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Faculty Profile Last Modified Time: 02:00:42 PM Fri, 27 Mar 2020   Contact Information Ramana Kota Associated Profiles  Professor, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, UT Medical Branch at Galveston     kvramana@utmb.edu     (409) 772-3776    Web Link    Oxidative Stress Signaling, Inflammation, Lipid Aldehyde Metabolism, Aldo-Keto Reductases, Aldehyde Reductase, Endotoxins, Aldehydes, Uveitis, Colonic Neoplasms, Inflammation, Oxidative Stress, Vascular Smooth Muscle    Associated Profiles Professional Preparation Research and Expertise Appointments  Professional Preparation  Degree Major Institution Year  PhD Biochemistry Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research    MS Biosciences Indian Institute of Technology    Research and Expertise Research Interests   Inflammation is a complex system of a host systemic and local response to injury and infection. Inflammation contributes to almost all disease processes, including immunological and vascular pathology, sepsis, uveitis, cancer and chemical and metabolic injury. It is well established that increased expression of cytokines elicits the cytotoxic actions of oxidative stress signals in many inflammatory diseases. As over 100,000 deaths in the U.S., each year can be attributed to an excessive inflammatory response to bacterial infections. Moreover, cytokines play a critical role in several cardiovascular and neurological degenerative diseases as well as cancer. Hence elucidation of the mechanisms that mediate and regulate cytokine signals is of profound importance to understanding and managing a very large array of disease processes. The chief objective of our lab investigations is to systematically investigate (1) the involvement of aldose reductase in the inflammatory signals induced various oxidants using in vitro cultured cells and in vivo experimental animal models, and (2) to delineate the role of aldose reductase and various anti-oxidant natural food supplements in the pathways used by activated macrophages and monocytes to control inflammation. We combine genetic, biochemical and cell biological approaches to analyze oxidative stress –induced inflammatory responses regulated by polyol pathway enzyme aldose reductase. We use transgenic and knockout mouse models for elucidating the molecular pathways that regulate inflammatory complications. In addition to standard models of diabetes complications, our lab also uses in vitro cultured cells as well as in vivo rodent and murine models for inflammatory complications. For cancer studies: we use nude mice xenografts, orthotopic implantation of human tumors, chemical and genetic mouse models. For sepsis complications: we use both bacterial endotoxin and cecum ligation puncture models in mice. For uveitis complications: we use endotoxin –induced uveitis as well as experimental autoimmune-induced uveitis in both rats and mice. My long-term goal is to understand how lipid peroxidation products mediate molecular signaling that leads to inflammation. In particular, by exploring the role of a unique cellular oxidant system mediated by aldose reductase, we expect to learn how oxidative stress signals mediated by ROS are modified and inactivated by cells upon disrupting aldose reductase's functionality. Understanding the cross-talk between aldose reductase and its reduced lipid aldehyde products with signals associated with various transcription factors is important in developing potential therapeutic approaches for various inflammatory complications.  Publications/Creative Works Click here to search for this faculty member's publications on PubMed.  Appointments Title Department / School Institution Professor Biochemistry and Molecular Biology UT Medical Branch at Galveston

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