Ulhas P. Naik, Ph.D.
Professor
Director, Delaware Cardiovascular Research Center
Naik
Phone: (302) 831-0434
Fax: (302) 831-2281
Email: unaik@udel.edu
Office: 329 Wolf Hall
Lab: 256-259 Wolf Hall
Address:
Cardiovascular and Cancer Biology Laboratory
Department of Biological Sciences
256 Wolf Hall
University of Delaware
Newark, DE 19716
Education
- B.S., M.S., Ph.D. - University of Bombay (India)
- Postdoctoral - Cornell University Medical College
- Postdoctoral - SUNY Health Science Center at Brooklyn
Teaching
- BISC 675 - Cardiovascular Physiology (Course Director)
Research Interests
The top two killers of human beings are cardiovascular disease and cancer. Our research interest is focused on developing therapeutic strategies to interrupt the progress of these dreadful diseases. In this regard, we have identified several novel gene products that play key regulatory roles in the progression of cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Calcium- and integrin-binding protein family and junctional adhesion molecule family members are some such proteins currently being studied in the laboratory. Using cell and molecular biological approaches, we have characterized the potential role of these proteins in physiological and pathological settings. Cutting edge technologies, such as the yeast two-hybrid system, siRNA, and transgenic mouse models are routinely employed in the laboratory. Several in vivo animal models for evaluating cardiovascular diseases and cancer are established in the laboratory and are routinely used to evaluate the roles of a variety of proteins suspected to be involved in the onset and progression of cardiovascular diseases and cancer. We are also using multidisciplinary bioengineering tools such as systems biology, nanotechnology, and fluid dynamics modeling to develop specific strategies in order to understand, evaluate, and control cardiovascular diseases and cancer. The laboratory is fully equipped with state-of-the-art instrumentation to perform the above-mentioned experiments.
Some specific projects involve:
- Positive and negative regulatory mechanisms of platelet activation during thrombosis
- Mechanism of new blood vessel formation (angiogenesis) during ischemia and cancer
- Mechanism of breast and prostate cancer cell metastasis
- Use of nanotechnology to deliver drugs to specifically targeted sites.
Current Projects
- 2R01-HL57630-10
- 2R01-HL63960-08
- 2P20-RR015588-09
- NSF
- DHSA
Research Group
- Krishna Sarker, Ph.D. - Research Assistant Professor
- John Kostyak, M.S. - Ph.D. Graduate Student
- Peter Millili, M.S. - Ph.D. Graduate Student
- Meghna Naik, M.Sc. - Research Scientist
- Brendan Bachman, B.S. - M.S. Graduate Student
- Sharmila Chatterjee, B.Tech. - Ph.D. Graduate Student
- David Johnson, B.S. - Ph.D. Graduate Student
- Arjit Nigam, B.S. - Ph.D. Graduate Student
- Chris Schmoyer, B.S. - M.S. Graduate Student
- Mathew Wietzman, B.S. - Ph.D. Graduate Student
- Megan Kissig - Undergraduate
Selected Publications
- Naik MU, Nigam A, Manrai P, et al. CIB1 deficiency results in impaired thrombosis: the potential role of CIB1 in outside-in signaling through integrin alpha(iib)beta(3). J Thromb Haemost. 2009:in press.
- Naik UP. Lyn and PKCdelta order SHIP1 embargo. Blood. 2009:in press.
- Welf ES, Ogunnaike BA, Naik UP. A quantitative statistical description of integrin clusters in adherent cells. IET Syst Biol. 2009:in press.
- Yoon KW, Kang Y-H, Lee JK, et al. CIB1 functions as a Ca2+-sensitive modulator of stress-induced signaling by targeting ASK1. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2009:in press.
- Braiterman LT, Heffernan S, Nyasae L, et al. JAM-A is both essential and inhibitory to development of hepatic polarity in WIF-B cells. Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol. 2008;294(2):G576–G588.
- Naik MU, Naik UP. Putting the brakes on cancer cell migration: JAM-A restrains integrin activation. Cell Adh Migr. 2008;2(4):249–251.
- Naik MU, Naik TU, Suckow AT, Duncan MK, Naik UP. Attenuation of junctional adhesion molecule-A is a contributing factor for breast cancer cell invasion. Cancer Res. 2008;68(7):2194–2203.
- Naik TU, Naik MU, Naik UP. Junctional adhesion molecules in angiogenesis. Front Biosci. 2008;13:258–262.
- Shao M, Ghosh A, Cooke VG, Naik UP, Martin-DeLeon PA. JAM-A is present in mammalian spermatozoa where it is essential for normal motility. Dev Biol. 2008;313(1):246–255.
- Weitzman M, Bayley EB, Naik UP. Robo4: A guidance receptor that regulates angiogenesis. Cell Adh Migr. 2008;2(4):220–222.
- Bonner MA, Naik UP. Cytoplasmic binding partners of the platelet integrin alphaIIb beta3. Front Biosci. 2007;12:2038–2049.
- Kang LI, Wang Y, Suckow AT, et al. Deletion of JAM-A causes morphological defects in the corneal epithelium. Int J Biochem Cell Biol. 2007;39(3):576–585.
- Kostyak JC, Naik UP. Megakaryopoiesis: transcriptional insights into megakaryocyte maturation. Front Biosci. 2007;12:2050–2062.
- Cooke VG, Naik MU, Naik UP. Fibroblast growth factor-2 failed to induce angiogenesis in junctional adhesion molecule-A-deficient mice. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2006;26(9):2005–2011.
- Naik MU, Naik UP. Junctional adhesion molecule-A-induced endothelial cell migration on vitronectin is integrin alpha v beta 3 specific. J Cell Sci. 2006;119(Pt 3):490–499.
- Naik UP. Uncovering the dark side of PKCdelta. Blood. 2006;108(13):3959–3960.
- Berger BW, Blamey CJ, Naik UP, Bahnson BJ, Lenhoff AM. Roles of additives and precipitants in crystallization of calcium- and integrin-binding protein. Cryst Growth Des. 2005;5(4):1499–1507.
- Blamey CJ, Ceccarelli C, Naik UP, Bahnson BJ. The crystal structure of calcium- and integrin-binding protein 1: insights into redox regulated functions. Protein Sci. 2005;14(5):1214–1221.
- Parris JJ, Cooke VG, Skarnes WC, Duncan MK, Naik UP. JAM-A expression during embryonic development. Dev Dyn. 2005;233(4):1517–1524.
- Cui W, Ning J, Naik UP, Duncan MK. OptiRNAi, an RNAi design tool. Comput Methods Programs Biomed. 2004;75(1):67–73.
- Naik MU, Naik UP. Calcium-and integrin-binding protein regulates focal adhesion kinase activity during platelet spreading on immobilized fibrinogen. Blood. 2003;102(10):3629–3636.
- Naik MU, Mousa SA, Parkos CA, Naik UP. Signaling through JAM-1 and alphavbeta3 is required for the angiogenic action of bFGF: dissociation of the JAM-1 and alphavbeta3 complex. Blood. 2003;102(6):2108–2114.
- Naik MU, Vuppalanchi D, Naik UP. Essential role of junctional adhesion molecule-1 in basic fibroblast growth factor-induced endothelial cell migration. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2003;23(12):2165–2171.
- Naik UP, Eckfeld K. Junctional adhesion molecule 1 (JAM-1). J Biol Regul Homeost Agents. 2003;17(4):341–347.
- Naik UP, Naik MU. Association of CIB with GPIIb/IIIa during outside-in signaling is required for platelet spreading on fibrinogen. Blood. 2003;102(4):1355–1362.
