CURRICULUM VITAE
HARSHINI NEELAKANTAN, Ph.D.
January, 2015
PRESENT POSITION:
Postdoctoral Fellow
Center for Addiction Research
University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB), Galveston, Texas 77555-0615
Tel: 409-747-7054
Email: haneelak@utmb.edu
EDUCATION:
2002-2007
2008-2014
Birla Institute of Technology & Science (BITS), Pilani, India
Major: Pharmacy and Biological Sciences
Degree: Bachelor in Pharmacy (Hons.) and Master of Science (Hons.)
Temple University School of Pharmacy (TUSP), Philadelphia, PA
Major: Pharmacodynamics/Behavioral Pharmacology
Degree: Doctor of Philosophy
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:
02/2014-present
2010-2013
2008-2009
2006-2007
2005-2006
Postdoctoral Fellow, Center for Addiction Research, Galveston, TX
Graduate Research Assistant, Behavioral Pharmacology Laboratory,
Dept Pharm Sci, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA
Research Assistant, Behavioral Pharmacology Laboratory, Dept Pharm
Sci, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA
Undergraduate Research Assistant, Pharmacology Lab, Dept
Pharmacy, BITS Pilani, India
Undergraduate Research Assistant, Biology Lab, Dept Biological
Sciences, BITS Pilani, India
TEACHING EXPERIENCE:
2008-2009
Graduate Teaching Assistant, Temple University School of Pharmacy
Pharmaceutics Lab
2007-2008
Cyber Science Instructor, (Syllabi developer and virtual tutoring)
Cyber School Technology Solutions Pvt Ltd., Chennai, India
RESEARCH ACTIVITIES:
AREA OF RESEARCH
Acute and chronic pain; drug abuse; sex/gender differences; neuropharmacology of abused drugs;
neurobiology and animal models of addiction and pain; combination therapeutics and drug discovery for
neuropsychiatric disorders, chronic pain, and chronic pain/substance abuse co-morbid conditions
RESEARCH PROJECTS
2014-present Postdoctoral Fellow, Center for Addiction Research, UTMB: Translational
neuropharmacology and neurotherapeutics for addiction; specifically working on
research projects focused on assessing the plasticity and interactions between
two serotonin (5-HT) receptors, 5-HT2A and 5-HT2C receptor systems in the
limbic-corticostriatal pathways that drive cocaine cue reactivity and relapse
behavior.
2009-2013
Graduate Research Assistant, Behavioral Pharmacology Laboratory, Department
of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Temple University. 1) Assessed the role of various
factors including type of pain-states (acute vs. chronic), opioid type, sex/gender
on the abuse potential of prescription opioids in mice using rodent behavioral
models of addiction: drug discrimination, conditioned place preference, and selfadministration. Two manuscripts based on these findings are in preparation. 2)
Developed preclinical rodent pain models – operant based pain-suppressed
behavioral models (e.g. acetic acid-suppressed operant responding for food).
Examined the efficacy of an opioid, morphine and a non-psychoactive
cannabinoid, cannabidiol, both alone and in combination using both nontraditional pain models and traditional reflexive pain models (hotplate, acetic
acid-induced stretching). Quantitative dose equivalence analyses were
performed to evaluate the combination effects of the two drugs. A manuscript
detailing this study is published in Behav. Pharm, 2014.
2008-2009
Student worker, Behavioral Pharmacology Laboratory, Department of
Pharmaceutical Sciences, Temple University. Research: Antinociceptive effects of
morphine and oxycodone in combination with anticonvulsant gabapentin using
hotplate nociceptive assay in mice is published in Eur J Pharmacology, 2012.
2006-2007
Undergraduate Research Assistant, Pharmacology Lab, Department of Pharmacy,
BITS Pilani, India. Research: Screening for candidate neuropathic pain drugs using
SNL and chronic constriction injury models of neuropathic pain in rats; Picrotoxin
induced screening of anti-convulsion drugs and examination of the role of nNOS in
anti-epileptic activities in mice.
2005-2006
Undergraduate Research Assistant, Biology Laboratory, Department of Biological
Sciences, BITS Pilani, India. Research: Identification of susceptible genes for
schizophrenia using positional genetic techniques such as blotting, electrophoresis
and polymerization chain reaction.
