Rupangi Vasavada, Ph.D.

Professor
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Dept of Medicine/ Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Bone Disease

One Gustave L. Levy Place
New York, NY 10029
USA

p. 212-241-6500
· email

Rupangi Vasavada, Ph.D. - Co-investigator Profile

Biogrraphy: After BS and MS at the University of Delhi, I earned my PhD in biology at the University of Pennsylvania, where I worked on my dissertation in molecular biology and molecular virology in the lab of Dr. Rob Ricciardi. I later researched at Yale University School of Medicine - Endocrinology in the labs of Dr. Arthur Broadus and Dr. Andrew Stewart. I became an independent researcher the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine - Endocrinology. Since 2012, I am at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York.

Research Profile: My lab has focused on the role of growth factors, specifically parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP) and lactogens, in normal beta cell physiology and in the pathophysiological settings of diabetes and islet transplantation. We have used transgenic overexpression mouse models to demonstrate that these growth factors can enhance beta cell growth, survival and function in vivo. Currently, the signaling and molecular pathways through which these factors mediate their beneficial effects on beta cells are being examined. Furthermore, the effect of these growth factors in normal beta cell development, growth and function is being determined through beta cell-specific conditional knockout mice. More recently, we have examined the effect of these growth factors on human beta cell growth, function and survival. The translational goals of our research are: i) to improve islet transplant outcomes; ii) to induce beta cell regeneration in vivo; iii) and to improve outcomes in animal models of type 1 and/or type 2 diabetes, either through the acute use of these growth factors or downstream target molecules activated by these factors.

Scientific Interests/Keywords

Pancreatic beta cell, growth factors, lactogens, parathyroid-hormone-related peptide, apoptosis, proliferation, regeneration, signaling, diabetes, islet transplants, human beta cell.

