Dr. Neethu Mohan

Academic Qualifications

• PhD, SCTIMST Trivandrum India, (2008)
• MSc Biochemistry, University of Kerala, Trivandrum, India (2002)
• BSc Biochemistry, University of Kerala, Trivandrum, India (2000)

Professional Record

• Scientist E, Division of Cellular & Molecular Cardiology, Department of Pathology, SCTIMST 2021-present
• Scientist D, Division of Cellular & Molecular Cardiology, SCTIMST 2017-2021
• PI SERB, DST; Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences &Technology, Trivandrum, India, 2015-2017
• Scientist D Adhoc; Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences &Technology, Trivandrum, India; 2015
• Chitra High Value Fellow D; Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences &Technology, Trivandrum, India ; 2012-2015
• Assistant Research Professor; University of Kansas, USA; 2011-2012
• Postdoctoral Fellow; University of Kansas, USA ; 2009-2011
• Short term visit as part of Indo-US project, Georgia Tech, Atlanta
• Research Associate; Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences & Technology, Trivandrum, India; 2008-2009

Honors

• 2013-2017 Member of editorial board of journal Tissue engineering
• 2015-Young Investigator Council mentor, TERMIS Global
• 2009 completed "Young scientist refereeing programme" of Journal "Biomaterials"

Awards

• 2012 Outstanding Fellow Short Talk Award, BMES-SPRBM Conference, San Juan, Puerto Rico, USA
• 2012 Travel award from BMES, BMES-SPRBM Conference, San Juan, Puerto Rico, USA
• 2011 Outstanding Lab Leadership Award, Biomaterials & Tissue engineering Lab, University of Kansas, USA
• 2008 Student travel award from World Biomaterial Congress for oral presentation at 8th World Biomaterial Congress, Amsterdam, Netherlands
• 2005 Bajpai Saha student award for best paper by Society for Biomaterials & Artificial Organs, India. National conference on biomaterials and artificial organs, IIT Mumbai, India
• 2005; Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fellowship for doctoral studiesHost Institute: Institute of Frontier Medical Sciences, University of Kyoto, Japan

Area of Interest

• Identify how progenitor cell functions are compromised during the cardiac repair process
• Role of Connexins in cardiac remodelling and fibrosis
• Expand the knowledge on cardiac fibrosis and cardiac stem cells through cardiac injury model
• Signals/Receptors that activate cardiac fibroblasts during cardiac remodelling post myocardial injury
• Extracellular matrix and microenvironment that modlate cardiac stem cells and cardiac fibroblast activity during cardiac remodelling
• Cardiotoxicity and molecular mechanisms

Collaboration

• Probing the progenitor cell status in CVD Patients, Collaboration with Dr. Vivek Pillai, Department of Cardiac Surgery, SCTIMST
• Animal models of myocardial Infarction, Collaboration with Dr. Sachin J Shenoy, Division of In-vivo Models & Testing, Biomedical Technology Wing, SCTIMST
• Cardiotoxicity on anti-cancer drugs, Collaboration with Dr. Renu Mohan, Department of Biotechnology, University of Kerala, India
• Hydrogels for Cartilage Repair Process, Collaboration with Dr. Lynda V Thomas, DTERT, Biomedical Technology Wing, SCTIMST

Patents

• Detamore MS, Gupta V, Mohan N, Berkland CJ, "Biomaterials with microsphere gradients and core and shell microspheres," US20140200678A1, 2014 (United States patent Application-published)
• Michael Detamore,Cory Berkland,Neethu Mohan, Vineet Gupta, Peter Mchugh, Stefan Lohfeld. Scaffolding biomaterials based on polymer-coated high-stiffness particles, WO2013116736A1, 2013 (International patent Application-published)
• Lynda V Thomas, Rahul VG, Jijo Wilson, Neethu Mohan. Flocked swabs and a process for the manufacture thereof. 202041020378, Indian patent application Filed14-05-2020.
• Mohan N, Nair Prabha D, "Biomimetic nanofiber assembled hydrogel as hybrid scaffolds for engineering of complex tissues and interfaces and the process there of" filed 2013, Indian Patent Application # 5049/CHE/2013
• Nair BP, Nair PD, Mohan N. Polymer-siloxane hybrid scaffold for tissue engineering applications and process thereof" filed 2013, Indian Patent Application 1639/CHE/2013

