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Muthusamy Thangaraju

Professor

Muthusamy Thangaraju

Professor

Academic Appointment(s)

Medical College of Georgia
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Administration
Department of The Graduate School

Bio

Dr. Muthusamy Thangaraju (Raju) is a breast cancer research scientist. I started my research career as a breast cancer Scientist in 1991 when I was a graduate student at the University of Madras, India. Then I moved to the McGill University, Montreal, Canada as a post-doctoral fellowships and studied the role of protein tyrosine phosphatases, SHP1 and SHP2, in breast cancer growth and progression. Then I joined at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, and expanded my research in breast cancer and investigated the role of BRCA1 and BRCA2, the two breast cancer susceptibility genes, in the regulation of DNA damage repair and apoptosis in breast cancer. Then I joined the National Cancer Institute (NCI), Frederick, MD where I explored the functional implication of CCAAT/Enhancer Binding Protein delta (CEBPD) in mammary gland development and its relevance to mammary tumor growth and progression. Currently, I am a Professor at the Augusta University and studying the role of epigenetics and regulation of mammary gland development and its association with mammary stem cells (MaSC) and breast cancer stem cell (BCSC) self-renewal. I also studies the role of GPR109A, Netrin-1, and Epigenetics in Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease (ADPKD).

Education

  • Ph.D., Biochemistry University of Madras, 1996

  • MS, Chemistry, General Bharathidasan University, 1989

Awards & Honors

  • Outstanding Young Scientist Award Augusta University, 2010

  • Spring Research Festivel Best Poster Award National Cancer Institute (NCI), 2002

  • NCI Research Fellowship National Cancer Institute, 2001

  • Travel grant UICC, 1998

  • Post-Doctoral Fellowship Royal Victoria Hospital Research Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Canada, 1998

Courses Taught Most Recent Academic Year

  • BCMB 9210

    Investigation of Problem

  • MEDI 6220

    Cardiopulmonary/Heme

  • BCMB 8201

    Cur Topics & Tech in MB

  • BIOM 8215

    Fundamentals of Oncology I

  • MEDI 6240

    GI/GU/Endocrine

  • BCMB 9010

    Seminar in BMB

  • BCMB 8340

    Elements of Scientific Pres

Teaching Interests

Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Signal Transduction, Epigenetics, Breast Cancer Stem Cell (BCSC) self-renewal, and Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease (ADPKD).

Scholarship

Selected Recent Publications

  • Upregulation of the EGFR/MEK1/MAPK1/2 signaling axis as a mechanism of resistance to antiestrogen‑induced BimEL dependent apoptosis in ER(+) breast cancer cells., 2023
    Journal Article, Professional Journal
  • Targeting hyaluronic acid synthase-3 (HAS3) for the treatment of advanced renal cell carcinoma., 2022
    Journal Article, Academic Journal
  • Ursolic Acid Analogs as Potential Therapeutics for Cancer., 2022
    Journal Article, Academic Journal
  • Genetic Deletion of LRP5 and LRP6 in Macrophages Exacerbates Colitis-Associated Systemic Inflammation and Kidney Injury in Response to Intestinal Commensal Microbiota., 2022
    Journal Article, Academic Journal
  • Netrin-1 Overexpression Induces Polycystic Kidney Disease: A Novel Mechanism Contributing to Cystogenesis in Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease., 2022
    Journal Article, Professional Journal

Research Interests

Role of epigenetics, especially DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1), in regulation of mammary stem and progenitor cells (MaSC) and breast cancer stem cell (BCSC) self-renewal and its association in breast cancer growth and progression.
The main focus of my laboratory is to understand the role of DNMT1 in regulation of MaSC and BCSC self-renewal and to explore the role histone deacetylases (HDACs) and histone methyltransferases (HMTs) in these cells. We are also interested in developing small molecules to target BCSCs by utilizing state of the art gene-targeting strategies and spontaneous mouse mammary tumor models.

We are also interested to understand the role of Epigenetics, especially DNMT1 and DNMT3b, in the cytogenesis of autosomal polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD).

Department Service

  • Department Space Committee 2015 - Present

    Role: Attendee, Meeting

  • Faculty recruitment committee 2015 - Present

    Role: Attendee, Meeting

  • Medical Student Interview Committee 2015 - Present

    Role: Attendee, Meeting

  • Students Promotion and Academic Committee 2015 - Present

    Role: Attendee, Meeting

  • Department faculty recruitment and P & T committee 2014 - Present

    Role: Committee Member

College Service

  • Medical Admission Interview Committee 2020 - Present

    Role: Committee Member

  • Institutional Tumor Tissue Repository 2015 - Present

    Role: Committee Member

  • Institutional Chemical Safety 2013 - Present

    Role: Committee Member

  • Student Promotion committee 2016 - 2019

    Role: Committee Member

University Service

  • Tumor Tissue Bank 2013 - Present

    Role: Committee Member

  • Institutional Chemical Safety 2011 - Present

    Role: Committee Member

  • Extramural grant review 2008 - Present

    Role: Committee Member

  • MD admission committee 2012 - 2026

    Role: Task Force Member

  • Medical students P & T Committee 2015 - 2019

    Role: Committee Member