Neelam Sharma-Walia, Ph.D.
Research Assistant Professor
Room 2.416, Telephone (847) 578-3000 x7777
E-mail: neelam.sharma-walia@rosalindfranklin.edu

Dr. Walia received her Ph.D. in Experimental Medicine and Biotechnology from the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India in 1998. She was appointed as Senior Demonstrator in the Department of Experimental Medicine and Biotechnology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India from 1998-2000. She worked as postdoctoral fellow in the Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago in 2001 and in the Department of Microbiology, Molecular Genetics and Immunology at University of Kansas Medical Center from 2002-2005. She joined the Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science in July, 2005 as a Research Assistant Professor.

Research

Dr. Walia has worked on signaling pathways induced by Kaposi’s sarcoma associated herpesvirus (KSHV) infection. Virion envelope associated glycoproteins gB and gpK8.1A have been the focus of her research. Dr. Walia’s studies have shown that the envelope glycoprotein gB has the ability to induce the integrin-dependent pre-existing FAK-Src-PI-3K-Rho GTPase signal pathways in host cells, and glycoprotein gpK8.1A has the potential to induce a robust ERK1/2 response in human microvascular endothelial cells and in human foreskin fibroblast cells, which in turn may provide a very conducive environment for the successful infection of target cells. Previous study laboratory has shown the up-regulation of several pro-inflammatory cytokines and growth factors early during infection of target cells by KSHV. Using a variety of cutting edge technologies, Dr. Walia is currently deciphering the role of these cytokines and growth factors in KSHV infection and pathogenesis.

Publications

Sharma, N., B. Desigan, S. Ghosh, S.N. Sanyal, N.K. Ganguly and S. Majumdar. "The role of oxidised HDL in monocyte/macrophage function in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis," Scandinavian Journal of Clinical Laboratory Investigation, 59:215-226, 1999.

Sharma, N., B. Desigan, S.N. Sanyal, S. Majumdar and N.K. Ganguly. "Effect of antioxidant vitamin E as a protective factor in experimental atherosclerosis in rhesus monkeys," Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism, 43:1-10, 1999.

Grover, V., S. Ghosh, N. Sharma, A. Chakraborti, S. Majumdar and N.K. Ganguly. "Characterization of a galactose specific adhesion of aggregative Escherichia coli," Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics, 390(1):109-118, 2001.

Kaushal, S., S. Ghosh, N. Sharma, S.M. Sanyal and S. Majumdar. "Role of phospholipid transfer protein in rabibit lung development," Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences, 58(4)2098-2107, 2001.

Chugh, S., N. Sharma- Walia and Y.S. Kanwar. "Nephrotic Syndrome induced heterologous phase proteinuria in aminopeptidase A knock-out mice," Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, 12:674A, 2001.

Wang, F.-Z., S.M. Akula, N. Sharma- Walia, L. Zeng and B. Chandran. "Human herpesvirus envelope glycoprotein gB mediates cell adhesion via its RGD sequence," J. Virology, 77(5):3131-3147, 2003.

Akula, S.M., P.P. Naranatt, N. Sharma- Walia, F.-Z. Wang, B. Fegley and B. Chandran. "Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV/HHV-8) infection of human fibroblast cells occurs through endocytosis,"J. Virology, 77(14):7978-7990, 2003.

Sharma-Walia, N., P.P. Naranatt, H.H. Krishnan, L. Zeng and B. Chandran. "Kaposi's sacoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV/HHV-8) envelope glycoprotein gB induces the integrin dependent focal adhesion kinase-Src-PI-3K-RhoGTPase signal pathways and cytoskeletal rearrangements," J. Virology, 78(8):4207-4223, 2004.

Sharma-Walia, N., H.H. Krishnan, P.P. Naranatt and B. Chandran. "KSHV/HHV-8 envelope glycoprotein gpK8.1A induced ERK early during infection is essential for the latent and lytic gene expression and for the establishment of latent infection," J. Virology, 79(16):10308-29, 2005.

Krishnan, H.H., N. Sharma- Walia, L. Zeng, M.S. Smith and B. Chandran. "Envelope glycoprotein gB of Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) is essential for egress from infected cells," J. Virology, 79:10952-10967, 2005.

Krishnan, H.H., N. Sharma- Walia, D.N. Streblow, P.P. Naranatt and B. Chandran. "Focal Adhesion Kinase (FAK) is Critical for Kaposi's Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus (KSHV/HHV-8) Entry into the Target Cells," J. Virology, 80(3):1167-80, 2006.

Sharma-Walia, N., H. Raghu, S. Sadagopan, S. Ramu, M.V. Veettil, P.P. Naranatt, M.M. Smith and B. Chandran. "Cyclooxygenase 2 Induced by Kaposi's Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus Early during In Vitro Infection of Target Cells Plays a Role in the Maintenance of Latent Viral Gene Expression," J. Virology, 80(13):6534-6552, 2006.