Fellowships

• 2012-2015; Chitra High Value Fellowship, Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences & Technology, India
• 2005; Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fellowship for doctoral studiesHost Institute: Institute of Frontier Medical Sciences, University of Kyoto, Japan
• 2003-2008; Institute fellowship for Ph.D., Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Science & Technology, India

Membership

• Academy of Cardiovascular Sciences (IACS-India) (Life member)
• Biomedical Engineering Society, BMES (2013)
• Society for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine India (STERMI) Founding Life member, (2007-present)
• Tissue engineering & Regenerative medicine International Society, TERMIS (2011-2014)
• Orthopedic Research Society, ORS (2011-2015)

On-going Projects

• Regulation of Progenitor Cell function in the Heart funded by ICMR

Projects Completed

• Role of Connexins in cardiac fibroblast phenotypic transformation and extra cellular matrix synthesis in cardiac diseases Funded by ICMR, India
• Project Title: In vitro osteoarthritic model to evaluate the regenerative capability of implants or engineered constructs Source of Support: SERB, DST, India (10/2013 - 01/2017)

Team

• Dr. Dhanya R, INSPIRE FACULTY
• Ms Indraja Devidasan (PhD student) Thesis Title: Mechanisms in Heart Failure
• Ms. Sruthi Radhakrishnan (PhD student) Thesis Title: Molecular Regulation of Key Proteins in Cardiac Fibrosis
• Ms. Aswany MG (PhD student) Thesis Title: Role of extracellular matrix in regulating cardiac fibroblast phenotype
• Ms. Sarayu Gopal, Project Fellow, ICMR Project Title: Role of Connexins in cardiac fibroblast phenotypic transformation and extra cellular matrix synthesis in cardiac diseases
• Ms. Sunitha Chandrababu, Technical Staff
• Ms. Sasikala V, Unit Assistant Pathology

Presentations

• Radhakrishnan Sruthi and Mohan Neethu. Periostin mediated regulation of Lysyl Oxidase in cardiac fibroblasts: Implications in cardiac wall stiffening. Advances In Cardiovascular Medicine And Research (ACMR) 2023, Organized by IACS & ISHR held at PGIMER Chandigarh from 16-18th February 2023
• Devidasan Indraja, Gopal Sarayu, Radhakrishnan Sruthi and Mohan Neethu. Role of Angiotensin II in determining the fate of c-kit+ cardiac cells in the injured myocardium. Advances In Cardiovascular Medicine And Research (ACMR) 2023, Organized by IACS & ISHR held at PGIMER Chandigarh from 16-18th February 2023
• Neethu Mohan “THERAPEUTIC TARGETS FOR CARDIAC FIBROSIS. Indo-US Seminar on Recent Approaches in Biochemical Research (RBAT-IX), Organized by the Department of Biochemistry, University of Kerala, India & University of Wisconsin, USA, held from February 1-3rd, 2023
• Neethu Mohan, Ethics in Stem Cell Research at Defining Ethics & Welfare in Preclinical research DEW 2022, jointed organized by SCTIMST, CPCSEA, held at SCTIMST, 14-15th November 2022
• Sruthi Radhakrishnan, Neethu Mohan. Discoidin Domain Receptor 2 (DDR2)-mediated regulation of Connexin43 in cardiac fibroblasts: Implications for conduction abnormalities in cardiac fibrosis at Heart Failure Conflux organized by Centre for Advanced Research and Excellence in Heart Failure (CARE-HF) SCTIMST, HFAI, ICMR & IACS, February 5-7, 2021
• Devidasan Indraja, Gopal Sarayu, Radhakrishnan Sruthi and Mohan Neethu. Survival and fate of c-kit+ cardiac cells in the injured myocardium: Role of Angiotensin II. Heart Failure Conflux CARDIAC METABOLISM & METABOLIC THERAPY IN HEART FAILURE Organized by Centre for Advanced Research and Excellence in Heart Failure (CARE-HF) SCTIMST, ICMR & IACS on 4th and 5th, February 2023.