Publication	Citation
22586588	Metukuri MR, Zhang P, Basantani MK, Chin C, Stamateris RE, Alonso LC, Takane KK, Gramignoli R, Strom SC, O'Doherty RM, Stewart AF, Vasavada RC, Garcia-Ocaña A, Scott DK ChREBP mediates glucose-stimulated pancreatic β-cell proliferation. (2012) Diabetes 61: 2004-15 (Added 2013-03-22 09:06:45.422999)
22427375	Demirci C, Ernst S, Alvarez-Perez JC, Rosa T, Valle S, Shridhar V, Casinelli GP, Alonso LC, Vasavada RC, García-Ocana A Loss of HGF/c-Met signaling in pancreatic β-cells leads to incomplete maternal β-cell adaptation and gestational diabetes mellitus. (2012) Diabetes 61: 1143-52 (Added 2013-03-13 17:02:48.45507)
22382519	Kondegowda NG, Mozar A, Chin C, Otero A, Garcia-Ocaña A, Vasavada RC Lactogens protect rodent and human beta cells against glucolipotoxicity-induced cell death through Janus kinase-2 (JAK2)/signal transducer and activator of transcription-5 (STAT5) signalling. (2012) Diabetologia : (Added 2012-03-15 17:57:22.69272)
21911744	Velazquez-Garcia S, Valle S, Rosa TC, Takane KK, Demirci C, Alvarez-Perez JC, Mellado-Gil JM, Ernst S, Scott DK, Vasavada RC, Alonso LC, Garcia-Ocaña A Activation of protein kinase C-ζ in pancreatic β-cells in vivo improves glucose tolerance and induces β-cell expansion via mTOR activation. (2011) Diabetes 60: 2546-59 (Added 2012-04-10 16:35:56.428048)
21800111	Williams K, Abanquah D, Joshi-Gokhale S, Otero A, Lin H, Guthalu NK, Zhang X, Mozar A, Bisello A, Stewart AF, Garcia-Ocaña A, Vasavada RC Systemic and acute administration of parathyroid hormone-related peptide(1-36) stimulates endogenous beta cell proliferation while preserving function in adult mice. (2011) Diabetologia 54: 2867-77 (Added 2012-03-15 17:56:49.889019)
20980460	Mellado-Gil J, Rosa TC, Demirci C, Gonzalez-Pertusa JA, Velazquez-Garcia S, Ernst S, Valle S, Vasavada RC, Stewart AF, Alonso LC, Garcia-Ocaña A Disruption of hepatocyte growth factor/c-Met signaling enhances pancreatic beta-cell death and accelerates the onset of diabetes. (2011) Diabetes 60: 525-36 (Added 2012-01-23 21:19:51.539701)
20876711	Guthalu Kondegowda N, Joshi-Gokhale S, Harb G, Williams K, Zhang XY, Takane KK, Zhang P, Scott DK, Stewart AF, Garcia-Ocaña A, Vasavada RC Parathyroid hormone-related protein enhances human ß-cell proliferation and function with associated induction of cyclin-dependent kinase 2 and cyclin E expression. (2010) Diabetes 59: 3131-8 (Added 2012-01-23 21:19:56.350287)
20176723	González-Pertusa JA, Dubé J, Valle SR, Rosa TC, Takane KK, Mellado-Gil JM, Perdomo G, Vasavada RC, García-Ocaña A Novel proapoptotic effect of hepatocyte growth factor: synergy with palmitate to cause pancreatic {beta}-cell apoptosis. (2010) Endocrinology 151: 1487-98 (Added 2011-05-19 14:13:43.616078)
19833884	Zhang H, Zhang J, Pope CF, Crawford LA, Vasavada RC, Jagasia SM, Gannon M Gestational diabetes mellitus resulting from impaired beta-cell compensation in the absence of FoxM1, a novel downstream effector of placental lactogen. (2010) Diabetes 59: 143-52 (Added 2010-09-01 15:24:56.684754)
19509021	Harb G, Vasavada RC, Cobrinik D, Stewart AF The retinoblastoma protein and its homolog p130 regulate the G1/S transition in pancreatic beta-cells. (2009) Diabetes 58: 1852-62 (Added 2010-09-01 15:24:56.688519)
18650366	Cozar-Castellano I, Harb G, Selk K, Takane K, Vasavada R, Sicari B, Law B, Zhang P, Scott DK, Fiaschi-Taesch N, Stewart AF Lessons from the first comprehensive molecular characterization of cell cycle control in rodent insulinoma cell lines. (2008) Diabetes 57: 3056-68 (Added 2011-05-19 14:14:36.009022)
17728251	Fujinaka Y, Takane K, Yamashita H, Vasavada RC Lactogens promote beta cell survival through JAK2/STAT5 activation and Bcl-XL upregulation. (2007) J Biol Chem 282: 30707-17 (Added 2011-05-19 14:14:36.041535)
