Sethu C. Nair
Ellicott City,USA
Summary
Experienced cell biologist with expertise in conducting and qualifying experiments in a GMP environment. Proficient in working with murine models of infection and maintaining eukaryotic cell lines. Skilled in molecular, genetic, biochemical, and immunological techniques. Recognized as the primary author of manuscripts published in prestigious journals such as J.Exp.Med., Nat Commun, PNAS, and eLife.
Overview
22
22
years of professional experience
Work History
Scientist
Catalent Cell and Gene Therapy
07.2021 - Current
- GMP qualified analyst and reviewer in cell and gene therapy experiments
- Technical and conceptual experience in cell and gene therapy approaches targeting rare diseases
- Lead analyst responsible for testing/qualifying methods towards FDA submission
- Extensive experience in maintaining different cell lines for cell therapy assays in a GMP environment
- Qualified analyst performing experiments for lead molecules from multiple clients
- Lead analyst qualifying viral TCID50 infectivity experiments
- Successfully conducted DOE experiments for assay optimization
Adjunct Biology Faculty
Howard Community College
08.2021 - 05.2022
- Taught evening laboratory classes as well as online classes in introductory biology course
- Well versed in using Canvas software for teaching and instructional purposes
- Designed and developed course contents for introductory biology courses
- Conducted and graded examinations for laboratory as well as online course
Senior Postdoctoral Fellow
Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University
09.2016 - 05.2021
- Lead scientist investigating cell biology of eukaryotic pathogens affecting human health
- Discovered the key role of mitochondrial enzyme complexes in human malaria pathogens
- Developed CRISPR based tools to generate genetic mutants in malaria parasites
- Extensively used molecular tools to genetically modify and genotypically characterize eukaryotic pathogens
- Involved in studies understanding the signals mediating cellular transport process
- Generated genetically modified attenuated strains of human pathogens
- Developed flow cytometry based assays to study genetically modified cellular phenotypes
- Validated an important drug target in human malaria parasites
- Extensive experience working with invitro culture models of infection studying pathogenesis and growth
- Collaborated with researchers at Penn State University to develop metabolic labelling studies
- Authored research development plans and study protocols for metabolic labelling studies
- Collaborated with researchers to understand drug targets in pathogens using biochemical approaches
Visiting Fellow
NIAID, National Institutes of Health
09.2011 - 08.2016
- Fellowship from NIAID/NIH to do research in murine models of pathogenesis for 5 years
- Lead scientist studying host immune responses using murine models of malaria
- Used classical genetic tools to map unique loci mediating host immune responses against infection
- Developed a SNP based microarray for genotyping pathogens
- Genetically crossed parasite strains that showed differences in host immune response
- Cloned and genotyped 43 independent recombinant progeny
- Densely genotyped recombinant progeny using SNP array
- QTL analysis to identify loci controlling parasite growth and virulence
- Used CRISPR based tools to identify the role of an E3 ubiquitin ligase enzyme in parasite virulence
- Mapped host genetic loci mediating immune response against malaria using rev-QTL analysis
- Extensive experience working with murine models of infection
- Received scholarship and travel grant to participate in BoP course in Sao Paulo, Brazil
- Received Young Investigator award at the ASTMH meeting in 2013
- Received Fellows award for Research Excellence from NIH in 2015
Graduate Research Associate
University of Georgia
06.2005 - 08.2011
- Used invitro models to study infectious pathogens affecting human health
- Extensively used molecular tools to validate drug targets in pathogenic protists
- Used molecular tools to study drug resistance in apicomplexan parasites
- Defined molecular reason for resistance associated with antimalarial drug fosmidomycin
- Studied isoprenoid biosynthesis in parasitic pathogens
- Created genetic mutants to understand functional roles of metabolic pathways
- Microscopic tools to define protein localization and functional roles in eukaryotic cells
- Received travel grant to present work at International conference in Melbourne, Australia
- Accepted to present work at the International conference of Toxoplasmosis in Kerkrade, Netherlands
- Teaching assistant for anatomy and physiology course for undergraduates in the department of cell biology, UGA
Teaching Faculty, Physiology
Kerala Agricultural University
05.2003 - 08.2004
- Taught introductory physiology course for DVM students
- Conducted laboratory courses in haematology and reproductive physiology
- Studied haematological, biochemical and fertility parameters of male chicken
Education
Ph.D. - Cell Biology
University of Georgia
Athens, GA08-2011
Biotechniques
