Current Research:
My current research is part of the program project grant titled, “Angiotensin-(1-7) and Prostanoids in Normotensive and Hypertensive Pregnancy”. Our hypothesis is: Ang-(1-7) acts as a local autocrine/paracrine hormone in the uteroplacental unit regulating prostanoids during normal pregnancy. The study in our lab examines early and late events of gestation in the uteroplacental unit, in normotensive as well as hypertensive pregnancy. Specifically, our lab will assess the early as well as late stages of pregnancy on the expression of Ang-(1-7) and Ang II. Also, we will determine the contribution of endogenous and exogenous Ang-(1-7) to prostanoid production during early as well as late gestation in normotensive and hypertensive pregnancy. For these studies our lab is using a new transgenic rat (TGR) model of the (Renin-Angiotensin System) RAS [the female human (h) angiotensinogen (AGT) TGR mated with the male hrenin (REN) TGR] with characteristic features of Preeclampsia and Hypertension. Biochemical, physiological, and molecular tools will be used for this purpose.
List of publications:
Wilhelm A.J., Zabalawi M., Grayson J.M., Weant A.E., Major A.S., Owen J.S., Bharadwaj M. S., Walzem R., Chan L., Oka K., Thomas M.J., Sorci-Thomas M.G. Apolipoprotein A-I and its role in lymphocyte Cholesterol Homeostasis and Autoimmunity. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2009; 29(6):843-849.
Owen J. S., Bharadwaj M. S., Thomas M. J., Bhat S., Samuel M. P., Sorci-Thomas M. G. Ratio determination of plasma wild-type and L159R apoA-I using mass spectrometry: tools for studying apoA-IFin. J. Lipid Res. 2007, 48: 226–234.
Zabalawi M., Bharadwaj M. S., Horton H., Cline M., Willingham M., Thomas M. J., Sorci-Thomas M.G. Inflammation and skin cholesterol in LDLr-/-, apoA-I-/- mice: link between cholesterol homeostasis and self-tolerance? J. Lipid Res. 2007, 48: 52–65.
Alexander E. T., Bhat S., Thomas M. J., Weinberg R. B., Cook V. R., Bharadwaj M. S., Sorci-Thomas M.G. Apolipoprotein A-I Helix 6 Negatively Charged Residues Attenuate Lecithin-Cholesterol Acyltransferase (LCAT) Reactivity. Biochemistry 2005, 44: 5409-5419.
Morii H., Bharadwaj M.S., Eto N. Cloning and Nucleotide Sequence Analysis of the Ampicillin Resistance Gene on a Conjugative R plasmid from the Fish pathogen Photobacterium damsela subsp. piscicida. Journal of Aquatic Animal Health. 2004, 16: 197-207.
Morii H., Iki T, Bharadwaj M.S. Drug resistance of bacteria from the intestine of yellowtail cultured with feeds containing various drugs. Fisheries Science 2001, 67: 836-842.
List of selected abstracts and oral presentations:
Bharadwaj M.S., Zabalawi M., Owen J.S., Thomas M.J., Zannis V.I., Duka A., Sorci-Thomas M.G. ApoA-IFin partially prevents cholesterol deposition and inflammation in skin and lymph nodes of diet-fed LDLr-/-, ApoA-I-/- mice. American Heart Association, Annual Conference. Chicago, IL. 2007. P496.
Zabalawi M., Bharadwaj M.S., Sorci-Thomas M.G. Reduced plasma corticosterone levels in LDLr-/-, ApoA-I-/- mice: A model to study the role of HPA Axis in the Metabolic Syndrome. American Heart Association, Annual Conference. Chicago, IL. 2007. P334.
Bharadwaj M.S., Morii H. The Transferability of ampicillin resistance in Photobacterium damsela subsp. piscicida isolated from Yellowtail. Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society of Fisheries Science. Nara, Japan. 2002. (747).
Morii H., Nishibata I., Uramoto K., Bharadwaj M.S. The Occurrence and Transferability of Drug resistance in Photobacterium damsela subsp. piscicida isolated from Yellowtail. Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society of Fisheries Science. Tokyo, Japan. 2001. (601).
Morii H., Tsutsui Y., Uramoto K., Bharadwaj M.S. Transferable R-plasmid DNA and R-factor of Photobacterium damsela subsp. piscicida isolated from Yellowtail. Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society of Fisheries Science. Tokyo, Japan. 2001. (602).
Bharadwaj M.S., Sangodkar U.M.X.. Expression of genes from Alteromonas haloplanktis in E.coli. 37th Annual Conference of Association of Microbiologists of India at Madras, India. 1996.
Bharadwaj M.S., Fernandes N., Sangodkar U.M.X.. Distribution of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon (PAH) degraders in the deep sea sediments of North Arabian Sea. 12th Convention of Indian Association of Sedimentologists, Goa, India. 1995.
Fernandes N., Bharadwaj M.S., Coelho J. Sangodkar U.M.X. Novel method for the isolation of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon (PAH) from the surface waters of North Arabian sea. 35th Annual Conference of the Association of Microbiologists of India, Mysore, India. 1994.
Published abstract:
Coelho J., Fernandes N., Bharadwaj M.S., Rodrigues J., Sangodkar U.M.X. Efficacy of marine mixed bacterial cultures in the microcosms for cleanup of tar balls. Proc. Natl. Symp. Frontiers in Appl. Environ. Microbiol. Cochin, India. 1995. 49-53.
Honors and Awards:
§ Monbusho Scholarship, (1997-2002), Government of Japan, Japan.
§ Research Assistant, (1999-2002), Graduate School of Science and Technology, Nagasaki University, Japan.
§ Teaching Assistant, (1999-2002), Graduate School of Science and Technology, Nagasaki University, Japan.
§ Research Scholarship, (1993-1996), Department of Biotechnology, Government of India, India.
§ Student Fellowship, (1990-1992), Master Student Fellowship from Department of Biotechnology, Government of India, India.
Membership:
§ Member- The American Heart Association, USA.
§ Member- The American Society for Microbiology, USA