Department of Biomedical Sciences

Ramaswamy Kalyanasundaram, PhD
Head, Department of Biomedical Sciences

Dr. Ramaswamy Kalyanasundaram earned his PhD degree from the University of Calgary, Canada (Parasite Immunology, 1991). After completing his postdoctoral training in immunology at Cornell University, New York, he joined the biomedical sciences faculty in 1993.

Ongoing research in Dr. Ramaswamy’s laboratory focuses on: functional immunoproteomic studies on tropical parasitic infections and role of histamine releasing factor in allergy and asthma.  Research in the area of functional immunoproteomics involves analyses of the proteome of infectious agents mainly Schistosoma mansoni and lymphatic filarial organisms (Brugia malayi and Wucheraria bancrofti) to identify immunomodulatory genes that are important for immunomanipulation, vaccine development and drug discovery.

Dr. Ramaswamy’s work has identified several host immunomodulatory genes from schistosomes. These include an anti-inflammatory protein Sm16; a dendritic cell migration inhibition protein Sm12b, a T-cell proapoptotic molecule Smaf and a histamine releasing factor homologue (TCTP) from several species of schistosomes and filarial worms. Smaf is a potent inducer of apoptosis in T lymphocytes. Several studies in the laboratory show that the Smaf-induced apoptosis is mediated through Fas/FasL and TNF/TNFR pathways. Recently, Smaf was cloned and the sequence analysis shows that Smaf is a homologue of high mobility group box-1 protein (HMGB-1), a cytokine-like molecule that can induce significantly high levels of TNF-a and other proinflammatory cytokines from a variety of cells. Subsequent characterization studies revealed the proapoptotic activity of SmHMGB-1 is largely a function of its B box domain.

Dr. Ramaswamy’s team also developed a novel phage display based screening of cDNA libraries of infectious agents. This technology is currently being used in the laboratory for drug target discovery, vaccine development and for functional proteomic analysis. In the area of drug target discovery, the scientists recently identified the target of Praziquantel, the only drug that is highly effective against schistosomiasis. It is anticipated that this line of research will lead to the development of newer drugs for schistosomiasis. In the area of vaccine development, several potential candidate vaccine antigens against lymphatic filarial worms have been identified. Currently, Dr. Ramaswamy’s team is collaborating with Center for Biotechnology, Anna University, Division of Microbiology and Immunology, NIAID, NIH and JB Tropical Disease Research Institute, Wardha for developing a vaccine against filariasis.

Research in the area of allergy focuses on studying a novel receptor for histamine releasing factors (HRF or TCTP) on the surface of basophils and mast cells. These studies are aimed at developing a receptor blocking therapeutic agent for alleviating symptoms of asthma and allergy.

Major funding for these studies is provided through NIH grant AI39066-08
Publications

  • Gnanasekar M, Padmavathi B, Ramaswamy K. Cloning and characterization of a novel immunogenic protein 3 (NIP3) from Brugia malayi by immuno screening of a phage-display cDNA expression library. Parasitology Research. 2005 Aug; 97(1):49-58. Epub 2005 Jun 11
  • He YX, Salafsky B, Ramaswamy K. Comparison of skin invasion among three major species of Schistosoma. Trends in Parasitology 2005 May;21(5):201-3.
  • Gnanasekar M, Velusamy R, He Yi-Xun, Ramaswamy K. Cloning and characterization of a high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) homologue protein from Schistosoma mansoni Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology 2005 (In Press).
  • Gnanasekar, M., Rao, KVN., Mishra, P., He, YX., Nutman, T., Kaliraj, P., and Ramaswamy, K.  A novel phage display based screening to identify potential vaccine candidate antigens of the filarial parasite Brugia malayi. Inf. Immunity 2004, 72: 4107-4115.
  • Rao, KVN., He, YX., and Ramaswamy, K. Display of a 28-kDa glutathione S-transferase antigen of Schistosoma mansoni on the surface of filamentous phage and evaluation of its immunogenicity. Clin. Diag. Lab. Immunol., 2003, 10:536-541.
  • Ramaswamy, K., He, Y.X., Salafasky, B., and Shibuya, T. Topical application of N, N-diethyl-m-toluamide (DEET) as a prophylactic agent against schistosomiasis. Trends in Parasitol., 2003, 19:551-555.
  • Rao KVN, He YX and Ramaswamy K. Suppression of cutaneous inflammation by intradermal gene delivery. Gene Therapy 9:38-45, 2002.
  • Chen L, He YX, Rao KVN and Ramaswamy K. Skin-stage schistosomula of Schistosoma mansoni secrete an apoptosis-inducing factor that can cause apoptosis of T cells. Journal of Biological Chemistry 277:34329-34335, 2002.
  • Rao, KVN, Chen L, Gnanasekar M and Ramaswamy K. Cloning and characterization of a calcium binding histamine-releasing protein of Schistosoma mansoni. Journal of Biological Chemistry 277:31207-31213, 2002
  • Chen L, He YX, Rao RVN, Chen L, Narayanan RB, Geetha M, Scott AL, Ramaswamy K and Kaliraj P. Cloning and characterization of a calcium binding translationally controlled tumor protein homologue from Brugia malayi and Wucheraria bancrofti. Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology 121:107-118, 2002.

PATENTS
"A novel parasite-derived anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory protein". Salafsky, B., Ramaswamy, K, and Shibuya, T.; U.S. Patent # 6,372,219 issued on 04-16-2002).
Anti-parasitic action of N, N-Diethyl-m-toluamide (DEET) and formulations that prolong its activity in the skin. Salafsky, B.,  Ramaswamy, K, and Shibuya, T.; (World wide Patent allowed, U.S. Patent No. 6,447,801, issued on 07/30/2002. Invention licensed to a commercial partner).