17686945	Vasavada RC, Wang L, Fujinaka Y, Takane KK, Rosa TC, Mellado-Gil JM, Friedman PA, Garcia-Ocaña A Protein kinase C-zeta activation markedly enhances beta-cell proliferation: an essential role in growth factor mediated beta-cell mitogenesis. (2007) Diabetes 56: 2732-43 (Added 2011-05-19 14:14:36.051422)
17192465	Vasavada RC, Cozar-Castellano I, Sipula D, Stewart AF Tissue-specific deletion of the retinoblastoma protein in the pancreatic beta-cell has limited effects on beta-cell replication, mass, and function. (2007) Diabetes 56: 57-64 (Added 2010-09-01 15:24:56.703867)
16638909	Cozar-Castellano I, Fiaschi-Taesch N, Bigatel TA, Takane KK, Garcia-Ocaña A, Vasavada R, Stewart AF Molecular control of cell cycle progression in the pancreatic beta-cell. (2006) Endocr Rev 27: 356-70 (Added 2011-05-19 14:14:36.061522)
16168703	Vasavada RC, Gonzalez-Pertusa JA, Fujinaka Y, Fiaschi-Taesch N, Cozar-Castellano I, Garcia-Ocaña A Growth factors and beta cell replication. (2006) Int J Biochem Cell Biol 38: 931-50 (Added 2011-03-08 09:48:56.594582)
15983210	Roccisana J, Reddy V, Vasavada RC, Gonzalez-Pertusa JA, Magnuson MA, Garcia-Ocaña A Targeted inactivation of hepatocyte growth factor receptor c-met in beta-cells leads to defective insulin secretion and GLUT-2 downregulation without alteration of beta-cell mass. (2005) Diabetes 54: 2090-102 (Added 2012-11-08 15:36:24.578687)
15561942	Fujinaka Y, Sipula D, Garcia-Ocaña A, Vasavada RC Characterization of mice doubly transgenic for parathyroid hormone-related protein and murine placental lactogen: a novel role for placental lactogen in pancreatic beta-cell survival. (2004) Diabetes 53: 3120-30 (Added 2010-09-01 15:27:02.285426)
15102600	Rao P, Cozar-Castellano I, Roccisana J, Vasavada RC, Garcia-Ocaña A Hepatocyte growth factor gene therapy for islet transplantation. (2004) Expert Opin Biol Ther 4: 507-18 (Added 2010-09-01 15:27:02.290342)
12403787	Garcia-Ocana A, Takane KK, Reddy VT, Lopez-Talavera JC, Vasavada RC, Stewart AF Adenovirus-mediated hepatocyte growth factor expression in mouse islets improves pancreatic islet transplant performance and reduces beta cell death. (2003) J Biol Chem 278: 343-51 (Added 2011-05-19 14:15:22.866271)
12351440	Cebrian A, García-Ocaña A, Takane KK, Sipula D, Stewart AF, Vasavada RC Overexpression of parathyroid hormone-related protein inhibits pancreatic beta-cell death in vivo and in vitro. (2002) Diabetes 51: 3003-13 (Added 2011-05-19 14:15:22.874664)
11723058	García-Ocaña A, Vasavada RC, Cebrian A, Reddy V, Takane KK, López-Talavera JC, Stewart AF Transgenic overexpression of hepatocyte growth factor in the beta-cell markedly improves islet function and islet transplant outcomes in mice. (2001) Diabetes 50: 2752-62 (Added 2011-05-19 14:15:22.882832)
11238473	García-Ocaña A, Vasavada RC, Takane KK, Cebrian A, Lopez-Talavera JC, Stewart AF Using beta-cell growth factors to enhance human pancreatic Islet transplantation. (2001) J Clin Endocrinol Metab 86: 984-8 (Added 2011-05-19 14:15:22.891198)
10809775	Vasavada RC, Garcia-Ocaña A, Zawalich WS, Sorenson RL, Dann P, Syed M, Ogren L, Talamantes F, Stewart AF Targeted expression of placental lactogen in the beta cells of transgenic mice results in beta cell proliferation, islet mass augmentation, and hypoglycemia. (2000) J Biol Chem 275: 15399-406 (Added 2010-09-01 15:27:02.308247)
10625667	Garcia-Ocaña A, Takane KK, Syed MA, Philbrick WM, Vasavada RC, Stewart AF Hepatocyte growth factor overexpression in the islet of transgenic mice increases beta cell proliferation, enhances islet mass, and induces mild hypoglycemia. (2000) J Biol Chem 275: 1226-32 (Added 2011-05-19 14:15:47.300948)
