BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH
Provide the following information for the key personnel and other significant contributors in the order listed on Form Page 1.
Follow this format for each person. DO NOT EXCEED FOUR PAGES.
NAME
POSITION TITLE
Gnanasekar Munirathinam
Assistant Professor
eRA COMMONS USER NAME
GNANASM
EDUCATION/TRAINING (Begin with baccalaureate or other initial professional education, such as nursing, and include postdoctoral training.)
INSTITUTION AND LOCATION
University of Madras, Chennai, India
University of Madras, Chennai, India
Anna University, Chennai, India
Anna University, Chennai, India
DEGREE
(if applicable)
BS
MS
MTech
PhD
YEAR(s)
1994
1996
1998
2002
FIELD OF STUDY
Biochemistry
Biochemistry
Biotechnology
Biotechnology
nna University, Chennai, India
A. Position and Honors
1998-2001
Research Fellow, Anna University, Chennai, India.
2000(Jul-Oct) Visiting Research Specialist at the UIC college of Medicine, Rockford, IL
2001 -2002
Visiting Research Scholar, College of Medicine, Rockford, IL.
2002 -2005
Postdoctoral Research Associate, College of Medicine, Rockford, IL.
2005 -2009
Research Assistant Professor, College of Medicine, Rockford, IL
2009Assistant Professor (Tenure-Track), College of Medicine, Rockford, IL
Honors
1996
1997
Junior research fellowship award by the Department of Biotechnology, New Delhi, India
Senior research fellowship award, CSIR, New Delhi, India
Awards
2004 ASBMB travel award to attend and give an oral presentation at the ASBMB annual meeting
and
th
8 IUBMB conference at Boston, MA
2004 ASTMH-Pfizer centennial travel award in basic research in tropical medicine
JOURNAL EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBER
PLOS ONE- Academic Editor
Frontiers in Oncology (Cancer Molecular Targets and Therapeutics Review Editor)
Oncology Letters
B. Selected peer-reviewed publications
1. K.V. Rao, D. Eswaran, V. Ravi, M. Gnanasekar, R.B. Narayanan, P. Kaliraj, K. Jayaraman, A.
Marson, N. Raghavan and A.L.Scott. The Wuchereria bancrofti orthologue of Brugia malayi SXP1
and the diagnosis of bancroftian filariasis. Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology. 2000. 117:7180
2. M. Gnanasekar, K. V. N. Rao, Lin Chen, R. B. Narayanan, M. Geetha, A.L. Scott, K. Ramaswamy,
and P. Kaliraj. Molecular characterization of a calcium binding translationally controlled tumor
protein homologue from the filarial parasites Brugia malayi and Wuchereria bancrofti Molecular and
Biochemical Parasitology. 2002. 121: 107-18
3. P. Lalitha, D. Eswaran, M. Gnanasekar, K.V.N. Rao, R.B. Narayanan, A.L.Scott, T.B. Nutman and
P. Kaliraj. Development of an antigen detection Elisa for the diagnosis of Brugian and Bancroftian
filiariasis using antibodies to recombinant filarial antigens Bm-SXP-1 and Wb-SXP-1. Microbiology
and Immunology. 2002. 46:327-332.
4. K.V.N. Rao, L. Chen, M. Gnanasekar and K. Ramaswamy. Cloning and characterization of a calcium
binding and Histamine releasing protein from Schistosoma mansoni. The Journal of Biological
Chemistry. 2002. 34:31207-13.
5. Ramaswamy, K., Gnanasekar, M., Rao, KVN., Mishra, PK., Chen, L., He, YX., and Kaliraj, P.
(2002) Cloning and characterization of a translationally controlled tumor protein homologue from
three human helminth parasites. Proceedings of the 10th International Congress of Parasitology,
Vancouver, Canada.
