In vitro culture, enzymology, PCR, Immunology
Resume:
RAJESH RAJAIAH, Ph.D
**** ******** **** *** * Baltimore MD 21227
**************@*****.**.**
Visa status: Permanent resident
SUMMARY:
• Ph.D. with 6+ years of post-doctoral experience in innate and adaptive immunology
• Expertise in investigating immune mechanisms leading to autoimmune disease
• Strong background using in vivo models of disease to study innate and adaptive immune pathways
• Proficiency in training and managing laboratory staff and Ph.D. students
• Outstanding communication and interpersonal skills and ability to work independently or as a part of a team
• Excellent publication record in highly respected peer-reviewed journals
EXPERIENCE:
University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD July 2010-current
Post-doctoral Fellow
Lab of Stefanie N. Vogel, Ph.D
Project Title: Differential regulation of M1(classical) and M2 (alternatively-activated) macrophage during bacterial endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide-LPS) induced tolerance using mouse model of septic shock.
• Collected and stimulated thioglycolate elicited peritoneal macrophages with TLR ligands (LPS, Pam3Cys, CpG)
• Harvested, differentiated and stimulated bone marrow derived macrophages with TLR ligands
• Conducted Quantitative PCR to discover gene expression profiles for cytokines and chemokines
• Performed ELISA assays to investigate cytokine production
• Analyzed cell signaling processes by Western blotting
• Performed in vivo experiments using murine model of lethal shock
University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD April 2006 – July 2010
Post-doctoral fellow
Lab of Kamal Dev. Moudgil, Ph.D.
Project Title: Role of T cell and antigen presenting cell (APC) cytokines and their regulation in autoimmune arthritis
• Performed in vivo validation of disease regulation by injection of different cytokines and anti-cytokine antibodies
• Harvested lymph node cells from arthritic rats and stimulated with antigens (anti-CD3/anti-CD28 and heat shock proteins), cytokines and anti-cytokines antibodies
• Created cytokine gene expression profile and cytokine production profile during the course of autoimmune arthritis to define the role of cytokines involved in pathogenesis
• Performed lymphocyte proliferation assay from lymph node cells using thymidine incorporation.
• Harvested and prepared cells (in vitro and in vivo) and stimulated with antigens and cytokines.
• Analyzed the effect of different cytokines on matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) activity and signaling molecules in fibroblast cells.
• Analyzed surface and intracellular proteins on lymph node cells, spleen cells and peripheral blood cells by flow cytometry
• Functioned as lab manager and was responsible for training and managing several graduate students and research assistants
EDUCATION:
Ph.D. Biochemistry, 2006
University of Mysore, Mysore, India
M.S. Biochemistry, 2000
University of Mysore, Mysore, India
B.S. Biochemistry, 1997
University of Mysore, Mysore, India
TECHNICAL EXPERIENCE:
Rodent handling
• Colony maintenance
• Subcutaneous, intraperitoneal and intravenous injections
• Adjuvant induced arthritis model
• LPS induced lethal toxicity model
• Activation and collection of peritoneal macrophages; harvesting bone marrow derived macrophages
Cellular and Molecular Biology
• Protein isolation and purification
• SDS-PAGE
• Cloning
• Quantitative PCR
Enzymology
• Phospholipases
• Lipoxygenases
• Proteases (Matrix Metaloproteases)
Basic Immunology
• Cell culture
o Isolation and culture of primary immune cells (T cells, dendritic cells, macrophages)
o In vitro stimulation and differentiation of T cell subsets
o Culture and maintenance of cell lines
• ELISA
• Flow cytometry
• Western blot
Computer skills
• Graphpad Prism
• EndNote
• Adobe Photoshop
• Microsoft Office
MEMBERSHIPS:
• Society for Leukocyte Biology 2011-present
• The American Association of Immunologist 2010-present.
ABSTRACTS and PRESENTATIONS
1) R Rajaiah, M Puttabyatappa and KD Moudgil. Intricate regulation of IL-17 response by IFN-g and IL-27 determines the outcome of pathogenetic event in autoimmune experimental arthritis. Abstract accepted for poster presentation AAI 2010.
