Dr.M.Balasubramanyam
Senior Scientist
Madras Diabetes Research Foundation (MDRF)
Gopalapuarm, Chennai – 600 086, India.
Phone : 91 44 28359050     Ext. : 252
Fax     : 91 44 28350935
Email : drbalu@mvdsc.org, balusignal@gmail.com

 Qualifications : MSc., M.Phil., PhD 

Specialization: Cell Signaling & Molecular Medicine with special reference to molecular mechanisms of pathogenesis of diabetes and its complications; Insulin signaling & Proteomics of diabetes, Oxidative stress and biomarkers identification; Bioprospecting herbal molecules 

Positions held in chronological order:

1999 to till date: Senior Scientist, Madras Diabetes Research Foundation, Chennai

1996-1999: Faculty, Centre for Biotechnology, Anna University, Chennai

1993-1996: Post Doctoral Fellow, American Heart Association Affiliate, New Jersey Medical School, New Jersey, USA

1991-1993: Post Doctoral Fellow, Government of India-Scholarship Award, New Jersey Medical School, New Jersey, USA

1988-1991: Research Associate (CSIR), S.V.University, Tirupati

1986-1988: Senior Research Fellow (CSIR), S.V.University, Tirupati

1984-1986: Junior Research Fellow, S.V.University, Tirupati.

Additional Responsibilities:

1999-till date: Member Secretary, Institutional Ethics Committee, Madras Diabetes Research Foundation

1999-till date: Academic Coordinator, MDRF (Training programmes for BSc/BTech; MSc/MTech students; short-term exposure training and end-semester project training)

Research Experience:
Possessing two decades of post-MSc research experience since from 1983. This includes an extensive Post Doctoral Fellow (PDF) training program (1991-95) at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ), New Jersey Medical School, New Jersey, USA, on the subject: “Biochemical machinery and Signal transduction in physiology and pathophysiology”

Teaching experience:

12 years of total teaching experience which include teaching assignments at

 a) Department of Zoology, S.V.University, Tirupati (1983-1991),

 b) Centre of Biotechnology, Anna University, Chennai (1995-1999)

 c) MDRF (1999 -till-to-date).

Research Grants:

1993-1995   American Heart Association Fellowship grant (PI)

1996-1997 Third World Academy of Sciences (TWAS), Italy - Research Grant (PI)

2002-2005   Department of Science & Technology (DST), New Delhi (PI) 

2002-2007 FIST-DST Grant (Programme Coordinator)

2003-2006 Department of Biotechnology (DBT) (Co-Investigator)

2006-2008 Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) (Co-Investigator)

2003-2006 Department of Science & Technology (DST), New Delhi (Co-PI).

Presently guiding five students for their PhD in the Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department of MDRF (affiliated to the University of Madras) in the following topics:

 
i) Altered signaling in diabetes and its complications with special reference to ion transport, redox imbalance and advanced glycation aspects                                           

ii)  Biochemical markers and molecular mechanisms of Oxidative Stress in Diabetes and its Complications     

iii) Insulin Resistance and Type 2 diabetes: the Hexosamine Connection and the role of post-translational modifications

iv) Does fat decide the fate of diabetes?: molecular mechanisms using adipocytes and adipokines

v) Beta-cell defects in relation to glucose, lipid and cytokine toxicities and testing of herbal actions on molecular targets.

Professional Recognition(s):

 (i) Served as Co-Editor for a special issue on Diabetes     
     Mellitus in Current Science (2002,  Vol: 83(12).
(ii) Co-organizer of the meetings organized by MDRF               including:
a) Brain Storming session on “Cell transplantation” sponsored by Department of Science &  Technology (DST), Govt of India, 2002 at MDRF, Chennai
b)   MDRF-ADA Post-graduate Course in Diabetology 2002
c)   MDRF –ADA Post-graduate Course in Diabetology 2004  

(iii) Organising Secretary – Indo-Swedish Symposium on Genomics & Proteomics of Diabetes (April 1-2, 2006)

 Referee for various journals including:

           Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry

           Indian Journal of Experimental Biology

           Current Science

           Indian Journal of Medical Research

           European Journal of Biology
 

Member - Task Force committee on Cardio-vascular diseases (CVD) in Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Govt of India