6. M. Gnanasekar, K.V.N. Rao, Y.X. He, P.K. Mishra, T.B. Nutman, P. Kaliraj and K. Ramaswamy. A
Novel Phage Display-Based Subtractive Screening to Identify Vaccine Candidates of Brugia Malayi.
Infection and Immunity. 2004. 8:4707-15.
7. M. Gnanasekar, Padmavathi, B. and Ramaswamy, K. Identification, cloning and characterization of a
novel immunogenic protein 3 (NIP3) of Brugia malayi by immunoscreening of a phage-display cDNA
expression library. Parasitology Research. 2005. 97(1):49-58
8. M. Gnanasekar, Velusamy R., and Ramaswamy, K. Cloning and characterization of High Mobility
Group Protein (HMGB1) from Schistosoma mansoni. Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology
2006. 145(2):137-46.
9. S. Thirugnanam, Pandiaraja, P., Ramaswamy, K., Murugan, V., Gnanasekar, M., Nandakumar, K.,
Reddy, M.V., and Kaliraj, P. Brugia malayi: Comparison of protective immune responses generated
by DNA, protein and primer boost vaccine strategies using Bm-alt-2 antigen. Experimental
Parasitology 2007. 116(4):483-91.
10. S.B.Anand*, Gnanasekar*, M., Thangadurai, M., Prabhu P.R., Kaliraj, P., and Ramaswamy, K.
Immune response studies with Wuchereria bancrofti Vespid allergen Homologue (WbVAH) in human
lymphatic filariasis. Parasitology Research 2007. 101(4):981-8. *Both are first authors.
11. Kwon S., Gnanasekar M., Anand S.B., and Ramaswamy K. Defining the role of BmIL5 in Tropical
Pulmonary eosinophilia. Clinical Immunology 2007. 123, Supplement 1 S38-S39.
12. M. Gnanasekar, Anand, S.B., and Ramaswamy, K. Identification and cloning of a novel tetraspanin
(TSP) homologue from Brugia malayi. DNA Seq. 2007. 19(2):151-6.
13. M. Gnanasekar and Ramaswamy, K. Translationally controlled tumor protein of Brugia malayi
functions as an antioxidant protein. Parasitol Res. 2007. 101(6):1533-40.
14. M. Gnanasekar, Anandharaman, V., Anand, S.B., Nutman, T.B., and Ramaswamy, K. A novel small
heat shock protein 12.6 (HSP12.6) from Brugia malayi functions as a human IL-10 receptor binding
protein. Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology. 2008. 159(2):98-103.
15. M. Gnanasekar, Salunkhe, A. M., Mallia, A. K., He, Y. X. and Ramaswamy, K. (2008). Praziquantel
affects regulatory myosin light chain of Schistosoma mansoni. Antimicrobial Agents and
Chemotherapy. 2009. 53:1054-1060.
16. Veerabathran A, Gajalakshmi, D, Gnanasekar, M., Reddy M.V. and Ramaswamy K. Evaluation of
Wuchereria bancrofti GST as a vaccine candidate for lymphatic filariasis. PLOS Neglected Tropical
Diseases. 2009. 3(6):e457.
17. S. Thirugnanam, L. Xu, K. Ramaswamy and Gnanasekar, M*. Glycyrrhizin induces apoptosis in
prostate cancer cells LNCaP and DU145. *Corresponding author. Oncology Reports. 2008. 20:13871392.
18. M. Gnanasekar*, Thirugnanam, S. and Ramaswamy, K. Short hairpin RNA (shRNA) constructs
targeting High mobility group box-1 (HMGB1) expression leads to inhibition of prostate cancer cell
survival and apoptosis. *Corresponding author. International Journal of Oncology. 2009. 34: 425431.
19. M. Gnanasekar*, Thirugnanam, S., Zheng, G., Chen, A. and Ramaswamy, K. Gene silencing of
Translationally Controlled Tumor Protein (TCTP) by siRNA inhibited cell growth and induced
apoptosis of human prostate cancer cells. *Corresponding author. 2009. International Journal of
Oncology. 2009. 34:1241-1246.
