Dr. Geeta Rao is a young investigator with expertise in molecular biology, cell signaling, and cancer biology, focusing on basic and preclinical research. Her work is dedicated to understanding how cancer cells interact with the tumor microenvironment to promote cancer progression, metastasis, and therapy resistance. Specifically in ovarian cancer, Dr. Rao's research investigates the role of cystathionine beta synthase (CBS), an enzyme that produces hydrogen sulfide (H2S), in driving cancer progression, anoikis resistance, metastasis and therapy resistance. Her goal is to identify key regulators of cancer cell transformation and resistance, with the aim of translating these findings into innovative cancer treatments.
Education:
BS - Veer Bahadur Singh Purvanchal University, Jaunpur, UP, India (1999-2002)
MS - Biotechnology Department, Veer Bahadur Singh Purvanchal University, Jaunpur, UP, India (2002-2004)
PhD - Life Science Department, Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, India (2006-2012)
Fellowship:
- Junior Research Fellow - Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, UP, India (2006-2008)
- Senior Research Fellow - Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, UP, India (2008-2011)
- Senior Research Fellow - Council of Scientific and Industrial Research - Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow, UP, India (2012-2013)
- Postdoctoral Fellow - Department of Zoology, Banaras Hindu University (BHU), India (2013-2014)
- Postdoctoral Fellow - Deparment of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences, OKC (2014-2016)
- Postdoctoral Fellow - Deparment of Pathology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences, OKC (2017-2021)
Clinical/Research Interests:
- Anoikis Resistance
- Metastais
- Tumor microenvironment
- Biotherapeutics
Funding:
- Startup funds from Stephenson Cancer Center, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma
Select Honors and Accomplishments:
- John B. Bruce Scholarship Award (2016). Outstanding postdoctoral fellow in Pharmaceutical Sciences. OU College of Pharmacy. OKC, OK United States of America.
- Awarded prestigious UGC-DS Kothari postdoctoral fellowship from University Grant Commission, India.
- Senior Research Fellowship (Feb. 2008 –Feb. 2011): CSIR, New Delhi, India.
- Junior Research Fellowship (Feb. 2006 – Feb. 2008) CSIR, New Delhi, India.
- Achieved Gold Medal in M. Sc. Biotechnology from V.B.S.P. University Jaunpur, UP, India.
Select Publications:
- Shaw P, Dwivedi SKD, Bhattacharya R, Mukherjee P, Rao G. VEGF signaling: Role in angiogenesis and beyond. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer. 2024 Mar;1879(2):189079. doi: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2024.189079. Epub 2024 Jan 26. PMID: 38280470.
- Roy RV, Means N, Rao G, Asfa S, Madka V, Dey A, Zhang Y, Choudhury M, Fung KM, Dhanasekaran DN, Friedman JE, Crawford HC, Rao CV, Bhattacharya R, Mukherjee P. Pancreatic Ubap2 deletion regulates glucose tolerance, inflammation, and protection from cerulein-induced pancreatitis. Cancer Lett. 2023 Dec 1;578:216455. doi: 10.1016/j.canlet.2023.216455. Epub 2023 Oct 19. PMID: 37865160; PMCID: PMC10897936.
- Elechalawar CK, Rao G, Gulla SK, Patel MM, Frickenstein A, Means N, Roy RV, Tsiokas L, Asfa S, Panja P, Rao C, Wilhelm S, Bhattacharya R, Mukherjee P. Gold Nanoparticles Inhibit Macropinocytosis by Decreasing KRAS Activation. ACS Nano. 2023 May 23;17(10):9326-9337. doi: 10.1021/acsnano.3c00920. Epub 2023 May 2. Erratum in: ACS Nano. 2024 Mar 26;18(12):9242. doi: 10.1021/acsnano.4c01293. PMID: 37129853; PMCID: PMC10718652.
- Rao G, Dwivedi SKD, Zhang Y, Dey A, Shameer K, Karthik R, Srikantan S, Hossen MN, Wren JD, Madesh M, Dudley JT, Bhattacharya R, Mukherjee P. MicroRNA-195 controls MICU1 expression and tumor growth in ovarian cancer. EMBO Rep. 2020 Oct 5;21(10):e48483. doi: 10.15252/embr.201948483. Epub 2020 Aug 27. PMID: 32851774; PMCID: PMC7534609.
- Xiong X, Rao G, Roy RV, Zhang Y, Means N, Dey A, Tsaliki M, Saha S, Bhattacharyya S, Dhar Dwivedi SK, Rao CV, McCormick DJ, Dhanasekaran D, Ding K, Gillies E, Zhang M, Yang D, Bhattacharya R, Mukherjee P. Ubiquitin-binding associated protein 2 regulates KRAS activation and macropinocytosis in pancreatic cancer. FASEB J. 2020 Sep;34(9):12024-12039. doi: 10.1096/fj.201902826RR. Epub 2020 Jul 21. PMID: 32692445; PMCID: PMC7808438.
Complete list of published work in MyBibliography: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/myncbi/geeta.rao.1/bibliography/public/