Member – Expert Committee on Clinical Proteomics, Department of Biotechnology, Govt. of India

Member – Board of Studies, Loyola College, Chennai
 

Memberships & Research Awards:

1) Elected Member - Asia Pacific International Molecular Biology Network (A-IMBN), 2001

2) International Diabetes Society grant to attend 5th IDS Congress, Chennai, 1999

3) MABMS award - Membership of the Indian Association of Biomedical Scientists 1999

4) Fellow - Indian Association of Biomedical Scientists, 1998

5) ICSU/INSA award to attend XIII International Biophysics Congress, New Delhi -2000

6) Third World Academy of Sciences (TWAS, Italy) Associateship award, 1998.

7) Young Physiologist Foreign Guest at the Physiological Society meetings, Dublin (Ireland) March 23-26, 1997

8) The Welcome Trust (UK) award for subsistence at the EC School/Conference on Calcium and Signal Transduction (Liverpool, UK, 14-20, March 1997)

9) Research Grant award from Third World Academy of Sciences (TWAS), Italy (Principal Investigator), 1996

10) International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology  (IUBMB, Germany), Young Scientist Travel Fellowship Award for  participation in IUBMB Congress 1994, New Delhi, India

11) Junior Scientist Award from the Association of Scientists of India Origin in America Inc., (ASIOA), Mississippi, USA, 1993

12)  American Heart Association (AHA, USA), New Jersey affiliate, Post-doctoral Fellowship Grant (Principal Investigator) (Diabetes Work), 1993-1995

13)  Government of India sponsored Study abroad PDF scholarship award for Specialized Post doctoral training - New Jersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey, USA, 1991-1992

14) Young Scientist Travel award for participation in the Fifth International Theriological Congress, Rome, Italy - Financed by DST, New Delhi, INDIA & V-ITC, Rome, ITALY, 1989

Membership of Academies/Research Societies:

International Molecular Biology Network (IMBN), Japan

Member Indian Biophysics Society (IBS)

Life member Indian Association of Biomedical Scientists (IABS)

Life member Indian Society of Cell Biology (ISCB)

Life member-European Calcium Society (ECS, Germany)

Member Alliance for Cell Signaling (AFCS, USA)

Member Society of Biological Chemists (India) (SBC)

Member Indian Science Congress Association (ISCA)

Member Inter Academy of Biomedical Forum - Member

Research publications in accredited journals:

1. Adaikalakoteswari A, M. Balasubramanyam, M. Rema and V. Mohan. Differential gene expression of NADPH oxidase (p22phox) and hemoxygenase-1 in patients with type 2 diabetes and microangiopathy. Diabetic Medicine 23:666-674, 2006.

2. Balasubramanyam M. Antioxidants and cardiovascular disease- Where do we stand? The Asian Journal of Diabetology, 8(1): 1-5, 2006

3. Premanand C, Rema M, Sameer Mahmood Z, Sujatha M, Balasubramanyam M. Effect of curcumin on proliferation of human retinal endothelial cells under invitro conditions. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 47:2179–2184, 2006.

4. Sampathkumar R, Balasubramanaym M, C.Tara, M.Rema, V.Mohan. Association of hypoglutathionemia with reduced Na+/K+ ATPase activity in type 2 diabetes and microangiopathy. Mol. Cell. Biochem, 282 (1-2):169-76, 2006.

5. Sampathkumar R, Balasubramanyam M, Sudarslal S, Rema M, Mohan V and Balaram P. Increased glutathionylated hemoglobin (HbSSG) in type 2 diabetes subjects with microangiopathy. Clinical Biochemistry, 38(10):892-9, 2005.

6. Adaikalakoteswari A, Balasubramanyam M and Mohan V. Telomere shortening in patients with Type 2 diabetes. Diabetic Medicine, 22, 1151–1156, 2005.

7.Balasubramanyam M, Sampathkumar R & Mohan V. (2005) Is insulin signaling molecules misguided in diabetes for ubiquitin-proteasome degradation? Mol. Cell. Biochem, 275: 117–125, 2005.

8.Balasubramanyam M. Transforming ‘traditional anecdotes’ to ‘evidence-based medicine’ and its relation to diabetes. Current Science, 89(3); 428, 2005

9. Mohan V, Balasubramanyam M, Radha V. Genomics and Proteomics of Type 2 Diabetes in Indians. J Assoc Physicians India, 53: 505-509, 2005.