Publications

Article

1. Sruthi Radhakrishnan, Sachin J. Shenoy, Indraja Devidasan, Binchu V. Shaji, Sarayu Gopal, Sreekanth Sreekumaran, Abhilash SP, Divya M. Sivaraman, Neethu Mohan, Periostin regulates lysyl oxidase through ERK1/2 MAPK-dependent serum response factor in activated cardiac fibroblasts, Cell Biochem Funct, 2024, Jun;42(4):e4066,, doi:10.1002/cbf.4066
2. Samandi G, Gupta V, Mohan N, McHugh P, Berkland C, Detamore M, Lohfeld S., Polymer-coated microparticle scaffolds engineered for potential use in musculoskeletal tissue regeneration, Biomed Mater, 2021, May 24;16(4):10.1088/1748-605X/abfdfd., doi: 10.1088/1748-605X/abfdfd.
3. Renu Mohan, Neethu Mohan, Dhanesh Vaikkath, Hyaluronic Acid Dictates Chondrocyte Morphology and Migration in Composite Gels, Tissue Engineering Part A, 2018, Oct;24(19-20):1481-1491., doi: 10.1089/ten.TEA.2017.0411
4. Neethu Mohan, P. V. Mohanan, Sabareeswaran A, Prabha Nair., Chitosan-Hyaluronic acid hydrogel for cartilage repair. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 2017, Nov;104(Pt B):1936-1945., doi: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2017.03.142.
5. BanuPriya Sridharan, Neethu Mohan, Cory J. Berkland, Michael S. Detamore, Material Characterization of Microsphere-Based Scaffolds with Encapsulated Raw Materials, Mater Sci Eng C Mater Biol Appl, 2016, Jun;63:422-8. , doi: 10.1016/j.msec.2016.02.038.
6. Bindu P Nair, Dhanya Gangadharan, Neethu Mohan, Babitha Sumathi, Prabha D. Nair, Hybrid scaffold bearing polymer-siloxane Schiff base linkage for bone tissue engineering, Mater Sci Eng C Mater Biol Appl, 2015, 52:333-42., doi: 10.1016/j.msec.2015.03.040.
7. Vineet Gupta, Neethu Mohan and Michael S. Detamore., Microsphere-Based Scaffolds Carrying Opposing Gradients of Chondroitin Sulfate and Tricalcium Phosphate, Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology, 2015, Jul 1;3:96., doi: 10.3389/fbioe.2015.00096.
8. Neethu Mohan, Jijo Wilson, Dexy Joseph, Dhanesh Vaikkath and Prabha D Nair, Biomimetic fiber assembled gradient hydrogel to engineer glycosaminoglycan enriched and mineralized cartilage: An in vitro study, Journal of Biomedical Materials Research Part A, 2015, Dec;103(12):3896-906. , doi: 10.1002/jbm.a.35506.
9. Neethu Mohan, Vineet Gupta, BanuPriya Sridharan, Adam J. Mellott, Jeremiah T. Easley, Ross H. Palmer, Richard A. Galbraith, Vincent H. Key, Cory J. Berkland, Michael S. Detamore, Microsphere based gradient implants for osteochondral regeneration: A long term study in sheep., Regenerative medicine, 2015, Dec;103(12):3896-906., doi: 10.1002/jbm.a.35506.
10. Neethu Mohan, Vineet Gupta, BanuPriya Sridharan, Amanda Sutherland, Michael S. Detamore, The potential of encapsulating raw materials in 3D osteochondral gradient scaffolds, Biotechnology and Bioengineering, 2014, Apr;111(4):829-41, doi: 10.1002/bit.25145.
11. Dormer NH, Qiu Y, Lydick AM, Allen ND, Mohan N, Berkland CJ, et al, Osteogenic differentiation of human bone marrow stromal cells in hydroxyapatite-loaded microsphere-based scaffolds., Tissue Eng Part A, 2012, Apr;18(7-8):757-67, doi: 10.1089/ten.TEA.2011.0176.
12. Dormer NH, Singh M, Zhao L, Mohan N, Berkland CJ, Detamore MS, Osteochondral interface regeneration of the rabbit knee with macroscopic gradients of bioactive signals, J Biomed Mater Res A, 2012, 100(11), 162-70, doi: 10.1002/jbm.a.33225.
13. Neethu Mohan, Nathan H. Dormer, Kenneth L. Caldwell, Vincent H. Key, Cory J.Berkland, Michael S. Detamore., Continuous gradients of material composition and growth factors for effective regeneration of the osteochondral interface, Tissue Engineering Part A, 2011, 17(21-22)2845-2855, doi: 10.1089/ten.tea.2011.0135.
14. Neethu Mohan, Prabha D Nair, Tabata Y, Growth factor mediated effects onchondrogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells in 3D semi IPN polyvinylalcohol-polycaprolactone scaffolds for cartilage tissue engineering, Journal of Biomedical Materials Research Part A, 2010, 94A (1): 146 -159,, doi: 10.1002/jbm.a.32680.
15. Neethu Mohan, Prabha D Nair, A synthetic scaffold favoring chondrogenic phenotype over a natural scaffold, Tissue Engineering Part A, 2010, 16(2): 373-384, doi: 10.1089/ten.TEA.2009.0314.
16. Neethu Mohan, Prabha D Nair, Y. Tabata., A 3 D biodegradable protein based matrix for cartilage tissue engineering and stem cell differentiation to cartilage, Journal of Material Science: Materials in Medicine, 2009, 20 (1): 49 - 60, doi: 10.1007/s10856-008-3481-7.
17. Neethu Mohan, Prabha D. Nair, Poly(vinyl alcohol)-poly(caprolactone) semi IPN scaffold with implication for cartilage tissue engineering, Journal of Biomedical Materials Research Part B: Applied Biomaterials, 2008, 84B, 2, 584-594, doi: 10.1002/jbm.b.30906.
18. Neethu Mohan, Prabha D Nair., Novel porous, polysaccharide scaffolds for tissue engineering applications., Trends in Biomaterials and Artificial Organs, 2005, 18: 219-223