2) SR Satpute, E.Y. Kim, R. Rajaiah, and K.D. Moudgil. Regulation of autoimmune arthritis by heat-shock protein 65-induced pro-inflammatory cytokines. The 6th International Congress on Autoimmunity, Porto, Portugal, September 10-14, 2008.
3) EY Kim, SR Satpute, R Rajaiah and KD Moudgil. Pro-inflammatory cytokines mediate regression of autoimmune arthritis induced by Th1/Th17 cells. FOCIS 2009, San Francisco, CA, June 11-14, 2009, Clinical Immunology 2009, 131 (supplement): S34.
4) SR Satpute, EY Kim, R Rajaiah, and K.D. Moudgil. Regulation of autoimmune arthritis by heat-shock protein 65-induced pro-inflammatory cytokines. The 6th International Congress on Autoimmunity, Porto, Portugal, September 10-14, 2008.
5) R Rajaiah, D Lee, L. Lao, H Fong, B Berman, and KD Moudgil. Immunological basis of the anti-arthritic activity of Huo-Luo-Xiao-Ling Dan in the Lewis rat, at “The status and future of acupuncture research: 10 years post-NIH consensus conference”, University of Maryland at Baltimore, Society for Acupuncture Research (SAR) Annual Conference, Baltimore, MD, USA, Nov. 8-11, 2007.
PUBLICATIONS:
Original Reports
1) R Rajaiah, DJ Perkins, AD Keegan and SN Vogel. Dissociation of Endotoxin Tolerance and Alternatively activated macrophage. (under review Journal of Immunology).
2) YH Yang, R Rajaiah, E Ruoslahti and KD Moudgil. Peptides targeting the inflamed synovial vasculature attenuate ongoing autoimmune arthritis. PNAS USA 2011 Aug 2;108(31):12857-62) . (PMID: 21768392)
3) SH Venkatesha, H Yu, R Rajaiah and KD Moudgil. Celastrus-derived celastrol suppresses autoimmune arthritis by modulating antigen-induced cellular and humoral effector responses. J Biol Chem. 2011; 286(17):15138-46. (PMID: 21402700)
4) Komeh-Nkrumah SA, Nanjundaiah SM, Rajaiah R, Yu H, Moudgil KD. Topical Dermal Application of Essential Oils Attenuates the Severity of Adjuvant Arthritis in Lewis Rats. Phytother Res. 2012; 26(1):54-9. (PMID: 21544881)
5) H Yu, YH Yang, R Rajaiah and KD Moudgil. Nicotine-induced differential modulation of autoimmune arthritis in the Lewis rat involves changes in IL-17 and anti-citrullinated cyclic peptide antibodies. Arthritis Rheum. 2011; 63(4):981-91. (PMID: 21305506).
6) R Rajaiah, M Puttabyatappa, SK Polumuri and KD Moudgil. Interleukin-27 and IFN-gamma are involved in regulation of autoimmune arthritis. J Biol Chem. 2011; 286(4):2817-25. (PMID: 21123181).
7) SH Venkatesha, R Rajaiah, B Berman, and KD Moudgil. Immunomodulation of autoimmune arthritis by herbal CAM. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2011; 2011:986797. (PMID: 21234398) (Review).
8) YH Yang, R Rajaiah, DY Lee, Z Ma, H Yu, HH Fong, L Lao, BM Berman, KD Moudgil. Suppression of ongoing experimental arthritis by a chinese herbal formula (huo-luo-xiao-ling dan) involves changes in antigen-induced immunological and biochemical mediators of inflammation. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2011; 2011:642027. (PMID: 20981317).
9) R Rajaiah, DY-W Lee, Z Ma, AY Fan, L Lao, HHS Fong, BM Berman and KD Moudgil. Huo-Luo-Xiao-Ling Dan modulates antigen-directed immune response in adjuvant-induced inflammation. J Ethnopharmacol 2009, 123(1):40-4. (PMID: 19429337).
