Education

Post-doctoral fellowship, Johns Hopkins University

Post-doctoral fellowship, Universite Pierre et Marie Curie

Post-doctoral fellowship, India Institute of Science

PhD, University of Madras (India), 1996

MSc, University of Madras, 1988

BS, University of Madras, 1986

Research Interest

The overall goal of our research program is to identify the genetic mechanisms of susceptibility to oxidative stress related lung diseases such as cigarette smoke (CS)–mediated chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), allergic asthma, bacterial pneumonia and septic shock. Our long term objectives are 1) to identify the host factors that determine the susceptibility to CS-induced COPD, allergic airway inflammation,  bacterial pneumonia, and acute lung injury and septic shock, using genetic, genomic, and proteomic methods which are especially valuable in the study of complex disease conditions, 2) to identify and characterize specific molecular pathways that are associated with COPD and asthma, 3) to investigate the role of the major anti-oxidative transcription factor Nrf2 in dendritic cell activation, T cell differentiation, and in stem cell differentiation, and 4) to develop small molecule/stem cell based therapeutic interventions in oxidative stress related lung diseases. I have extensive expertise in mouse models of inflammatory lung diseases including CS-induced pulmonary emphysema, allergic asthma, bacterial pneumonia and endotoxin/ceacal ligation and puncture mediated acute lung injury and septic shock; lung morphometric measurements (measurement of alveolar size, septal thickness, mean linear intercept, and surface to volume ratio using Metamorph software program); measurement of lung elastance and resistance in asthmatic mice; isolation and characterization of bone marrow and lung derived mesenchymal stem cells; generation of myeloid dendritic cells/macrophages/neutrophils from bone marrows, differentiation of Th1/Th2/FOX P3 regulatory T cells, bacterial culture, extracellular and intracellular (opsonophagocytosis) bacterial killing assays, gene expression arrays (Affymetrix), expression (in E. coli) and purification of (using FPLC) recombinant proteins, development of contraceptive vaccine (mice rats and rabbits) and epitope mapping, validation of marker gene (s) expression using qPCR, lung pathology, flow cyotometry, in vitro cell-culture experiments, as well as in various immunological and molecular techniques.  We are currently investigating the role of the transcription factor Nrf2 in pneumonia caused by different Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial species. We are also currently developing lung mesenchymal stem cell based intervention in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)-associated bacterial exacerbations, as well as in various infectious lung diseases including pneumonia caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and superbugs [methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), and carbapenem resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae]. The accomplishment of these goals will require multidisciplinary research that coordinates basic scientific and clinical investigations.  

Teaching Interest

Introduction to Research (VMED 7004 – Graduate Course) 

Awards & Honors

Early Career Faculty Travel Grant (2020) - Received at the Immunology 2020 Conference   
Honolulu, Hawaii.

Yearly Career Faculty Travel Grant (2018) - Received at the Immunology 2018 Conference,  
Austin, Tx.  

Young Investigator Travel Award (2016) - National Symposium of Biomedical Research  
Excellence: Conducted by National Institute of Health, Washington DC, USA.

Peter Henson Award (2011) - Best Poster Presentation, ICLIP Conference, Denver, Colorado.

Best Abstract Travel Award (2011) - Workshop on Adult Stem Cells, Lung Biology, and Lung Disease: Conducted by The NHLBI at Burlington, Vermont, USA.

Best Research Poster Presentation Award (2005) - Received from the Associate Dean for Graduate Studies, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, USA.

Scholar in Training Award (2003) - For the Meritorious Research Findings,  Received from the American Association for Cancer Research, Washington DC, USA.

Lasker Fellowship (2001 – 2004) (Total Fellowship - $ 52, 500) - Received from Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, USA.

Best Paper Presentation Award (1995) – Received at the All India Conference on Invertebrate Reproduction, held at Cannanore, India.

Best Paper Presentation Award (1994) - Received at the All India Conference on Reproductive   Biology and Comparative Endocrinology, held at Central University, Pondichery, India.

CSIR-UGC Senior Research Fellowship Award (1992) - Received from The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research and University Grant Council, India.

Best Paper Presentation Award (1991) - All India Conference on Reproductive Biology  and Comparative Endocrinology, held at Bharadhidasan University, Trichy, India.

CSIR-UGC Lectureship Award (19990) - The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research and University Grant Council, India. 

