Supervisor:
Dr Shashi Gujar, Associate professor, Department of Pathology
Program of Study:
Postdoctoral fellow
Project Title:
Kynureninase hydrogels for immuno-metabolic glioblastoma therapy
Scholarships and/or Awards:
- Cancer Research Training Program (CRTP) Traineeship Award 2023
- Newton Bhabha PhD placement program beneficiary 2016-2017 (Placement at Glasgow University, Scotland, UK)
- CSIR-UGC (NET) JRF 2013
Lay Research Summary:
Metabolism of tumor and immune cells contributes to the survival and proliferation of cancer cells. If the metabolic pathways are targeted it can improve the effect of therapeutic regime that are being used. Immuno-metabolic therapy involves targeting of metabolic pathways to boost the immune system. So that host immune system will be able to fight against cancer. Tryptophan metabolism or the kynurenine pathway produces metabolic intermediates that have deleterious effects on immune cells and overexpression of IDO, rate limiting enzyme of tryptophan metabolism, has been reported for the poor prognosis in various cancers.
In this project we are aiming to prepare a hydrogel that can be used to deliver kynureninase to the cancer cells. These enzymes will degrade the kynurenine and will reverse the kynurenine induces immune suppression. The platform we preparing will increase the enzyme stability and reduce the protease degradation of enzyme.
Career Aspirations:
In future, I would like to develop more expertise in the field of biomaterials. After my PhD, my thoughts have been focused using biomaterials for various biomedical applications especially in the area of cancer. I would like develop this idea into a practical process and get the product from bench to bedside. I have the skill and the knowledge required and I know that I am capable of performing excellently in this field. Through the research I will be able to contribute towards the developing area and to the lab, and add on beneficial information for the future on cancer immunotherapy.
Location:
Dalhousie university
Publications:
Preethi GU, Sreekutty J, Unnikrishnan BS, Archana MG, Sreelekha TT (2022) Polysaccharide nanofibers and hydrogel: A comparative evaluation on 3D cell culture and tumor reduction, Journal of applied polymer science 139 (43), e53044.
Preethi GU, Sreekutty J, Unnikrishnan BS, Deepa Mohan, Archana MG, Maya S, Raveendran Pillai, Catherine Berry, Kausthubh Kumar Maiti, Sreelekha TT (2022) Porous Polysaccharide Scaffolds: Proof of concept study on Wound healing and Stem cell differentiation, Journal of Bioactive and Compatible Polymers 1-20.
Preethi GU, Unnikrishnan BS, Sreekutty J, Archana MG, Deepa Mohan, Raveendran Pillai K. & Sreelekha TT (2022). Electrospun polysaccharide scaffolds: wound healing and stem cell differentiation, Journal of Biomaterials Science, Polymer Edition, 1-15.
Preethi GU, Sreekutty J, Unnikrishnan BS, Deepa Mohan, Catherine Berry, Anuj Tripathi, Sreelekha TT (2021). Engineering cartilage graft using mesenchymal stem cell laden polyacrylamide-galactoxyloglucan hydrogel for transplantation. Journal of Biomaterials Applications. 36(3), 541-551.
Preethi GU, Sreekutty J, Unnikrishnan BS, Archana MG, Syama HP, Deepa Mohan, Shiji R, Anusree KS, Sreelekha TT (2020). Doxorubicin eluting microporous polysaccharide scaffolds: An implantable device to expunge tumour. Materials Science and Engineering: C. 107, 110332.
Preethi, G. U., Unnikrishnan, B. S., Sreekutty, J., Archana, M. G., Anupama, M. S., Shiji, R., … & Sreelekha, T. T. (2020). Semi-interpenetrating nanosilver doped polysaccharide hydrogel scaffolds for cutaneous wound healing. International journal of biological macromolecules, 142, 712-723.
Preethi, G. U., Unnikrishnan, B. S., Joseph, M. M., Shiji, R., & Sreelekha, T. T. (2019). Biogenic silver nanoparticles embedded polyvinyl alcohol nanofibrous scaffolds avert tumour and bacterial growth. CURRENT SCIENCE, 116(10), 1735.