10. Sampathkumar R, Balasubramayam M, Rema M, et al. A novel advanced glycation index (AGI) and its association with diabetes and microangiopathy. Metabolism, 58: 1004-1007, 2005.

11. Balasubramanyam M, Adaikalakoteswari A & Mohan V. Telomere shortening: A marker of atherosclerosis? Current Science, 87, 422-24, 2004.

12. Balasubramanyam M and Mohan V. (2004) Insulin signaling in Diabetes: Cascades and Complexities. Advanced Biotech. 2: 24-27, 2004.

13.Balasubramanyam M, Adaikalakoteswari A, Sampathkumar R et al. Curcumin-induced inhibition of cellular Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) generation: Novel therapeutic implications. J. Biosci, 28: 715-721, 2003.

14.BrijendraKumar S, Balasubramanyam M & Mohan V. Scientific highlights of the MDRF-ADA post-graduate course in Diabetology. Int J Diab Dev Countries, 23:135-144, 2003.

15. Balasubramanyam M, Rema M & Premanand C. Biochemical and Molecular Mechanisms of Diabetic retinopathy. Current Science, 83: 1506 -14, 2002.

16.Balasubramanyam M, Premanand C & Mohan V. Lymphocytes as a cellular model to study insights into the pathophysiology of diabetes and its complications. ANYAS - Annals of New York Academy of Sciences, 958:399-402, 2002.

17.Balasubramanyam M & Mohan V. The need for high throughput screening of herbal medicine with special reference to diabetes mellitus. In: Biodiversity (monitoring, management, conservation and enhancement) Ramamurthy, R. & Bali, G (Eds), pp. 57-74, 2002.

18. Balasubramanyam M & Mohan V. Orally active insulin mimics: where do we stand now? J. Biosciences, 26:383-390, 2001.

19.  Mohan, V & Balasubramanyam, M, (2001) Fenugreek and insulin resistance. J. Assoc. Phys. India, 49: 1055-6.

20.  Balasubramanyam M, Balaji RA, Subashini B & Mohan V. Evidence for mechanistic alterations of Ca2+ homeostasis in Type 2 diabetes mellitus. Int. J. Experimental Diab Res, 1: 275-287, 2001.

21.Balasubramanyam M & Mohan V. Current concepts of PPAR-g signaling in Diabetes mellitus. Current Science, 79:1440-1446, 2000.

22. Balasubramanyam M & Mohan V. Signal transduction during cardiac hypertrophy: New insights. Indian Heart J, 52:226-232, 2000.

23. Balasubramanyam M, Miranda P & Mohan V. Carbohydrate metabolism and diabetes: Links to etiology of diabetic complications and therapy. VI Volume of "The Trends in Carbohydrate Chemistry" , 2000.

24.Balasubramanyam M. Calcium and Signal transduction. Indian Journal of Experimental Biology, 35:1138-1139, 1997.

25. Cho JH, Balasubramanyam M, Chernaya G, Gardner et al. Oligomycin inhibits store-dependent calcium influx in chinese hamster ovary cells and Jurkat T-cells. Biochemical Journal, 324:971-980, 1997.

26.Gardner JP, Balasubramanyam M & Studzinski GP. Up-regulation of Ca2+ influx mediated by store-operated channels in HL60 cells induced to differentiate by 1, 25-dihydroxy-vitamin D3. Journal of Cellular Physiology, 172:284-295, 1997.

27. Gardner JP & Balasubramanyam M. Na+/Ca2+ exchange in circulating blood cells. Annals of New York Academy of Sciences, 779:502-514, 1996.

28. Dang AM, Balasubramanyam M, Zenaida Garcia, Raveche ES & Gardner JP. Altered signal transduction in B-1 malignant clones. Immunology and Cell Biology, 73:511-520, 1995.

29.Balasubramanyam M & Gardner JP. Protein kinase C modulates cytosolic free calcium by stimulating calcium pump activity in Jurkat T cells.  Cell Calcium, 18:526-541, 1995.

30. Balasubramanyam M, Rohowsky-Cochan C, Reeves JP and Gardner JP. Na+/Ca2+ exchange-mediated calcium entry in human peripheral blood lymphocytes. Journal of Clinical Investigation, 94:2002-2008, 1994.