Publications

Rangasamy T*, Ghimire L, Jin L, Le J, Periasamy S, Paudel S, Cai S, Jeyaseelan S*. (2021). Host Defense against Klebsiella pneumoniae Pneumonia Is Augmented by Lung-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells. J Immunol. Aug 15;207(4):1112-1127. *, corresponding authors.

Solleti SK, Bhattacharya S, Ahmad A, Wang Q, Mereness J, Rangasamy T, Mariani TJ. (2017). MicroRNA Expression Profiling Defines the Impact of Electronic Cigarettes on Human Airway Epithelial Cells. Sci Rep. Apr 24;7(1):1081.  

Solleti SK, Simon DM, Srisuma S, Arikan MC, Bhattacharya S, Rangasamy T, Bijli KM, Rahman A, Crossno JT Jr, Shapiro SD, Mariani TJ. (2015). Airway Epithelial Cell PPARγ Modulates Cigarette Smoke-Induced Chemokine Expression and Emphysema Susceptibility in Mice. 309(3): L293-304.  

Maduekwe ET, Buczynski BW, Yee M, Rangasamy T, Stevens TP, Lawrence BP, O'Reilly MA. (2014) Cumulative neonatal oxygen exposure predicts response of adult mice infected with influenza A virus. Pediatr Pulmonol. 50(3):222-230.  

Emo J, Meednu N, Chapman TJ, Rezaee F, Balys M, Randall T, Rangasamy T, Georas SN (2012). Lpa2 is a negative regulator of both dendritic cell activation and murine models of allergic lung inflammation. J Immunol. Apr 15;188(8):3784-90.  

Rangasamy T, Semenza GL, Georas SN (2011). What is hypoxia-inducible factor-1 doing in the allergic lung? Allergy. Jul;66(7):815-7.  

Yoshida T, Mett I, Bhunia, AK, Bowman J, Perez M, Zhang L, Gandjeva A, Zhen L, Chukwueke U, Mao T, Richter A, Brown E, Ashush H, Notkin N, Gelfand A, Thimmulappa RK, Rangasamy T, Sussan T, Cosgrove G, Mouded M, Shapiro SD, Petrache I, Biswal S, Feinstein E, Tuder RM (2010). Rtp801, a suppressor of mTOR signaling, is an essential mediator of cigarette smoke-induced pulmonary injury and emphysema. Nat Med. Jul;16(7):767-73.  

Rangasamy T*, Williams MA*, Bauer S, Trush MA, Emo J, Georas SN, Biswal S. Ragweed extract activates dendritic cells in an oxidative stress- and Nrf2-dependent manner. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol. 2010 Sep;43(3):276-85. (*Equal Authors).  

Rangasamy. T*, Misra V, Zhen L, Tankersley CG, R. Tuder RM, and Biswal S* (2009) Cigarette  Smoke-Induced    Emphysema in A/J mice is Associated with Pulmonary Oxidative Stress,  Apoptosis of lung Cells, and Global Loss  of Gene Expression. Amer. J. Physiol. Lung Cell. Mol. Physiol. Jun;296(6): L888-900. *, Corresponding authors.

Sussan TE*, Rangasamy T*, Blake DJ, Yates M, Yamamoto M, T-Lyby K, Champion HC, Tuder RM, Kensler TW and Biswal S. (2008). Targeting Nrf2 with the Triterpinoid CDDO-Imidazole Attenuates Cigarette Smoke –Induced Emphysema and Cardiac Disfunction in Mice. Proc. Natl. Acad. Science (USA). Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. Jan 6;106(1):250-5. *, Equal Authors. 

Grand Funding

P20GM130555-01, Rangasamy (PI), 05/25/21 – 12/31/21 , “LMSCs based intervention in emphysema-associated bacterial exacerbation”, Role: PI, Total Funding: $50,000.00

RO1AI157353-01, Jeyaseelan (PI), 05/01/21 – 04/30/26, “Host Immunity in Sepsis-Induced Systemic Infection”, Role: Co-Investigator, Total Fundings: $2,932,935.00

P20GM130555-01, Jeyaseelan (PI), 01/02/19 – 12/31/23, Center For Lung Biology and Disease, Role: Co-Investigator (Molecular Biology Core), Total Funding: $11,530,336.00

RO1AI140500-01, Jeyaseelan (PI), 06/01/18 – 05/31/23, “Innate Immunity in Lung Infection-Induced Sepsis”, Role: Co-Investigator, Total Fundings: $2,927,440.00