Veettil, M.V., N. Sharma- Walia, S. Sadagopan, H. Raghu, S. Ramu, P.P. Naranatt and B. Chandran. "RhoA-GTPase facilitates entry of Kaposi's Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus (KSHV/HHV-8) into the adherent target cells in a Src dependent manner," J. Virology, 80(23):11432-11446, 2006.

Sadagopan, S., N. Sharma-Walia,  M.V. Veettil, H. Raghu,  R. Sivakumar and B. Chandran. Kaposi’s Sarcoma-Associated Herpes Virus (KSHV/HHV-8) Induces a Sustained NF-kB Activation During de novo Infection of Primary Human Dermal Microvascular Endothelial Cells that is Essential for Viral Gene Expression. J. Virology, 81(8):3949-3968, 2007.

Raghu H., Sharma-Walia N., Valiya V.M., Sadagopan S., Caballero A., Sivakumar R., Varga L., Bottero V., and Chandran B. Lipid rafts of primary endothelial cells are essential for Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV/HHV-8) induced PI3-K and RhoA-GTPases critical for microtubule dynamics and nuclear delivery of viral DNA but dispensable for binding and entry. J. Virology, 81:7941-7959, 2007.

Sivakumar, R., N. Sharma-Walia, H. Raghu, M.V. Veettil, S. Sadagopan, V. Bottero, L. Varga, R. Levine, and B. Chandran. Kaposi’s Sarcoma-associated herpesvirus induces sustained levels of vascular endothelial growth factors A and C early during in vitro infection of human microvascular dermal endothelial cells:  Biological Implications.  J. Virology, 82:1759–1776, 2008.

Mohanan Valiya Veettil, Sathish Sadagopan, Neelam Sharma-Walia, Fu-Zhang Wang, Hari Raghu, Laszlo Varga, and Bala Chandran. Kaposi’s sarcoma associated herpesvirus (KSHV/HHV-8) forms a multi-molecular complex of integrins (αVβ5, αVβ3 and α3β1) and CD98-xCT during infection of human dermal microvascular endothelial (HMVEC-d) cells and CD98-xCT is essential for post-entry stage of infection. J. Virology, 82(24):12126-44, 2008.

Sadagopan S, Sharma-Walia N, Veettil MV, Bottero V, Levine R, Vart R J, Chandran B. Kaposi's Sarcoma Associated Herpes Virus (KSHV/HHV-8) Upregulates Angiogenin During Infection of Human Dermal Microvascular Endothelial Cells Which Induces 45SrRNA Synthesis, Anti-apoptosis, Cell Proliferation, Migration and Angiogenesis. J. Virology. 83(7):3342-64, 2009.

Raghu H, Sharma-Walia N, Veettil MV, Sadagopan S, Chandran B. Kaposi's Sarcoma Associated Herpesvirus Utilizes an Actin Polymerization-Dependant Macropinocytic Pathway To Enter Human Dermal Microvascular Endothelial and Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells. J. Virology, 83(10): 4895-4911, 2009.

Bottero V, Sharma-Walia N, Kerur N, George-Paul Arun, Sadagopan S, Cannon M and Chandran B. Kaposi's Sarcoma-associated herpes virus (KSHV) G protein-coupled receptor (vGPCR) activates the ORF50 lytic switch promoter: A potential positive feedback loop for sustained ORF50 gene expression. Accepted for publication in Virology.

Chapter in Book

Dani, H.M.,  N. Sharma  and Harkirat. "Anticarcinogenicity of flavonoids as studied by inhibition of lipid peroxidation microsomal degranulation and then interaction with Benza(a) pyrene metabolites," Eds. Ong. ASH and Packer, Birkhauser Verlag, Basel, pp. 320-330, 1992.

Chandran B. and Sharma-Walia, N. KSHV entry and infection of target cells. Chapter 23, 583-609, 2009. In DNA tumor viruses. B. Damania ansd J.M. Pipas (eds) (Springer Sciences Business Media).

Sharma-Walia N, Paul AG, Bottero V, Sadagopan S, Veettil M, Kerur N, Chandran B, Kaposi's Sarcoma Assoicated Herpes Virus (KSHV) Induced COX-2: A Key Factor in Latency, Inflammation, Angiogenesis, Cell Survival and Invasion.  PLoS Pathogetns, February 2010, Vol. 6, Issue 2, P. e1000777. 

Paul AG, Sharma-Walia N, Kerur N, White C and Chandran B. Piracy of PGE2/EP receptor mediated signaling by Kaposi's sarcoma associated herpes virus (KSHV/HHV-8) for latency gene expression: Startegy of a successful pathogen. In Press. Cancer Research. March 2010.

This page was updated 03-10-2010