31. Balasubramanyam M, Kimura M, Aviv A & Gardner, JP. Kinetics of calcium transport across the lymphocyte plasma membrane.  American Journal of Physiology, 265:C321-C327, 1993.

Oral/poster presentations at International/National Conference:

1. Sampathkumar R, Balasubramanyam M, Rema M & Mohan V. Association of hypoglutathionemia with reduced Na+/K+ ATPase Activity in type 2 diabetes and microangiopathy. Annual meeting of Indian Eye Research Group, Hyderabad, India, 2005.

2. Rema M, Premanand C, Sameer Mahmood Z, Anitha D & Balasubramanyam M. Inhibitory effect of curcumin on human retinal endothelial cell proliferation. 2004 Annual meeting of Association of Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO), Florida, USA, 2004.

3.    Sampathkumar R, Balasubramanyam M et al. Identification of elevated glutathionyl hemoglobin (HbSSG) in patients with Type 2 diabetes: an indicator of altered redox signaling? 64th Scientific Sessions of the American Diabetes Association, Orlando, USA, 2004.

4. AdaikalaKoteswari A, Balasubramanyam M et al. Short telomeres in patients with Type 2 diabetes: an indictor of increased oxidative stress? 64th Scientific Sessions of the American Diabetes Association, Orlando, USA, 2004.

5. AdaikalaKoteswari A, Balasubramanyam M, Sampathkumar R, Premanand C & Mohan V. Increased Lipid Peroxidation in the Natural History of Diabetes:  A Population Based Assessment. 18th International Diabetes Federation Congress, Paris, 2003.

6. Sampathkumar R, Balasubramanyam M, AdaikalaKoteswari A, Premanand C, & Mohan V. A Simple method of clinical utility to assess advanced glycation in diabetes and its complications. 63rd Scientific Sessions of the American Diabetes Association, New Orleans, USA, 2003.

7. Balasubramanyam M, Premanand C, Sampathkumar R, AdaikalaKoteswari A & Mohan V. Glitazone modulation of cellular ion fluxes: novel mechanisms far their anti-inflammatory and vascular effects. 63rd Scientific Sessions of the American Diabetes Association, New Orleans, USA, 2003.

8.  Balasubramanyam M, Premanand C, Sampathkumar R, & Mohan V. Rosiglitazone and troglitazone protect against oxidative stress: possible role of store operated Ca2+ fluxes. 62nd Scientific sessions, P-1845, Sanfrancisco, USA, 2002.

9. Balasubramanyam M & Mohan V. Signal transduction network and drug targets.  International Society for Hearth Research (ISHR), SCTIMST, Trivandrum, 2002.

10. Balasubramanyam M, Premanand C & Mohan V. Increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) load in cells from Type 2 diabetes patients: role of cell calcium.  XXV All India Cell Biology Conference, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, 2001.

11.Balasubramanyam M, Premanand C & Mohan V. Rosiglitazone inhibits reactive oxygen species (ROS) load: Ca2+-dependent and PKC-independent mechanisms. XXV All India Cell Biology Conference, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, 2001.

12. Balasubramanyam M, Sitalaximi T, Premance C, Gautam P & Mohan V. XXV All India Cell Biology Conference, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, 2001.

13. Balasubramanyam M & Mohan V. The need for a Technology Mission to test, develop and validate herbal drugs for diabetes mellitus. IABMS meeting on World Health Day, IBMS, Taramani, Chennai, 2001.

14. Balasubramanyam M, Premanand C & Mohan V. Lymphocytes as a cellular model to study insights into the pathophysiology of diabetes and its complications.  5thInternational Congress of the Immunology of Diabetes Soceity, Chennai, India, 2001.

15. Balasubramanyam M, Premanand C & Mohan V. Altered Ca2+ transport and signal transduction in diabetes mellitus, 3rd Asia-Pacific IMBN Conference & International Congress on Cell and Differentiation Biology, Australia., 2000.

16.Balasubramanyam M, Anjali V & Mohan V. Altered store-operated Ca2+ entry in cells from NIDDM: possible reversal by Withania sominifera.  XIII International Biophysics Congress, New Delhi, 1999.

