Dr. SHAILJA BHATTACHARYA (NEE MISRA), M.Sc., PhD, FNASc
... Chief Scientist
Division of Parasitology
CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute
10/1, Jankipuram Extn., Sitapur Road
Lucknow-226031, India
 
 
E-Mail

[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
Educational Qualifications Ph.D in Zoology, 1983: Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow, India (University of Kanpur) on Experimental Filariasis
M.Sc in Zoology with specialization in Helminthology, 1976, University of Lucknow, India
B.Sc in Zoology, Botany and Chemistry, 1974: University of Meerut, India
Date of Birth

19.03.1956
 
POST DOCTORAL RESEARCH
 
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 June 1987-September, 1989: 2 years Post Doc studies on molecular biology and immunology of lymphatic filariasis (under Long Term German Academic Exchange Service Programme) at the Institute of Tropical Hygiene, University of Heidelberg, Germany.
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 September – December, 1997: 3 months studies on molecular biology of lymphatic filarial parasites at Institute of Parasitology, Giessen University, Germany.
 
POSITIONS HELD ( Division of Parasitology- CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow )
 
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Chief Scientist - November 2006-Till date
Senior Principal Scientist - November 2001 to November 2006
Principal Scientist - November 1996 to November 2001
Senior Scientist - November 1991 to November 1996
Scientist (open selection) - November 1986 to November 1991
Junior Scientist - November 1982 to November 1986
 
 
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
 
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30 years research experience on drug discovery, Immunobiology and molecular biology of experimental filariasis
 
CURRENT AREAS OF INTEREST
 
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Lymphatic filariasis is a vector borne nematode infection of public health importance in tropical and subtropical countries including India. Though the disease is not fatal itself but causes acute and chronic morbidities leading to severe man-hour loss and has serious socioeconomic impact. Though the drugs are available to kill the larval stages ‘microfilariae’ circulating in the blood, but drug against adult parasites (the causative agents of lymphatic pathology) are nonexistent. 
The major program involves antifilarial drug discovery where synthetic compounds and natural products are bio-evaluated against lymphatic filarial parasite, Brugia malayi both in vitro and in vivo to discover adulticidal antifilarial agent. Efforts are underway to develop newer in vitro and in vivo experimental models for drug discovery and use of delivery systems to improve antifilarial efficacy of drugs/vaccine. My current research interests are discovery of antifilarial drug/vaccine targets that includes both genomic and proteomic approaches including cloning of essential genes of both filaria and its endosymbiont Wolbachia, expression and purification of recombinant proteins/enzymes, their molecular characterization and further exploitation as antifilarial drug target/s as well as in providing immune-protection against filarial challenge. Further validation of target is being carried out by RNAi mediated silencing of the gene of interest and investigating the antifilarial action of specific enzyme inhibitors. The anti-wolbachial treatment strategy using antirickettsial antibiotics alone and with filaricides is being explored. Various natural products are being investigated for immunomodulatory activity such as Piper betle, Annona squamosa, Pterospermum, acerifolium, Murraya koenigii including several chemotypes of Ashwagandha with an aim to localize single active ingredient responsible for immunomodulation. The most immunostimulatory Withania somnifera chemotype and the pure molecules of active plants are also being exploited as chemotherapy adjunct against various infections.
AWARDS/HONOURS
 
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  • Fellow of Indian National Science Academy of Sciences, India (2011)
  • K.N. Bhal Gold Medal at M.Sc. (Zoology) examination of Lucknow University
  • Merit scholarship at graduation level.
  • CSIR Junior and Senior Research Fellowships (1976-1982).
  • German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) Long term (1987-89) fellowship
  • German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) visiting scientist fellowship (Sept-Dec, 1997).
  • Honorary DAAD Advisor (German Academic Exchange Service) (2007-2009).
  • Member, JNU Academic council, JNU & CDRI-JNU Academic council (2007-09).
  • Member, Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC), VCRC, Pudduchery (2008-2010).
  • Member, Advisory Board - J. Immunology and Immunopathology (2007 onwards)

 
 
VISITS ABROAD
 
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  • Institute for Tropical Hygiene, Heidelberg, Germany from June, 1987-March, 1989.
  • London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine & Imperial College, London, U.K. 1988 (5-15 Nov,1988)
  • Institute of Parasitology, Justus-Liebig University, Giessen, Germany (Sept-Dec, 1997)
  • Institut fur Biologie, Humboldt Universitat, Berlin, Germany, Nov 10-17, 1997
  • World Health Organization, Geneva to attend meetings related to CDRI-WHO collaborative project (27-28 August, 2008; March 30-April 01, 2009; 28-30 June, 2010).