Institute of Bioinformatics And Applied Biotechnology
06-2005
Masters - MVsc Physiology
Kerala Agricultural University
Thrissur, Kerala01.2003
Bachelors - Veterinary Medicine
Kerala Agricultural University
Thrissur, Kerala01.2001
Skills
- Cell culture
- GMP practices
- AAV virus infectivity experiments
- Potency assays
- Cell bank creation
- Gene knockdowns
- Gene knock outs
- CRISPR
- Homology based
- SiRNA
- Gene therapy experiments
- Viral TCID50 infectivity experiments
- Qualification experiments
- Linearity experiments
- Nucleic acid assays
- Digital PCR
- Droplet digital PCR
- Qiacuity digital PCR
- QPCR
- NGS
- Microarrays
- Molecular probes
- Site directed mutagenesis
- In vitro cell culture assays
- Luminex
- IHC
- IFA
- Confocal microscopy
- Flow cytometry
- LCMS/MS
- QTL analysis
- Immunoassays
- Functional assays
- Enzyme assay
- Cell growth
- Cytokine assay
- Cell proliferation assay
- Metabolite labelling
- Animal models handling
- Mouse models for malaria
- Malaria genetic cross
- Knock out mice line
- Histology
- Surgical skills
- Stable cell line generation
- Protein production
- Protein purification
- E coli
- Mammalian cells
- Statistical software
- JMP
- Minitab
- DOE modelling
- Training
- Scientific review
- Data review
- Peer review
- GMP document review
- Quality assurance
- Standard Test Methods (STMs)
- Assay development
- Cell culture techniques
- Immunological assays
- Statistical modeling
- Genomic analysis
- Molecular biology
Managerialtrainingduties
- Training multiple undergraduate students towards successful scientific project completion
- Trained graduate students at UGA towards their project completion
- Trained/Collaborated graduate student at Penn State while at Johns Hopkins as a postdoc
Scientificdatareviewexpertise
- Peer reviewed articles for PNAS, Cell reports, e-life and other major scientific journals in molecular parasitology and cell biology
- Reviewed GMP documents pertaining to laboratory experiments
- Reviewed GMP documents as a part of quality assurance process before submitting to various clients
- Authored Standard Test Methods (STMs) towards conducting experiments in a GMP laboratory
Publications
The mitochondrion of Plasmodium falciparum is required for cellular acetyl-CoA metabolism and protein acetylation., PNAS, 120, 17, e2210929120, Nair, S.C; et al, Development of a conditional localization approach to control apicoplast protein trafficking in malaria parasites., Traffic, tra.12656, 2019, Roberts, A.D et al., A Plasmodium yoelii HECT-like E3 ubiquitin ligase regulates parasite growth and virulence., Nat. Commun, 8, 223, 2017, Nair, S.C et al, Genome-wide polymorphisms and development of a microarray platform to detect genetic variations in Plasmodium yoelii., Mol. Biochem. Parasitol., 194, 9-15, 2014, Nair, S.C et al, Genome-wide Analysis of Host-Plasmodium yoelii Interactions Reveals Regulators of the Type I Interferon Response., Cell Rep., 12, 661-672, 2015, Wu, J et al, Strain-specific innate immune signaling pathways determine malaria parasitemia dynamics and host mortality., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., 111, E511-E520, 2014, Wu, J et al, Plasmodium genetic loci linked to host cytokine and chemokine responses., Genes Immun., 15, 145-52, 2014, Pattaradilokrat, S et al, Dissection of the in vitro developmental program of Hammondia hammondi reveals a link between stress sensitivity and life cycle flexibility in Toxoplasma gondii., Elife, 7, Sokol, S.L, et al, Apicoplast isoprenoid precursor synthesis and the molecular basis of fosmidomycin resistance in Toxoplasma gondii., J. Exp. Med., 208, 1547-1559, 2011, Nair, S.C et al, What Do Human Parasites Do with a Chloroplast Anyway?, PLoS Biol., 9, e1001137, 2011, Nair, S.C., Striepen, B, The Apicoplast: An Ancient Algal Endosymbiont of Apicomplexa., Structures and Organelles in Pathogenic Protists, Microbiology Monographs, de Souza, W., 2010, 253-283, Agrawal, S., Nair, S., Sheiner, L., Striepen, B.
References
- Ariza Mahid, Senior Manager, Analytical Development, Catalent Cell and Gene Therapy, Baltimore, MD, ariza.mahid@catalent.com
- Sean Prigge, Professor, Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, sprigge2@jhu.edu
- Xin-zhuan Su, Chief, Malaria Functional Genomics Section, NIAID, NIH, Rockville, MD, XSU@niaid.nih.gov
- Boris Striepen, Professor, Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, striepen@vet.upenn.edu
Timeline
Adjunct Biology Faculty
Howard Community College
08.2021 - 05.2022
Scientist
Catalent Cell and Gene Therapy
07.2021 - Current
Senior Postdoctoral Fellow
Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University
09.2016 - 05.2021
Visiting Fellow
NIAID, National Institutes of Health
09.2011 - 08.2016
Graduate Research Associate
University of Georgia
06.2005 - 08.2011
Teaching Faculty, Physiology
Kerala Agricultural University
05.2003 - 08.2004
Masters - MVsc Physiology
Kerala Agricultural University
Bachelors - Veterinary Medicine
Kerala Agricultural University
Ph.D. - Cell Biology
University of Georgia
Biotechniques
Institute of Bioinformatics And Applied Biotechnology
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