SKILLS AND EXPERTISE
Rodent behavioral models of drug addiction - Drug discrimination, I.V. Drug self-administration,
Conditioned reward assay; Rodent pain models – Traditional reflex models: Hot-plate assay, Acetic
acid stretching; Chemotherapy-induced neuropathic pain; Mechanical Allodynia; Non-traditional painsuppressed and operant-pain models; Rodent micro-surgeries - mouse and rat jugular catheter
implantation, stereotaxic brain micro-infusion; Ex-vivo histology - immunohistochemistry.
HONORS
2014
NIDA Women & Sex/Gender Junior Investigator Travel Award, College on problems of Drug
Dependence
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2014
2014
2013
2013
2013
2013
2012
2011
2011
2011
2011
2011
2010
Postdoctoral Travel Award, Behavior, Biology, and Chemistry: Translational Research in
Addiction
Kallelis Outstanding Graduate Student Award, Temple University School of Pharmacy
European Behavioural Pharmacology Society Travel Award
Best Abstract award (1st place, Graduate Student Category), Behavioral Pharmacology
Division, American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics
Graduate Student Travel Award, American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental
Therapeutics annual meeting, Experimental Biology
Rho Chi Academic Honor in Pharmacy
Best Poster Award (1st place, Graduate Students Category), Mid-Atlantic Pharmacological
Society
Best Poster Award (1st place, Graduate Students Category), Society for Stimulus Properties
of Drugs
Best Poster Award (1st place, Graduate Students Category), Mid-Atlantic Pharmacological
Society
NIDA Early Career Investigators Poster Session Travel Award, Annual Convention of
American Psychological Association, NIDA/NIAAA/APA (Divisions 28 & 50)
NIDA INRC Young Investigator Travel Award, International Narcotics Research Conference
NIDA Women & Sex/Gender Junior Investigator Travel Award, College on problems of Drug
Dependence
Best Poster Award (1st place, Graduate Students Category), Temple University School of
Pharmacy, Research Recognition Day
MEMBERSHIP IN SCIENTIFIC SOCIETIES/PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
2010-present
2013-present
2013-present
2011-present
2011-present
2009-2013
2009-2013
American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (Member)
European Behavioural Pharmacology Society (Student member)
Rho Chi Academic Honor Society (Elected Member)
American Psychological Association (Postdoctoral affiliate member)
Philadelphia Chapter of the Society for Neuroscience (Member)
Temple University School of Pharmacy, AAPS student chapter (Member)
American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (Member)
ROLES IN SCIENTIFIC SOCIETIES/PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
2013-2015
2011-2012
Postdoctoral representative, Executive Committee, Behavioral Pharmacology
Division, American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics
Vice-Chair, Temple University School of Pharmacy, American Association for
Pharmaceutical Scientists student chapter
COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES
2014
2014
Outreach on “Drug Effects on the Brain” at Bayor College of Medicine Academy at Ryan
Volunteer, Honoring National Recovery Month, Center for Addiction Research,
Gulf Coast Consortium, and UTMB Family Medicine
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2009-2013
2011-2012
2012
2011
Vounteer, The Franklin Institute Brain Awareness Week, Philadelphia Chapter of
Society for Neuroscience
Temple University American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAPS)
Outreach Program emphasizing importance of science and research at high schools
in Pennsylvania region
Celebration of Globalization, Temple University School of Pharmacy
Forthcoming challenges for the pharmaceutical industry, AAPS25 Award
PUBLICATIONS AND MANUSCRIPTS IN PROGRESS
A. ARTICLES IN PEER-REVIEWED JOURNALS
1. Yogeeswari P., Ragavendran JV., Sriram D., Kavya R., Vanitha K., Neelakantan H. Newer Nphthaloyl GABA derivatives with antiallodynic and antihyperalgesic activities in both sciatic nerve
and spinal nerve ligation models of neuropathic pain. Pharmacology, 81:21-31, 2008.
2. Ward SJ, Ramirez MD, Neelakantan H, Walker EA. Cannabindiol prevents the development of cold
and mechanical allodynia in paclitaxel-treated female C57Bl6 mice. Anesthesia and Analgesia, 113:
947-950. 2011. PMCID: PMC3249239
3. Neelakantan H, Walker EA. (2012). Temperature-dependent enhancement of antinociceptive
effects of opioids in combination with gabapentin in mice. European Journal of Pharmacology 686:
55-59.
