Sreekumar Othumpangat, PhD

Adjunct Assistant Professor

Organization:

West Virginia University School of Medicine

Department:

Microbiology, Immunology & Cell Biology

Classification:

Adjunct Faculty

Dr. Othumpangat obtained his first PhD from Mysore University in the field of Microbiology and later he got another PhD from Gifu University, Japan in 2000. He did post-doctoral studies at National Food Research Institute, Japan and at National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Morgantown, WV. Later he joined the Department of Pediatrics, West Virginia University as Research assistant Professor. His research interests are in the regulation of gene expression and has published on a range of studies in human cells. He studied the carcinogenicity of metals and genotoxicity. He also focused on the tumor microenvironment and the immunogenetics of leukemia (AML), and studied the role of human embryonic stem cells in viral infections.  His research also emphasized the neuro-inflammatory proteins during RSV and RV-16 infections and role of miRNA modulating the expression of nerve growth factor (NGF).  Presently, he is a Senior Service Fellow working on the Infectious Disease Transmission Program in the Allergy and Clinical Immunology Branch at NIOSH, Morgantown, WV. Dr Othumpangat is looking for the development of biomarkers for the early detection of influenza virus, using the immunologic and immunogenetic methodologies. Dr Sreekumar has published several papers in reputed Journals. His current projects are: Identification of genetic biomarker for the early detection influenza virus and role of micro -RNAs as key modulators of influenza virus infection in invitro and invivo models.