Scientist 'F' / Deputy Director (Sr Grade)

Division of Molecular Immunology
Phone : +(91-22) 2419-2016
Email  : reddyk@nirrh.res.in

Academic Background

• M.Sc. S. V. University, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, India (Zoology, Reproductive Physiology; 1981)
• Ph.D. S. V. University, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, India (Reproductive Physiology; 1984)

Professional Experience

Research Interests

• Immunology of Reproduction
  
• Developing Transgenic and knockout animal Models
  
• Microbicide Development & Pre-Clinical Evaluation
  
• Biology of Vaginal Mucosal Innate Immunity

   

Awards & Achievements

• Received Swarnakanta Dingley National Award, ICMR – 2005-2006.
  
• DBT Associateship Award - Worked at Centre for Reproductive Biomedicine, Kansas Medical Centre, Kansas, USA in 2005-2006.
  
• Visiting Scientist award, ICMR - Magee Women’s Research Institute, Pittsburgh, USA, 2005-2006
  
• CSB Research Associateship Award, Ministry of Commerce and Textiles, Govt. of India, Worked at National Institute of Sericulture, Zhenjiamg, China, 1993-1994.
  
• Institutional award for Professional Excellence in research from NIRRH, 2002-2003.
  
• Senior Scientist Award from ICMR, worked at Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA, 2009-10

Publications (Last 10)

1. Arun P. Sikarwar and KVR Reddy. siRNA-Mediated silencing of c-kit in mouse primary spermatogonial cells induces cell cycle arrest. Oligonucleotides 18: 145-160, 2008.
2. Aranha CC, Gupta S and KVR Reddy. Evaluation of cervico-vaginal toxicity in rabbits following exposure to Nisin gel. Cytokines 43: 63-70, 2008.
3. Sadhana M. Gupta, Aranha CC., Madhu CM and KVR Reddy. Toll-Like Receptors and Cytokines as Surrogate Biomarkers for Evaluating Vaginal Immune Response following Microbicide Administration. Mediators of Inflammation. 23: 45-59, 2008.
4. Arun S, Murali Rambabu K and KVR Reddy. Differential regulation of gene expression in mouse spermatogonial cells after blocking c-kit-SCF interaction with RNAi. J RNAi Gene Silenc. 4, 302-311, 2008.
5. Yedery RD and KVR Reddy. Identification, cloning, characterization and recombinant expression of an anti-lipopolysaccharide factor from the hemocytes of Indian mud crab, Scylla serrata. Fish and Shellfish Immunology 27: 275–284, 2009
6. Gupta S, Aranha CC. Bellare J and KVR Reddy. Interaction of contraceptive antimicrobial peptide nisin with target cell membranes: implications for vaginal use as a microbicide. Contraception 80: 299-307, 2009
7. Yedery RD and KVR Reddy. Purification and characterization of antibacterial components from the granular hemocytes of Indian mud crab, Scylla serrata. Acta Biochimica Polonica 56: 71-82, 2009
8. Mandar S, Aranha CC, Bhonde G and KVR Reddy. Identification and characterization of anti-microbial peptides from rabbit. Int. J. Immunol. Immunopathol. 139: 176-186, 2011.
9. Sharma S, Yedery RD, Selvaakumar M, Mandar S and KVR Reddy. Antibacterial activity of synthetic peptide that mimics the LPS binding domain of Indian mud crab, Scylla serrata antilipopolysaccharide Factor (SALF) also involved in the modulation of vaginal immune functions through NF-kB signaling. Microbial Pathogenesis. 50: 179-191, 2011
10. Mandar S. Patgaonkar, Ameya Sathe, Selvaakumar C and KVR Reddy. A Rabbit Vaginal Cell-Derived Antimicrobial Peptide, RVFHbP, Blocks Lipopolysaccharide-Mediated Inflammation in Human Vaginal Cells In Vitro. Clinical and Vaccine Immunology 18 (10): (E-Pub ahead of print) 2011

Present students

• Mr Alhad A. Ketkar
• Mr Mandar S. Patgaonkar
• Mr Ameya V. Sathe
• Mr. Sachin Sharma
• Mr. Tahir Bashir
• Mr.Swanand Koli

Past students

• Dr Rajeev K. Shreemali
• Dr Vijayalaxmi G. Gupta
• Dr Sachin S. Mangle
• Dr Gupta SM
• Dr Arun P. Sikarwar
• Dr. Roshan D. Yedery

Projects

(A) On going Projects

1. Development and assessment of Resazurin Reduction Tests to assess the quality of sperm in men (Funded by WHO)
2. Nisin: The antimicrobial peptide for the prevention of sexually transmitted infections including HIV/AIDS (Funded by ICMR)
3. Identification and characterization of polypeptides having antimicrobial activities from hemocytes/hemolymph of Indian mud crab Scylla serrata (Funded by CONRAD)
4. Generation of transgenic mouse model of male infertility to understand the basic mechanism of spermatogenesis in mice (Funded by Indo-US)
5. To delineate the role of rabbit vaginal fluid polypeptides for the prevention of STIs/HIV (Funded by International Partnership on Microbicides -IPM)
6. Identification and characterization of cationic polypeptides with antimicrobial properties from rabbit epididymis (Funded by DBT-ICMR)
7. Design of germ cell specific transgene constructs to investigate early events in spermatogenesis (Funded by DST)
8. Studies on the Modulation of Vaginal Immunity during Host-Pathogen Interactions in Responses to Microbicide (ICMR Task Force Project on Immunology)
9. Functional Significance of Transcription Regulatory Factor Oct-4 in the Early Events of Spermatogenesis in Mice (Funded by Indo (DBT)-German)

(B) Completed projects

1. Endometrial functional markers to evaluate implantation defects in human endometrium (Funded by ICMR)
2. Establishment of Non-Human Primate Facility for reproductive health research (Funded by DST)
3. Development and preclinical evaluation of naturally occurring antimicrobial peptide, magainin for the prevention of STIs/HIV including unplanned pregnancies (Funded by ICMR)
4. Strengthening of research programs to realize therapeutic potential of embryonic stem cells (Funded by MHFW)
5. In vitro evaluation of peptide based microbicides for anti-viral activity (Funded by DBT-ICMR)