17. Balasubramanyam M, Balaji A and Mohan V. Evidence for mechanistic alteration of Ca2+ homeostasis in NIDDM.  Symposium on: Membranes, Sensors and Cell surfaces, CCMB, Hyderabad, 1999.

18.Balasubramanyam M & Mohan V. The need for high throughput screening of medicinal plants with special reference to diabetes mellitus.  Brain storming colloquium on: Biodiversity monitoring, conservation and management- a need for a national agenda to meet the challenges of the next millenium.  Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati. (Invited talk), 1999.

19.Balasubramanyam M. State-of-the art of studying cell calcium.  XXII All India Cell Biology Conference, Rajiv Gandhi Center for Biotechnology, Trivandrum. (Invited talk). 1999.

20.Balasubramanyam, M. Calcium regulation and signaling in lymphocytes. Symposium on: Signal transduction in Biology, January 4-5, 1999, Cancer Research Center, Mumbai, 1999.

21. Balasubramanyam, M, Sridevi, B and Kunthala Jayaraman. Ca2+ permeability in the mode of action of entomocidal d-endotoxins of Bacillus thuringiensis.  67th Annual Meeting of Society of Biological Chemists, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, 1998.

22.Balasubramanyam M. Calcium messengers system regulation and signaling in lymphocytes. 24th Annual Conference of Indian Immunology Society , Science City, Calcutta (Invited talk) , 1997.

23. Balasubramanyam M, Subashini B, Santhosh M and Mohan V. Modified calcium signals in lymphcytes from non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.  66th Annual meeting of the Society of Biological Chemists, Andhra University, Visakhapatnam. 1997.

24. Balasubramanyam M and Gardner JP. Lymphocyte calcium homeostasis: a cellular model for studying physiology and pathophysiology.  Physiological Society Meeting, Dublin, Ireland, 1997.

25.  Balasubramanyam M, Condrescu M, Reeves JP & Gardner JP. Evidence for Na/Ca exchange in certain non-excitable cell lines. Pflugers Archiv Conference on “Calcium and Signal Transduction”,  Liverpool, UK, 1997.

26.Balasubramanyam, M. Thapsigargin, a novel molecular probe for studying intracellular ionic movements. 65th Annual Meeting of the Society of Biological Chemists, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, 1996.

27. Balasubramanyam M & Kunthala J. Ion channel basis for the mode of action of entomocidal endotoxins of Bacillus thuringiensis - an overview. 65th Annual Meeting of the Society of Biological Chemists, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, 1996.

28. Balasubramanyam M. Calcium regulation and signaling in lymphocytes.  TIFR Golden Jubilee symposium on the “Present and Future of major aspects of Modern Biology. NCBS, Bangalore, India, 1996.

29. Gardner JP, Balasubramanyam M & Studzinski GP. 1, 25-dihydroxycholecalciferol (1, 25-(OH) 2D3) reduces intracellular calcium stores and enhances store-dependent calcium influx (SDCI) in HL-60 cells. Biophysical Meeting, Baltimore, Maryland, USA, 1996.

30. Gardner JP & Balasubramanyam M. Increased cytosolic free calcium (Cai), Ca mobilization and Ca turnover rate in Jurkat T lymphocytes.  Experimental Biology’94, Anaheim, California, USA, 1994.

31.Balasubramanyam M & Gardner JP.  Na/Ca exchange-mediated calcium entry in human lymphocytes.  IUBMB Congress, New Delhi (attended through young scientist award by International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (IUBMB, Germany) 1994.

 

Projects Guided (M.Sc/M.Tech/B.Sc):

1) A Study on lipid peroxidation in diabetes and antioxidant effects of “Curcumin”

2) Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) in the Co-morbidity of Diabetes Mellitus and   periodontitis

3) Effect of Glitazones on T-Cell Activation and Proliferation

4) Leukocyte count, Insulin Resistance and Type 2 diabetes

5) Urinary Advanced Glycation end Products and diabetic nephropathy

6) Association of TNF-a With Diabetes

7) Oxidative Stress in Type 2 Diabetes: An Invitro Comet-based Assessment

8) Association of Glutathione Depletion and Na+/K+ ATPase Impairment in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

9) Redox imbalance in fasting and post prandial

10) GFAT activity and the role of oxidative stress in type 2 diabetes subjects