 
Post-Doctoral fellow
    • Dr Sushila Bhattacharya- DST woman scientist (Wos-A)
 
Students who Completed Ph.D Degree
  • Manisha Dikshit,
  • Monisha Mukherjee
  • Usha Singh
  • Ruma Gupta
  • Preeti Bajpai
  • Shailendra Kumar Verma
  • Satish Vedi
  • Meghna Singh
  • Anil Dangi
  • Shilpy Shakya
  • Susheela Kushwaha
  • Ajay Kumar Rana
  • Vishal Kumar Soni
  • Prashant Kumar Singh
  • Jeetendra Kumar Nag
  • Nidhi Shrivastava
 
Students currently pusuing Ph.D
  • Meenakshi Verma
  • Md. Shahab
  • Sweta Misra
  • Manisha Pathak
  • Jyoti Gupta
  • Dhanvantri Pachehara
 
Students currently pusuing Ph.D
  • Meenakshi Verma
  • Md. Shahab
  • Sweta Misra
  • Manisha Pathak
  • Jyoti Gupta
  • Dhanvantri Pachehara
Project assistants/Technical Staff

Project Assistants

        • Ruchi
        • Mamta Gangwar

Technical Staff

          • Mr. Anil Kumar Roy- Senior Technical officer
          • Mrs. Shikha Misra- Technical Assistant

 
RECENT PUBLICATIONS (2008 onwards)
 
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Immunization with a multisubunit vaccine considerably reduces establishment of infective larvae in a rodent model of Brugia malayi. N Shrivastava, JK Nag, PK Singh, S Kushwaha and S Misra-Bhattacharya*. Comparative Immunology, Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (CIMID), 2013, Doi:10.1016/j.cimid.2013.05.003.
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Water and lymphatic filariasis. S Misra-Bhattacharya, S Kushwaha and P Bajpai, 313511_1_En (2010) Chapter 16; 10.1007/978-81-322-1029-0_16. Book ‘Water and Health’. Ed by P.P. Singh and V. Sharma. Springer publishers.

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Molecular characterization of an rsmD-like rRNA methyltransferase from Wolbachia endosymbiont of Brugia malayi and antifilarial activity of specific inhibitors of the enzyme. AK Rana, S Chandra, MI Siddiqi, S Misra-Bhattacharya. Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, 06/2013; [Epub ahead of print] 57 (8).

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Structural modeling studies and immunoprophylactic potential of Brugia malayi DEAD Box RNA Helicase M Singh, N Shrivastava, U Saqib, MI Siddiqi, S Misra-Bhattacharya*. Parasitology, 2013 Jul;140(8):1016-25.  
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Recombinant Translation initiation factor-1 of Wolbachia is an immunogenic excretory secretory protein that elicits Th2 mediated immune protection against Brugia malayi. JK Nag, N Srivastava, J Gupta, S Misra-Bhattacharya*. Comparative Immunology and Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (CIMID), (Jan 2013) 36(1):25-38. doi: 10.1016/j.cimid. 2012.09.004. Epub 2012 Oct 15.

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Nanopharmaceuticals to target antifilarials: a comprehensive review. M Ali , M Afzal,  S Misra-Bhattacharya, FJ Ahmad,  AK Dinda. Expert Opinion on Drug Delivery (May 2013) 10(5) Pages 665-678. (doi:10.1517/17425247.2013.771630).
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Unresponsiveness of Mycobacterium w vaccine in managing acute and chronic Leishmania donovani infections in mouse and hamster. R Tandon, P Misra, VK Soni, N Bano, S Misra-Bhattacharya,  A Dube*. Parasitology (April 2013) 140 (04), pp 435-444.

