Vivek K. Vishnudas, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral research fellow

Education
University of Vermont, 2006

Lab
Jeffrey B. Miller

Research Interests
Anti apoptotic interventions in mouse models of neuromuscular diseases have lead to significant amelioration of disease pathologies. Treatment of laminin B deficiency type dystrophy mice with doxycycline and minocycline (tetracycline antibiotics) in our lab have lead to consistent improvement in pathophysiology, behavior and longevity of these diseased mice. The primary goal of my research is find out the molecular basis of this protective effect exerted by these antibiotics, in vitro. Although minocycline has been shown to exert its protective effects in vitro by down regulating the levels of Bax (proapoptotic protein) and upregulating the levels of Bcl2 (antiapoptotic protein) at the level of the mitochondria, the underlying basis of regulation of Bax and Bcl2 by these antibiotics is not known. A better understanding of how these antibiotics block the progression of apoptotic processes will in turn help in developing antiapoptotic strategies for treatment of such diseases. My secondary interests include the import of nucleus encoded proteins into mitochondria, involving the targeting of mRNA to polysomes around the mitochondria.

Recent Publications
Vishnudas, V. K., Henkin, J. A., Heim, J. R., Maughan, D. W. & Vigoreaux, J. O. (2006). Characterization of wild type and mutant myofibrillar proteomes of Drosophila flight muscles. J Proteome Res, Submitted.

Swank, D. M., Vishnudas, V. K. & Maughan, D. W. (2006). An exceptionally fast actomyosin reaction powers insect flight muscle. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 103(46):17543-17547.

Vishnudas, V. K. & Vigoreaux, J. O. (2006). Sustained high power performance: possible strategies for integrating energy supply and demand in flight muscle. In Nature's versatile engine: insect flight muscle inside and out (Vigoreaux, J. O., ed.), pp. 188-194. Landes Bioscience/Eurekah.com; Springer Science+Business Media, New York.

Contact Details:
email: vishnudas@bbri.org, tel. 617-658-7725