Anil K. Ojha
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Anil K. Ojha, PhD

Title
Mycobacterial Persistence and Pathogenesis
Associate Professor, Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Integrated Health Sciences, University at Albany
Education
PhD, Jawaharlal Nehru University, India
Post-doctoral training: University of Pittsburgh

We study the molecular basis of persistence of one of the deadliest bacterial pathogens, Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), which kills over a million people every year. Mtb is the causative agent of human tuberculosis (TB), which has inflicted humans since the prehistoric era. The only possible treatment of TB is a multi-drug regimen administered over 6-9 months. Towards developing a shorter treatment regimen, the overarching goal of our research program is to decipher the molecular mechanisms of persistence of Mtb during an antibiotic exposure.

Please visit the Ojha Laboratory for details.

 

 

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Sankar P, Ramos RB, Corro J, Mishra LK, Nafiz TN, Bhargavi G, Saqib M, Poswayo SKL, Parihar SP, Cai Y, Subbian S, Ojha AK, Mishra BB. Fatty acid metabolism in neutrophils promotes lung damage and bacterial replication during tuberculosis. PLoS Pathog. 2024; Oct 4;20 (10): e1012188. DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1012188
Pubmed Web Address
Li Y, Majumdar S, Treen R, Sharma MR, Corro J, Gamper HB, Manjari SR, Prusa J, Banavali NK, Stallings CL, Hou YM, Agrawal RK, Ojha AK. Starvation sensing by mycobacterial RelA/SpoT homologue through constitutive surveillance of translation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2023; May 30;120 (22): e2302006120. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2302006120
Pubmed Web Address
Hurst-Hess K, Walz A, Yang Y, McGuirk H, Gonzalez-Juarrero M, Hatfull GF, Ghosh P, Ojha AK. Intrapulmonary Treatment with Mycobacteriophage LysB Rapidly Reduces Mycobacterium abscessus Burden. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2023; Jun 15;67 (6): e0016223. DOI: 10.1128/aac.00162-23
Pubmed Web Address
Li Y, Corro JH, Palmer CD, Ojha AK. Progression from remodeling to hibernation of ribosomes in zinc-starved mycobacteria. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2020; DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2013409117
Pubmed Web Address
Richards JP, Cai W, Zill NA, Zhang W, Ojha AK. Adaptation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis to Biofilm Growth Is Genetically Linked to Drug Tolerance. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2019; 63 (11): e01213-19.
Pubmed Web Address
Yang Y, Richards JP, Gundrum J, Ojha AK. GlnR Activation Induces Peroxide Resistance in Mycobacterial Biofilms. Front Microbiol. 2018; 4 (9): 1428.
Pubmed Web Address
Li Y, Sharma MR, Koripella RK, Yang Y, Kaushal PS, Lin Q, Wade JT, Gray TA, Derbyshire KM, Agrawal RK, Ojha AK. Zinc depletion induces ribosome hibernation in mycobacteria. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 2018; Jul 23 (pii: 201804555):
Pubmed Web Address
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