4. Ward SJ, Neelakantan H, Kawamura R, Murase R, McAllister S, Walker EA (2014). Cannabidiol
inhibits paclitaxel-induced neuropathic pain through 5-HT1A receptors without diminishing nervous
system function or chemotherapy efficacy. British Journal of Pharmacology 171:636-645. PMCID:
PMC3969077
5. Neelakantan H, Tallarida RJ, Tuma RF, Reichenbach ZW, Ward SJ, Walker EA (2014). Distinct
interactions of cannabidiol and morphine in three nociceptive behavioral models in mice. Behavioural
Pharmacology Dec. 2014
6. Neelakantan H, Walker EA. Effects of acute noxious stimulus on the discriminative stimulus
properties and conditioned rewarding effects of morphine and oxycodone in male and female
C57Bl/6 mice. In preparation.
7. Neelakantan H, Ward SJ, Walker EA. Anti-allodynic, rewarding, reinforcing, and discriminative
stimulus effects of prescription opioids in the presence of paclitaxel-induced peripheral neuropathy in
male and female C57Bl/6 mice. In preparation.
B. PUBLISHED ABSTRACTS AND PRESENTATIONS
1. Neelakantan H, Stutz SJ, Bubar MJ, Anastasio NC, Cunningham KA. 5-HT2CR Distribution
in the Ventral Hippocampus: Implications for Understanding the Neurocircuitry Engaged in
Cue Reactivity and Impulsivity. Executive Advisory Board Meeting. Galveston, October,
2014.
2. Neelakantan H, Ward SJ, Walker EA. Progressive ratio responding for morphine is
differentially altered in the presence of chronic peripheral neuropathy in male versus female
C57Bl/6 mice. College on Problems of Drug Dependence. San Juan, PR. June, 2014.
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3. Neelakantan H, Ward SJ, Walker E.A. Sex differences in the reinforcing effects of morphine
as a function of paclitaxel-induced chronic peripheral neuropathic pain in mice. Biology,
Behavior, and Chemistry. San Antonio, TX. March, 2014.
4. Neelakantan H, Ward SJ, Walker E.A. Anti-allodynic, rewarding, and reinforcing effects of
prescription opioids in the presence of paclitaxel-induced peripheral neuropathy in male and
female C57Bl/6 mice. Mid-Atlantic Pharmacological Society. Philadelphia, PA. October,
2013.
5. Neelakantan H, Ronald TJ, Ronald TF, Ward SJ, and Walker E.A. Distinct interactions of
cannabidiol and morphine in three nociceptive behavioral models in mice. European
Behavioural Pharmacology Society, La Rochelle, France. September, 2013.
6. Neelakantan H, Ward SJ, and Walker E.A. Putative pain-like states alter the discriminative
stimulus effects or morphine dependent on sex. FASEB J 27:886.12. American Society for
Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Boston, MA. April, 2013.
7. Neelakantan H, Ward SJ & Walker E.A. Putative pain-like states differentially alter the
discriminative stimulus effects or morphine in male and female mice. Temple University,
School of Pharmacy, Research recognition day. Philadelphia, PA. February, 2013.
8. Neelakantan H, Sarich M, Ronald TJ, Ward SJ, Walker E. A. Effects of cannabidiol (CBD)
versus morphine in acute and chronic pain-stimulated and –depressed preclinical models in
mice. The Pharmacologist 55(1): 14. Mid-Atlantic Pharmacological Society. Philadelphia,
PA. October, 2012.
9. Neelakantan H, Walker E.A. Acute noxious stimulus differentially alters morphine-induced
operant behavior in male and female mice. FASEB J 26: 1041.8. American Society for
Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics. San Diego, CA. April, 2012.
10. Pavlenko K, Neelakantan H, Walker EA, Ward SJ. Measuring chemotherapy-induced
neuropathic pain and attenuation by cannabidiol using pain-stimulated and pain-depressed
models in female C57Bl/6 mice. FASEB J 26: 662.15. American Society for Pharmacology
and Experimental Therapeutics, San Diego, CA. April, 2012.