20. M. Gnanasekar, Dakshinamoorthy, G and Ramaswamy, K. Translationally Controlled Tumor Protein
is a novel heat shock protein with chaperone like activity. Biochemical and Biophysical Research
Communications. 2009. 386:333-337.
21. M. Gnanasekar*, Suleman, F, Ramaswamy, K., and Caldwell, J. Identification of Sex Hormone
Binding Globulin-interacting proteins by phage display screening. *Corresponding author.
International Journal of Molecular Medicine. 2009. 24:421-6.
22. M. Gnanasekar*, Thirugnanam, S, Zhang, G, Chen, A. and Ramaswamy, K. T-oligo induces
apoptosis in advanced prostate cancer cells. *Corresponding author. Oligonucleotides. 2009. 19:28792.
23. Y. Dash, Ramesh, M., Kalyanasundaram, R., Munirathinam, G., Schultz, L. and Rajan, T.V.
Granuloma formation aroung Brugia larvae triggered by host response to an E/S antigen. Infection
and Immunity. 2011. 79:838-45.
24. A. Shetty, Thirugnanam S, Dakshinamoorthy S, Samykutty A, Zheng G, Chen A, Bosland M,
Kajdacsy-Balla A. and Gnanasekar, M*. (2011) 18alpha glycyrrhetinic acid (AGA) targets prostate
cancer cells by down regulating inflammation related genes. International Journal of Oncology.
39(3): 635-40. *Corresponding author.
25. I. Elangovan, Thirugnanam S, Chen A, Zheng G, Bosland M, Kajdacsy-Balla A. and Gnanasekar,
M*. Targeting Receptor for Advanced Glycation End products (RAGE) expression induces apoptosis
and inhibits prostate tumor growth. (2012). Biochemical and Biophysical Research
Communications. 417(4):1133-8 *Corresponding author.
26. G. Dakshinamoorthy, Samykutty A, Munirathinam G, Shinde GB, Nutman TB, Reddy MV and
Kalyanasundaram R. Biochemical characterization and evaluation of vaccination potential of small
heat shock protein against lymphatic filariasis. (2012) PLoS One 7(4):e34077.
27. S. Thirugnanam*, Munirathinam*, G., Veerapathran, A., Dakshinamoorthy, G., Reddy, M.V. and
Ramaswamy, K. Cloning and characterization of High mobility group proteins from Wuchereria
bancrofti and Brugia malayi. 2012. Parasitology Research 111(2):619-27. * Contributed equally to
the study.
28. G. Munirathinam and Ramaswamy K. (2012) Sumoylation of human Translationally Controlled
Tumor Protein is important for nuclear transport. Biochemistry Research International.
2012:831940.
29. S.K. Joseph, Sambanthamoorthy, S., Dakshinamoorthy, G., Munirathinam, G., and Ramaswamy, K.
(2012). Protective immune responses to biolistic DNA vaccination of Brugia malayi abundant larval
transcript-2. Vaccine. 30: 6477– 6482.
30. G. Dakshinamoorthy, Samykutty A, Munirathinam G, Shinde GB, Nutman TB, Reddy MV and
Kalyanasundaram R. Multivalent fusion protein vaccine for lymphatic filariasis (2013) Vaccine.
31(12):1616-22.
31. A.Chen, Zhong, S., Gnanasekar M., Cha, I., Reardon, C., Getz, G.S., Kang, Y., Wang, B. and Zheng,
G. Dexamethasone selectively retains tolerogenic macrophages in the spleen. (2013) European
Journal of Immunology. 43(1):219-27.
32. S. H. Chou, Shetty, A.V., Geng, Y., Gnanasekar M., Pipathsouk, A., Tan, I., Morris, T., Wang, B.,
Chen, A., and Zheng, G. Palmitate-derivatized human IL-2: A less toxic anti-cancer
immunotherapeutic. (2013) Cancer Immunol. Immunotherapy. 62(3):597-603.
