S. Prakash

A Broad-Spectrum Multi-Antigen mRNA/LNP-Based Pan-Coronavirus Vaccine Induced Potent Cross-Protective Immunity Against Infection and Disease Caused by Highly Pathogenic and Heavily Spike-Mutated SARS-CoV-2 Variants of Concern in the Syrian Hamster Model

This paper develops a multi-antigen mRNA/LNP-based pan-CoV vaccine that provides cross-protective immunity against multiple SARS-CoV-2 variants in a hamster model.

A Multi-Epitope/CXCL11 Prime/Pull Coronavirus Mucosal Vaccine Boosts the Frequency and the Function of Lung-Resident CD4+ and CD8+ Memory T Cells and Protects Against COVID-19-like Symptoms and Death Caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection

Therapeutic Prime/Pull Vaccination of HSV-2 Infected Guinea Pigs with the Ribonucleotide Reductase 2 (RR2) Protein and CXCL11 Chemokine Boosts Antiviral Local Tissue-Resident and Effector Memory CD4+ and CD8+ T Cells and Protects Against Recurrent Genital Herpes

This study shows that a prime/pull vaccine using HSV-2 RR2 protein and CXCL11 chemokine boosts CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in DRG and VM tissues, reducing recurrent genital herpes severity and frequency.

Functional genetics of rice PISTILLATA genes unravels new roles and targets in flowering time, female fertility and parthenocarpy

The paper investigates the functional roles of rice PISTILLATA paralogs OsMADS2 and OsMADS4 in flowering time, female fertility, and parthenocarpy through genetic perturbations and gene target analysis.

Cholesterol-associated Locus EHBP1 Protects against NASH Fibrosis

This study identifies EHBP1 as a protective locus against NASH fibrosis by regulating cholesterol metabolism and interacting with other cholesterol-related genes.

Anti-Viral and Anti-Inflammatory Therapeutic Effect of RAGE-Ig Protein Against Multiple SARS-CoV-2 Variants of Concern Demonstrated in K18-hACE2 Mouse and Syrian Golden Hamster Models

This study shows RAGE-Ig reduces viral replication and inflammation in multiple SARS-CoV-2 variants using animal models and human cells.

High Frequencies of Antiviral Effector Memory TEM Cells and Memory B Cells Mobilized into Herpes Infected Vaginal Mucosa Associated With Protection Against Genital Herpes

This study shows that CCL28 mobilizes HSV-specific memory B and T cells in vaginal mucosa, providing protection against genital herpes.

Musashi-2 causes cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure by inducing mitochondrial dysfunction through destabilizing Cluh and Smyd1 mRNA

This study shows that Msi2 induces cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure by causing mitochondrial dysfunction through destabilizing Cluh and Smyd1 mRNA.

Salmonella Typhimurium effector SseI regulates host peroxisomal dynamics to acquire lysosomal cholesterol for better intracellular growth

The paper shows Salmonella effector SseI recruits peroxisomes to SCVs, activates ARF-1, and facilitates cholesterol transport for bacterial growth.

Constitutive protein degradation induces acute cell death via proteolysis products

This study shows proteasome-generated peptides from degraded proteins induce cell death by neutralizing IAPs, explaining the efficacy of proteolysis-modulating drugs like thalidomide analogs and bortezomib.

High Frequencies of Phenotypically and Functionally Senescent and Exhausted CD56+CD57+PD-1+ Natural Killer Cells, SARS-CoV-2-Specific Memory CD4+ and CD8+ T cells Associated with Severe Disease in Unvaccinated COVID-19 Patients

This study identifies increased exhaustion and senescence markers in NK and T cells of unvaccinated symptomatic COVID-19 patients, correlating with severe disease.

A Prime/Pull RR2/CXCL11 Therapeutic Vaccine that Bolsters the Number and Function of Dorsal Root Ganglia Tissue-Resident HSV-Specific CD8+ TRM Cells Protects Latently Infected Guinea Pigs from Recurrent Genital Herpes

This study develops a prime/pull vaccine using RR2 and CXCL11 to increase tissue-resident CD8+ TRM cells, reducing HSV-2 reactivation and genital herpes severity in guinea pigs.

Antiviral CD19+CD27+ Memory B Cells Are Associated with Protection from Recurrent Asymptomatic Ocular Herpes Infection

The paper identifies increased frequencies of HSV-specific memory B cells in asymptomatic individuals and mice, correlated with memory Tfh cells, suggesting their role in protection against recurrent ocular herpes.

High Frequencies of PD-1+TIM3+TIGIT+CTLA4+ Functionally Exhausted SARS-CoV-2-Specific CD4+ and CD8+ T Cells Associated with Severe Disease in Critically ill COVID-19 Patients

Synthesis and characterization of peptide conjugated human serum albumin nanoparticles for targeted cardiac uptake and drug delivery.

This study develops AT1 peptide conjugated human serum albumin nanoparticles for targeted cardiac delivery of milrinone, showing improved uptake and cell viability in H9c2 cells.

OsbZIP47 an integrator for meristem regulators during rice plant growth and development

OsbZIP47 regulates rice shoot meristem size, panicle and floret development in concert with other meristem regulators such as OsMADS1, RFL and OSH1.

Defining the cell surface proteomic landscape of multiple myeloma reveals immunotherapeutic strategies and biomarkers of drug resistance

This study defines the myeloma cell surface proteome, identifies therapeutic targets and resistance biomarkers, and presents a miniaturized surface proteomics protocol.

Healing of Primary and Recurrent Mouse Ocular Herpetic Disease Following Topical Ocular Treatment with an Engineered Fibroblast Growth Factor-1 (FGF-1) is Associated with Increased Frequency and Function of Corneal Anti-Inflammatory M2 Macrophages

This study shows that engineered FGF-1 (TTHX1114) reduces HSV-1-induced corneal disease in mice by increasing anti-inflammatory M2 macrophages and decreasing pro-inflammatory M1 macrophages.

Genome-Wide Asymptomatic B-Cell, CD4+ and CD8+ T-Cell Epitopes, that are Highly Conserved Between Human and Animal Coronaviruses, Identified from SARS-CoV-2 as Immune Targets for Pre-Emptive Pan-Coronavirus Vaccines

The paper identifies conserved B-cell and T-cell epitopes across multiple Coronaviruses to inform the development of a pan-Coronavirus vaccine.

Endothelial Barrier Function is co-regulated at Vessel Bifurcations by Fluid Forces and Sphingosine-1-Phosphate

This study shows that fluid forces at vessel bifurcations and S1P signaling co-regulate endothelial barrier function, with distinct dependencies on S1P receptors.

Naturally occurring fluorescence protects the eutardigrade Paramacrobiotus sp. from ultraviolet radiation

This study identifies a new tardigrade species that uses natural fluorescence to protect against UV radiation, demonstrating its photoprotective function through experimental validation.

Competing Fluid Forces Control Endothelial Sprouting in a 3-D Microfluidic Vessel Bifurcation Model

This study investigates how fluid forces at vessel bifurcations affect endothelial sprouting in a 3D microfluidic model, finding that bifurcating flow suppresses sprouts while transvascular flow promotes them.

Like Sugar in Milk: Reconstructing the genetic history of the Parsi population

This study reconstructs the genetic history of the Parsi population, showing their closest genetic relation to Middle Eastern populations and evidence of admixture with South Asians around 1,200 years ago.