11. Safdar O, Neelakantan H, Walker EA, Ward SJ. Effects of cannabidiol or morphine on
mechanical sensitivity and place conditioning induced by chemotherapy-induced peripheral
neuropathy in mice. FASEB J 26: 662.16. American Society for Pharmacology and
Experimental Therapeutics, San Diego, CA. April, 2012.
12. Neelakantan H, Ward SJ, Walker E.A. Comparison of the analgesic effects of cannabidiol
versus morphine using novel preclinical models of acute and chronic pain in mice. Temple
University, School of Pharmacy, Research recognition day, Philadelphia, PA. February,
2012.
13. Neelakantan H, Walker E.A. Effects of acute noxious stimulus on the discriminative stimulus
effects of morphine in male and female C57Bl/6 mice. Society for Stimulus Properties of
Drugs, Washington, DC. November, 2011.
14. Neelakantan H, Ramirez MD, Walker EA, Ward SJ. Comparison of sensitivity to paclitaxelinduced neuropathic pain between male and female C57Bl/6 mice. NIDA/NIAAA/APA
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(Divisions 28 & 50) Early Career Investigators Poster Session in conjunction with 119th
Annual Convention of American Psychological Association, Washington, DC. August, 2011.
15. Neelakantan H, Ward SJ, Walker E.A. Effects of morphine in acetic acid-induced
suppression of appetitive and reward-related behaviors in mice. International Narcotics
Research Conference, Hollywood, FL. June, 2011.
16. Neelakantan H, Ramirez MD, Ward SJ, Walker E.A. Increased sensitivity of female C57Bl/6
mice to paclitaxel-induced neuropathic pain and place-conditioning. Oral communication at
the College of Problems of Drug Dependence, Hollywood, FL. June, 2011.
17. Neelakantan H, Ward SJ, and Walker E.A. Comparison of the modulating affects of acute
and Chronic pain states on morphine reward in C57Bl6 mice. FASEB J 25:618.3. American
Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Washington, DC. March, 2011.
18. Neelakantan H, Ward SJ & Walker E.A. Comparison of the modulating affects of acute and
chronic pain states on morphine reward in C57Bl6 mice. Temple University, School of
Pharmacy, Research recognition day, Philadelphia, PA. February, 2011.
19. Neelakantan H, John J, Ward SJ & Walker E.A. The role of acute pain states on morphine’s
antinociceptive and conditioned rewarding effects in C57Bl6 mice. The Pharmacologist 53
(1); 36. Mid-Atlantic Pharmacological Society, Philadelphia, PA. December, 2010.
20. Ramirez MD, Neelakantan H, Walker EA & Ward SJ. Cannabidiol prevents the
development of allodynia in paclitaxel-treated female C57Bl6 mice. The Pharmacologist 53
(1); 35. Mid-Atlantic Pharmacological Society, Philadelphia, PA. December, 2010.
21. Neelakantan H, Ward SJ & Walker E.A. Hot-plate assay and conditioned place preference
effects of morphine: The influence of pain states. 33rd annual meeting of the Philadelphia
Chapter of Society for Neuroscience, Philadelphia, PA. April, 2010.
22. Neelakantan H, Ward SJ & Walker E.A. Antinociceptive and rewarding effects of morphine:
The influence of pain states. Temple University, School of Pharmacy, Research recognition
day, Philadelphia, PA. February, 2010.
23. Neelakantan H, Kim J, Walker E.A. & Ward SJ. On the dose-dependent nature of selfadministration maintained by progressive ratio schedules in C57 mice: A comparison of
cocaine, morphine, fentanyl and remifentanil. The Pharmacologist 51(4): 22. Mid-Atlantic
Pharmacological Society, Philadelphia, PA. September, 2009.
24. Neelakantan H, Kim J, Walker E.A. & Ward SJ. Dose-dependent comparison of drug selfadministration by progressive ratio (PR) schedule in C57 mice. Behavioral Pharmacology,
20 (1) S 37. European Behavioural Pharmacology Society, Rome, Italy. September, 2009.
25. Neelakantan H, Kozak G, Burmeister J, & Walker E.A. Temperature-dependent
antinociceptive effects of prescription opioids alone and in combination with gabapentin in
mice. 4th Annual Pain Consortium Symposium, Bethesda, MD. May, 2009.
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