9769713	Vasavada RC, Garcia-Ocana A, Massfelder T, Dann P, Stewart AF Parathyroid hormone-related protein in the pancreatic islet and the cardiovascular system. (1998) Recent Prog Horm Res 53: 305-38; discussion 338-40 (Added 2010-09-01 15:27:58.306883)
9724026	Porter SE, Sorenson RL, Dann P, Garcia-Ocana A, Stewart AF, Vasavada RC Progressive pancreatic islet hyperplasia in the islet-targeted, parathyroid hormone-related protein-overexpressing mouse. (1998) Endocrinology 139: 3743-51 (Added 2010-09-01 15:27:58.31187)
9391077	Massfelder T, Dann P, Wu TL, Vasavada R, Helwig JJ, Stewart AF Opposing mitogenic and anti-mitogenic actions of parathyroid hormone-related protein in vascular smooth muscle cells: a critical role for nuclear targeting. (1997) Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 94: 13630-5 (Added 2010-09-01 15:27:58.315578)
9050887	Reddy D, Pollock AS, Clark SA, Sooy K, Vasavada RC, Stewart AF, Honeyman T, Christakos S Transfection and overexpression of the calcium binding protein calbindin-D28k results in a stimulatory effect on insulin synthesis in a rat beta cell line (RIN 1046-38). (1997) Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 94: 1961-6 (Added 2010-09-01 15:27:58.319356)
8798692	Wu TL, Vasavada RC, Yang K, Massfelder T, Ganz M, Abbas SK, Care AD, Stewart AF Structural and physiologic characterization of the mid-region secretory species of parathyroid hormone-related protein. (1996) J Biol Chem 271: 24371-81 (Added 2010-09-01 15:27:58.322895)
8640759	Wysolmerski JJ, Vasavada R, Foley J, Weir EC, Burtis WJ, Kukreja SC, Guise TA, Broadus AE, Philbrick WM Transactivation of the PTHrP gene in squamous carcinomas predicts the occurrence of hypercalcemia in athymic mice. (1996) Cancer Res 56: 1043-9 (Added 2010-09-01 15:27:58.326326)
8592727	Philbrick WM, Wysolmerski JJ, Galbraith S, Holt E, Orloff JJ, Yang KH, Vasavada RC, Weir EC, Broadus AE, Stewart AF Defining the roles of parathyroid hormone-related protein in normal physiology. (1996) Physiol Rev 76: 127-73 (Added 2010-09-01 15:27:58.333771)
8557651	Vasavada RC, Cavaliere C, D'Ercole AJ, Dann P, Burtis WJ, Madlener AL, Zawalich K, Zawalich W, Philbrick W, Stewart AF Overexpression of parathyroid hormone-related protein in the pancreatic islets of transgenic mice causes islet hyperplasia, hyperinsulinemia, and hypoglycemia. (1996) J Biol Chem 271: 1200-8 (Added 2010-09-01 15:27:58.330304)
8469240	Vasavada RC, Wysolmerski JJ, Broadus AE, Philbrick WM Identification and characterization of a GC-rich promoter of the human parathyroid hormone-related peptide gene. (1993) Mol Endocrinol 7: 273-82 (Added 2010-09-01 15:28:29.019842)
7789327	Orloff JJ, Kats Y, Urena P, Schipani E, Vasavada RC, Philbrick WM, Behal A, Abou-Samra AB, Segre GV, Jüppner H Further evidence for a novel receptor for amino-terminal parathyroid hormone-related protein on keratinocytes and squamous carcinoma cell lines. (1995) Endocrinology 136: 3016-23 (Added 2010-09-01 15:27:58.337331)
7690760	Holt EH, Vasavada RC, Bander NH, Broadus AE, Philbrick WM Region-specific methylation of the parathyroid hormone-related peptide gene determines its expression in human renal carcinoma cell lines. (1993) J Biol Chem 268: 20639-45 (Added 2010-09-01 15:27:58.341155)
3014539	Vasavada R, Eager KB, Barbanti-Brodano G, Caputo A, Ricciardi RP Adenovirus type 12 early region 1A proteins repress class I HLA expression in transformed human cells. (1986) Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 83: 5257-61 (Added 2010-09-01 15:28:29.024733)

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