. The first potent and

selective non-imidazole human histamine H4 receptor antagonists. J

Med Chem. 46 (19): 3957-60.

8. Hofstra, C. L., Desai, P. J., Thurmond, R.L. and W-P. Leung-Fung.

2003. Histamine H4 receptor mediates chemotaxis and calcium

mobilization of mast cells. JPET. 305:1212-1221.

9. Fichorova R N., Desai, P. J., Gibson, F. C and C.A. Genco. 2001.

Distinct proinflammatory host responses to Neisseria gonorrhoeae

infection in immortalized human cervical and vaginal epithelial cells.

Infect and Immun. 69:5840-5848.

10. Desai, P. J., Garges, E and C.A. Genco. 2000. The pathogenic

Neisseria can use hemoglobin, transferrin and lactoferrin

independently of the tonB locus. J. Bacteriol. 182: 5586-5591.

11. Desai, P. J., Angerar, A and C. A. Genco. 1996. Analysis of Fur

binding to operator sequences within the Neisseria gonorrhoeae fbpA

promoter. J. Bacteriol. 178: 5020-5023.

12. Genco, C. and P. J. Desai. 1996. Iron acquisition in the pathogenic

Neisseria. Trends in Microbiology. 4: 179-184.

13. Desai, P. J., Nzeribe, R and C.A. Genco. 1995. Binding and

accumulation of hemin in Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Infect and Immun.

63:4634-4641.

14. Desai, P. J., Morrison, J.A. and A. F. Flemming. 1990. Penicillinase

producing Neisseria gonorrhoeae in Ndola, Zambia. Trans. Royal. Soc.

Trop. Med. Hyg. 84:131.

PRESENTATIONS:

1. Oral presentation at the Annual Johnson & Johnson Science day,

Coronado, San Diego 2002. The Anti-inflammatory action of the target

of interest, for the presentation to early drug evaluation.

2. Annual immunology oral presentations project related to the Immunology

and Chemistry group since 2002 till present and ongoing.

3. Poster presentations at the Annual Johnson & Johnson Science day,

since 2002 till present.

4. The Tenth International Pathogenic Neisseria Conference, November

1998, Nice France. Poster presented: TonB independent utilization of

hemoglobin and transferrin in the pathogenic Neisseria spp and its

role in virulence (Primary author).

5. The Ninth International Pathogenic Neisseria Conference, September

1994, Winchester, England. Posters presented: Characterization of

haemin transport in Neisseria gonorrhoeae (Primary author);

6. XIV International Congress of Microbiology, September 1986,

Manchester, England. Poster presented: The prevalence of

penicillinase producing Neisseria gonorrhoeae (PPNG) in Ndola, Zambia

(Primary author).

PATENTS:

1. Desai, P. J., Dunford, P. J., Hofstra, C. L., Karlsson, L., Fung-

Leung, W. -P., Ling, P and Thurmond, R. L. 2004. Use of Histamine

H4 receptor modulators for the treatment of allergy and asthma.

Janssen Pharmaceutica, N.V. WO 2004/02199 A2

COMMITTEES AFFILIATIONS:

2003-2009: Active continuous member of the Johnson & Johnson PRD-La Jolla

radiation safety committee aiding in improvement of safe science practices.

IMMIGRATION STATUS: US Citizen.

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