Overview

Dr. Pranela Rameshwar is a professor of Medicine, Hematology-Oncology, Rutgers New
Jersey Medical School. She received a B.S. degree from the University of Wisconsin-
Madison, Ph.D. from Rutgers University and postdoctoral training in hematopoiesis.

Dr. Rameshwar?s laboratory is involved in translational research of stem cell ?
cellular delivery of drugs, aging, breast cancer dormancy, cancer stem cells,
hematopoiesis and immunology of mesenchymal stem cells. Dr. Rameshwar is active in
mentoring and education. She has authored >200 publications, which include original
articles, reviews, editorials and book chapters. She has also edited books. Dr.
Rameshwar is also involved in teaching. She initiated a certificate program in Stem
Cell Biology and directs four graduate level courses in stem cell biology. Dr.
Rameshwar is also a university Master Educator. She is an active member of several
grant review panels both nationally and internationally. She has given numerous invited
seminars both nationally and internationally. Dr. Rameshwar is editor in chief,
associate editor and editorial board member of several journals.

Education

B.S., 1985, University of Wisconsin, Medical Microbiology
PHD, 1993, Rutgers University, Biology

Curriculum Vitae

View CV

Relevant Publications

Park JM, Munoz JL, Won BW, Bliss SA, Greco SJ, Patel SA, Kandouz M, Rameshwar P. (2013) Exogenous CXCL12 activates protein kinase C to phosphorylate. Cancer Lett 331:84-91.

133. Walker ND, Mourad Y, Liu K, Buxhoeveden M, Schoenberg C, Eloy JD, Wilson DJ, Brown LG, Botea A, Chaudhry F, Greco SJ, Ponzio NM, Pyrsopoulos N, Koneru B, Gubenko Y, Rameshwar P. Steroid-mediated decrease in blood mesenchymal stem cells in liver transplant could impact long-term recovery. Stem Cell Rev Reports 13:644-658, 2017. PMID:28733800

Munoz JL, Bliss SA, Greco SJ, Ramkissoon SH, Ligon KL, Rameshwar P. Delivery of functional anti-miRNA-9 by mesenchymal stem cells-derived exosomes to Glioblastoma Multiforme conferred chemosensitivity. Mol Ther - Nucleic Acids 2:e126, 2013.

Desai MB, Gavrilova T, Liu J, Patel SA, Kartan S, Greco SJ, Capitle E, Rameshwar P. Pollen-induced antigen presentation by mesenchymal stem cells and T-cells from allergic rhinitis. Clin Transl Immunol 2: e7, 2013

Patel SA, Dave MA, Bliss SA, Giec-Ujda AB, Bryan M, Pliner LF, Rameshwar P. Treg/Th17 polarization by distinct subsets of breast cancer cells is dictated by the interaction with mesenchymal stem cells. J Cancer Stem Cell Res 2:e1003, 2014

Munoz JL, Rodriguez-Cruz V, Greco SJ, Nagula V, Scotto KW, Rameshwar P. Temozolomide induces the production of epidermal growth factor to regulate MDR1 expression in glioblastoma cells. Mol Cell Ther 13:2399-2411, 2014.

Bliss SA, Greco SJ, Rameshwar P. (2014) Hierarchy of breast cancer cells: Key to reverse dormancy for therapeutic intervention. Stem Cells Transl Med 3:782-786.

Nahas G, Bliss SA, Sinha G, Ganta T, Greco SJ, Rameshwar P. Is reduction of tumor burden sufficient for the 21st century? Cancer Lett 2014;2:24.

129. Nahas GR, Murthy RG, Patel SA. Ganta T, Greco SJ, Rameshwar P. The RNA-binding protein Musashi 1 stabilizes the onco tachykinin 1 mRNA in breast cancer cells to promote cell growth. FASEB J 30:149-159, 2016. PMID:26373800

138. Bliss SA, Paul S, Pobiarzyn PW, Ayer S, Sinha G, Pant S, Hilton H, Sharma N, Cunha MF, Engelberth DJ, Greco SJ, Bryan M, Kucia MJ, Kakar SS, Ratajczak MZ, Rameshwar P. Evaluation of a developmental hierarchy for breast cancer cells to assess risk-based patient selection for targeted treatment. Sci Report 8:367, 2018. PMID:29321622

Areas Of Interest

cytokines

breast cancer

exosomes; dormancy; aging

glioblastoma

hematopoiesis

miRNA

neural-hematopoiesis axis

stem cells

Course List

MSBS5130Q		Stem Cell Bio & Apps Mol Med
MSBSN5134		Hematopoietic Stm Cell Biol
MSBS520AQ		Advanced Stem Cell Sem
MSBSN512Q		Topics/Cancer Stem Cell Biolog

Breast cancer, which have a preference for the bone marrow, can survive for decades as
dormant cells. The laboratory studies the survival method using molecular, cellular and
3-D bioprinting. The studies most examine how bone marrow microenvironmental cells
support the survival of breast cancer cells towards drug resistance, partly via
dormancy.

There is a focus on temazolomide resistance of glioblastoma. The laboratory studies the
distant activation of the bone marrow to send hematopoietic cells to the brain.
Additionally, the lab is develop methods of drug delivery via mesenchymal stem cells to
the brain. The issue of what source of mesenchymal stem cells could be efficient is
also being studied by culture of these cells from the placenta, cord, adult bone marrow
and adipose tissue.

The lab also investigate how the immune system of older individuals can be restored to
competency.

Representative Models:

Molecular, Cellular (lines and primary sources); 3-D biopriniting; humanized mice
(hematological); microvesicles; hematopoietic models of aging