Book Chapter

1. Neethu Mohan, Michael S. Detamore., Biomimetic nanofibers for musculoskeletal tissue engineering., Nanotechnology Applications for Tissue Engineering, 2015, Elsevier (ISBN: 978-0-323-32889-0), 57-71,
2. Neethu Mohan, Michael S. Detamore, Engineering graded tissue interfaces:, Structural interfaces and attachments in biology,, 2013, Springer, Thomopoulos, Stavros; Birman, Victor;Genin, Guy M. (Eds.) ISBN: 978-1-4614-3316-3, 299-322

Patent

1. Mohan N, Nair Prabha D, Biomimetic nanofiber assembled hydrogel as hybrid scaffolds for engineering of complex tissues and interfaces and the process there of, Indian Patent No. 494023(5049/CHE/2013), Indian Patent Application # 5049/CHE/2013, 2013,
2. Scaffolding biomaterials based on polymer-coated high-stiffness particles,, Michael Detamore,Cory Berkland,Neethu Mohan,Vineet Gupta,Peter Mchugh,Stefan Lohfeld., WO2013116736A1, 2013 (International patent Application-published), 2013,
3. Biomaterials with microsphere gradients and core and shell microspheres., Detamore MS, Gupta V, Mohan N, Berkland CJ,, US20140200678A1, 2014 (United States patent Application-published), 2014,
4. Nair BP, Nair PD, Mohan N., Polymer-siloxane hybrid scaffold for tissue engineering applications and process thereof, Indian Patent Application 1639/CHE/2013, 2013,