33. S. Thirugnanam, Rout, N. and Gnanasekar, M. Possible role of Toxoplasma gondii in brain cancer
through modulation of host miRNAs. 2013. Infectious Agents and Cancer. 2013 8; 8(1):8.
34. J. Sundar and Gnanasekar, M. Can DHEA target PRL-3 to prevent colon cancer metastasis. (2013)
Medical Hypotheses. 80(5):595-7.
35. M. Gnanasekar, Ramaswamy, K., Zheng, G., Chen, A., Bosland, M. and Kajdacsy-Balla, A.
HMGB1: A promising therapeutic target for prostate cancer. Prostate Cancer. 2013 2013:157103.
36. A. Samykutty, Shetty, A.V., Dakshinamoorthy, G., Webb, B., Zheng, G., Chen, A., Gnanasekar, M*.
(2013). Piperine, a bioactive component of pepper spice exerts therapeutics effects on androgen
dependent and androgen independent prostate cancer cells. PLOS ONE 8(6):e65889. * Corresponding
author.
37. A. Samykutty, Shetty, A., Dakshinamoorthy, G., Ramaswamy, K., Zheng, G., Chen, A., Bosland, M..,
Kajdacsy-Balla, A. and Gnanasekar, M*. Vitamin K2, a naturally occurring menaquinone, exerts
therapeutic effects on both hormone-dependent and hormone-independent prostate cancer cells.
Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine 2013 2013:287358. * Corresponding
author.
38. S. Madhuwanti, Banerjee, S., Allison, A., Zheng, G., Chen, A., Bosland, M., Balla, A., and
Munirathinam G.* HMGB1 in Hormone-related Cancer: A potential therapeutic target. Hormones
and Cancer. 2014. (In press). * Corresponding author.
39. A. Chen, Geng, Y., Ke, H., Constant, L., Yan, Z., Pan, Y., Lee, P., Tan, I., Williams, K., George, S.,
Munirathinam, G., Reardon, C.A., Getz, G., Wang, B. and Zheng, G. Dexamethasone potentiates the
responses of both Treg and B-1 cells to antigen immunization in the ApoE-/- mouse model of
atheroscelerosis. Journal of Immunology-Cutting Edge 2014. 193(1):35-9.
40. V. Kolhatkar, Khambati, H., Lote, A., Shanine, P., Insley, T., Sen, S., Munirathinam, G., Kral, P.,
and Kolhatkar, R. Star-shaped tetraspermine enhances cellular uptake and cytotoxicity of T-Oligo in
prostate cancer cells. Pharmaceutical Research. 2014. (In press).
C.
Research Support
Ongoing Projects:
UIC Cancer Center Pilot Grant (Gnanasekar, M- Role: Co-PI , PI: Dobrucki, Wawrzyniec)
03/01/14- 02/28/15
“Targeted Imaging of Receptor for Advanced Glycation End Products (RAGE) in Prostate Cancer”
The objective of this proposal is to develop RAGE as a novel imaging probe for prostate cancer. (No overlap)
Pending Projects:
R21 National Cancer Institute grant (Gnanasekar, M- Role: Principal Investigator)
This proposal received 3 percentile score.
12/01/14-11/30/16
“Managing prostate cancer metastasis using vitamin k2”
The goal of this proposal is to explore whether vitamin k2 can inhibit prostate cancer metastasis in animal models
of prostate cancer.
Completed Research Projects:
American Cancer Society (ACS), Illinois Division Basic Research Grant (Gnanasekar, M- Role: Principal
Investigator).
08/01/09- 07/31/11
“Therapeutic Effects of Glycyrrhizin and HMGB1-RAGE RNAi in Prostate Cancer”
The goal of this project is to develop novel combinatory therapeutics for prostate cancer. (No overlap)