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Current Drug Targets for Helminthic Diseases. AK Rana and S Misra-Bhattacharya*. Parasitology Research, 2013, 112(5)1819-1831.
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In vitro gene silencing of independent phosphoglycerate mutase (iPGM) in the filarial parasite Brugia malayi. PK Singh, S Kushwaha, S Md, M Pathak and S Misra-Bhattacharya*. Infectious Diseases of Poverty (25 March 2013) 2:5. 03/2013; 2(5). doi:10.1186/2049-9957-2-5.
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Antifilarial Activity of Constituents of Calophyllum inophyllum and Their Derivatives. Jankiprasad, Gunaganti Naresh, J Gupta, S M Bhattacharya*, SM. Rajendran, SK Awasthi and T Narendera*. Natural Product Communications, 2013, Vol. 8, (0) 1-2.

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Immunomodulatory constituents from Annona squamosa twigs provoke differential immune response in BALB/c mice. VK Soni, M Pathak, DK Yadav, R Maurya, M Sahai, SK Jain, S Misra-Bhattacharya*. Current Science, 2013 (In Press).
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Chemotypical variations in Withania somnifera lead to differentially modulated immune response in BALB/c mice. S Kushwaha, S Roy, R Maity, A Mallick, VK  Soni, PK Singh, ND Chaurasiya, RS Sangwan, S Misra-Bhattacharya*, C Mandal. Vaccine, 2012, 30  1077–1087.
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Withania somnifera chemotypes NMITLI 101R, NMITLI 118R, NMITLI 128R and withaferin A protect Mastomys coucha from Brugia malayi infection. S Kushwaha, VK Soni, PK Singh, N Bano, A Kumar, RS Sangwan & S. Misra-Bhattacharya*. Parasite Immunology, 2012, 34, 1–11.
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RNAi mediated silencing of ATPase RNA helicase gene in adult filarial parasite Brugia malayi impairs in vitro microfilaria release and adult parasite viability. M Singh, PK Singh, S Misra-Bhattacharya*. J. Biotechnol. 10 Feb (2012), 157(3): 351-358.

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N-methyl-6, 7-dimethoxyisoquinolone in Annona squamosa twigs is the major immune modifier to elicit polarized Th1 immune response in BALB/c mice. VK Soni, DK Yadav, N Bano, P Dixit, M Pathak, R Maurya, M Sahai, SK Jain, S Misra-Bhattacharya*. Fitoterapia 83 (2012) 110–116.
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Antifilarial activity of marine sponge Haliclona oculata against experimental Brugia malayi infection. J Gupta, S Misra, SK Mishra, S Srivastava, V Lakshmi, M. N. Srivastava and S Misra-Bhattacharya*. Experimental Parasitology, Jan 25, 2012, 130 (2012) 449–455.

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Galactolipids from Bauhinia racemosa as a new class of antifilarial agents against human lymphatic filarial parasite, Brugia malayi. KV Sashidhara*, SP Singh, S Misra, J Gupta, S Misra-Bhattacharya. European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry (2012) 50, 230-235.

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Withanolide D, Carrying the Baton of Indian Rasayana Herb as a Lead Candidate of Antileukemic Agent in Modern Medicine. S Mondal, S Roy, R Maity, A Mallick, RS Sangwan, S Misra-Bhattacharya and C Mandal*. Biochemical Roles of Eukaryotic Cell Surface Macromolecules. edited by P.R. Sudhakaran and A. Surolia. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, 749, (2012), 295-312. DOI 10.1007/978-1-4614-3381-1_20, 01/2012; 749:295-312.© Springer Science+Business Media New York.