10) HV Shivaprasad, R Rajesh, BL Nanda, KK Dharmappa, BS Vishwanath. Thrombin like activity of Asclepias curassavica L. latex: action of cysteine proteases. J Ethnopharmacol. 2009, 123(1):106-9. (PMID: 19429347).
11) R Rajaiah and KD Moudgil. Heat shock proteins can promote as well as regulate inflammation in autoimmunity. Autoimmun Rev. 2009, 8(5):388-93 (Review). (PMID: 19121415).
12) SR Satpute, R Rajaiah, S Polumuri, and KD Moudgil. Tolerization with heat shock protein 65 induces protection against adjuvant arthritis by modulating the IFN-g, IL-17 and antibody response. Arthritis Rheum. 2009, 60: 103-113. (PMID: 19116924).
13) HR Kim*, R Rajaiah*, Qing-Li Wu, SR Satpute, JE Simon, BM Berman, and KD Moudgil. Green tea affords protection against autoimmune arthritis by modulating the disease related immune events. J. Nutr. 2008, 138: 1-6. (PMID: 18936206). (*Equal first author).
14) EY Kim, HH Chi, R Rajaiah and KD Moudgil. Exogenous tumour necrosis factor alpha induces suppression of autoimmune arthritis. Arthritis Res Ther. 2008, 10(1):R38. (PMID: 18380898).
15) Rajesh R, Shivaprasad HV, Raghavendra Gowda CD, Nataraju A, Dhananjaya BL and Vishwanath BS. Comparative study on plant latex proteases and their involvement in hemostasis: a special emphasis on clot inducing and dissolving properties. Planta Med. 2007, 73(10): 1061-7.
16) Nanda BL, Nataraju A, Rajesh R, Rangappa KS, Shekar MA and Vishwanath BS. PLA2 mediated arachidonate free radicals: PLA2 inhibition and neutralization of free radicals by anti-oxidants- a new role as anti-inflammatory molecule. Curr Top Med Chem 2007, 7(8):765-77. (Review). (PMID: 17456040).
17) Rajesh R, Nataraju A, Raghavendragowda CD, Frey BJ, Frey FJ, Vishwanath BS. Purification and Characterization of a heat stable, 34-kDa glycoprotein from Synadenium grantii latex: Action on human fibrinogen and plasma clot. Biochimie 2006, 88(10):1313-22. (PMID: 16997451).
18) Dhananjaya BL, Nataraju A, Rajesh R, Raghavendra Gowda CD, Sharath BK, Vishwanath BS and D’Souza CJ. Anticoagulant effect of Naja naja venom 5'nucleotidase: demonstration through the use of novel specific inhibitor, vanillic acid. Toxicon 2006, 48(4):411-21. (PMID: 16899266).
19) Gowda CD, Rajesh R, Nataraju A, Dhananjaya BL, Raghupathi AR, Gowda TV, Sharath BK, and Vishwanath BS. Strong myotoxic activity of Trimeresurus malabaricus venom: role of metalloproteases. Mol Cell Biochem 2006, 282(1-2):147-55. (PMID: 16317522).
20) Rajesh R, Raghavendra Gowda CD, Nataraju A, Dhananjaya BL, Kemparaju K, and Vishwanath BS. Procoagulalnt activity of Calotropis gigantea latex associated with fibrino(geno)lytic activity. Toxicon 2005, 46 (1); 84-92. (PMID: 15922393).
Invited book chapters
1) R Rajaiah, Y Yang, SR Satpute, M Durai, and KD Moudgil. Immunopathogenesis and treatment of autoimmune arthritis in animal models, In: Recent Research Developments in Rheumatology (edited by Antonio La Cava, MD, PhD, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA), Research Signpost Publishers 2008, Ch 1: 1-30.
2) Rajesh Rajaiah and Kamal D. Moudgil. Animal Models, In: Rheumatoid Arthritis (eds. M.C. Hochberg, A.J. Silman, J.S. Smolen, M.H. Weisman, and M.E. Weinblatt), Mosby, Inc., an affiliate of Elsevier, Inc., 2008, Ch 8N: 218-224.
REFERENCES
Available on request
Contact this candidate