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Combating Mosquito-Borne Lymphatic Filariasis with Genomics Technologies: Enabling Novel Drug Discovery for Neglected Tropical Diseases. M Shahab and S Misra-Bhattacharya*. Current Pharmacogenomics and Personalized Medicine, 10 (2) June 2012, 148-158.
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Molecular Characterization of NAD(+)-Dependent DNA Ligase from Wolbachia Endosymbiont of Lymphatic Filarial Parasite Brugia malayi. N Shrivastava, JK Nag and S Misra-Bhattacharya*. PLoS One. 2012;7(7):e41113. Epub 2012 Jul 16.
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In vitro silencing of Brugia malayi Trehalose-6-phosphate phosphatase impairs embryogenesis and in vivo development of infective larvae in jirds. S Kushwaha, PK Singh, M Shahab, M Pathak and S Misra-Bhattacharya*. PLoS Negl Trop Dis., 2012 Nov;14(14):1330-9.
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Recombinant trehalose-6-phosphate phosphatase of Brugia malayi cross-reacts with human Wuchereria bancrofti immune sera and engenders a robust protective outcome in mice. S Kushwaha, PK Singh, VK Soni and S Misra-Bhattacharya*. Microbes and Infection, 14 (2012) 1330-1339.

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 Gedunin and Photogedunin of Xylocarpus granatum possess antifilarial activity against human lymphatic filarial parasite Brugia malayi in experimental rodent host. S Misra, M Verma, SK Mishra, S Srivastava, V Lakshmi and S Misra-Bhattacharya*. Parasitology Research, 2011, 109:1351–1360.
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Immunosuppressive activity of hexane and ethanolic extracts of Pterospermum acerifolium seeds in BALB/c mice. M Pathak, N Bano, P Dixit, VK Soni, P Kumar, R Maurya, S Misra-Bhattacharya*. Med Chem Res (2011) 20:1667–1673.
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Cloning, expression, purification and kinetics of Trehalose-6-phosphate phosphatase of filarial parasite Brugia malayi. Kushwaha S, Singh PK, Rana AK, Misra-Bhattacharya S*. Acta Tropica, 2011, 119 (2011) 151-159.
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Relative immune modifier activities of Pterospermum acerifolium, Murraya koenigii and Withania coagulans in BALB/c mouse. VK Soni, P Dixit, N Bano, P Kumar, JC Kumar, R Maurya, SK Jain, S Misra-Bhattacharya*. Int J Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sci, 2011, 3(5), 360-365.
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Integrated Dataset of Screening Hits against Multiple Neglected Disease Pathogens. S Nwaka*, D Besson, B Ramirez, L Maes, A Matheeussen, Q Bickle, NR. Mansour, F Yousif, S Townson, S Gokool, F Cho-Ngwa, M Samje, S Misra-Bhattacharya, PK Murthy, F Fakorede, J Paris, C Yeates, R Ridley, WC Van Voorhis, T Geary. PLOS Neglected Diseases, December 2011 | Volume 5 | Issue 12 | e1412.

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Integrated Dataset of Screening Hits against Multiple Neglected Disease Pathogens. S Nwaka*, D Besson, B Ramirez, L Maes, A Matheeussen, Q Bickle, NR. Mansour, F Yousif, S Townson, S Gokool, F Cho-Ngwa, M Samje, S Misra-Bhattacharya, PK Murthy, F Fakorede, J Paris, C Yeates, R Ridley, WC Van Voorhis, T Geary. PLOS Neglected Diseases, December 2011 | Volume 5 | Issue 12 | e1412.

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Towards novel antifilarial drugs; Challenges and recent developments. PK Singh, A Arya, S Kushwaha, RP Tripathi, S Misra-Bhattacharya. Future Medicinal Chemistry*, 2010, 2(2) 251-283.
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Piper betle Linn. A malign Pan-Asiatic plant with an array of pharmacological activities and prospects for drug discovery. N Kumar*, P Misra, A Dube, S Misra-Bhattacharya, M Dikshit, S Ranade. Current Science, 2010, 99(7) 922-932.
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Adjuvanticity and protective immunity of Plasmodium yoelii nigeriensis blood-stage soluble antigens encapsulated in fusogenic liposome. V Dwivedi, A Vasco, S Vedi, A Dangi, A Khan, S Misra-Bhattacharya and M. Owais*. Vaccine. 2009 Jan 14; 27(3):473-82.

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Molecular cloning and characterization of a novel immunoreactive ATPase/RNA Helicase in Human Filarial parasite Brugia malayi. M Singh, KK Srivastava, SM Bhattacharya*. Parasitology Research 2009 Mar;104(4):753-61.

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Adult Brugia malayi mitochondrial and nuclear fractions impart Th1-associated sizeable protection against infective larval challenges in Mastomys coucha. S. Shakya, AK Srivastava and S Misra-Bhattacharya* J Helminthol. 2009 Mar; 83(1):83-95.

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The n-hexane and chloroform fractions of Piper betle L. trigger different arms of immune responses in BALB/c mice and exhibit antifilarial activity against human lymphatic filariid Brugia malayi. M Singh, S sakya, VK Soni, A Dangi, N Kumar and S Misra- Bhattacharya*. International Immunopharmacology, June 2009, Vol (6) 716-728.
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Tetracycline treatment targeting Wolbachia affects expression of an array of proteins in Brugia malayi parasite. A Dangi, S Vedi, JK Nag, S Pathinkar, MP Singh, SK Kar, A Dube, S Misra-Bhattacharya*. Proteomics, 2009, 9, 4192-4208.
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Adult Brugia malayi ~34kDa (BMT-5) antigen offers Th1 mediated significant protection against infective larval challenge in Mastomys coucha. S Shakya, PK Singh, S Kushwaha and S Misra-Bhattacharya*. Parasitology International, 2009, 58(4) 346-350.
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In vitro and in vivo antifilarial potential of marine sponge, Haliclona exigua (Kirkpatrick) against human lymphatic filarial parasite Brugia malayi. V. Lakshmi, S Srivastava, SK Mishra, S Misra, M Verma and S Misra-Bhattacharya*. Parasitol Research, 2009, 105, 1295-1301.

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Bacterially expressed recombinant envelope protein domain III of Japanese encephalitis virus (rJEVDIII) elicits Th1 type of immune response in BALB/c mice. Verma SK, Kumar S, Gupta N, Vedi S, Bhattacharya SM, Rao PVL*. Vaccine 2009, 27(49) 6905-6909.
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Prior killing of intracellular bacteria Wolbachia reduces inflammatory reactions and improves antifilarial efficacy of diethylcarbamazine in rodent model of Brugia malayi. Shakya S, Bajpai P, Sharma S, Misra-Bhattacharya S*. Parasitology Research, (2008) 102:963–972.

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Molecular cloning, purification and characterization of myosin of human lymphatic filarial parasite Brugia malayi. SK Verma, I Bansal, S Vedi, VM Katoch,  JK Saxena, S Misra-Bhattacharya. Parasitol Res. 2008, Feb 102 (3) 481-489.
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Vaccination with 73 kDa recombinant heavy chain myosin generates high level of protection against Brugia malayi challenge in jird and mastomys models. S Vedi, A Dangi, K Hajela and S Misra-Bhattacharya*. Vaccine, 5 November (2008) 26 (47) 5997-6005.
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Enhancement of T helper type I immune responses against hepatitis B Surface antigen by LPS derivatives adjuvanted liposomes delivery system. V Jain; R Sahu; S Misra-Bhattacharya; SP Vyas; D Kohli*. J. Drug Targeting (2008) 16 (9) 706-715.
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Immunomodulator effect of picroliv and its potential in treatment against resistant Plasmodium yoelii (MDR) infection in mice. Dwivedi V, Khan A, Vasco A, Fatima N, Soni VK, Dangi A, Misra-Bhattacharya S, Owais M*. Pharmaceutical research (2008) 25 (10) : 2312-9.
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Immunomodulator effect of picroliv and its potential in treatment against resistant Plasmodium yoelii (MDR) infection in mice. Dwivedi V, Khan A, Vasco A, Fatima N, Soni VK, Dangi A, Misra-Bhattacharya S, Owais M*. Pharmaceutical research (2008) 25 (10) : 2312-9.