Nisha Garg

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Nisha Garg
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Academic Appointments
Appointment Organization
Associate Professor Pathology
Professional Education
Degree Institution Field of Study Graduation Year
Ph.D Haryana Agricultural University Biochemistry/Molecular Biology 1988
M.S Haryana Agriculture University Biochemistry/Microbiology 1982
B.S Kurukshetra University Biology 1980
Honors
Title Organization Year(s)
Best presentation in DNA vaccines category, International Congress of Immunology, India 1998
Commonwealth Fellowship, Sussex University, UK 1987 - 1988
Junior and Senior Research Fellowship, CSIR, India 1983 - 1987
Senior Research Fellowship, ICAR, India 1983
Pre-doctoral fellowship, Haryana Agriculture University, India 1980 - 1982
Undergraduate scholarship, Haryana State Government, India 1977 - 1980
Undergraduate fellowship, Central Government, India 1977
Professional Affiliations
Society Year(s)
American Heart Association 2001
American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 1999
American Association for Advancement of Science 1998
Research Interests

Pathogenesis of Parasitic Protozoans

Our research program focuses upon two major areas dealing with the molecular mechanism of chronic chagasic cardiomyopathy (CCC) development in response to acute infection with Trypanosoma cruzi, and the development of vaccination approaches for control of T. cruzi. The studies in first program are aimed at understanding a) the parasite-induced changes in gene regulation and signaling cascade that contribute to myocardial cytoskeletal rearrangement and mitochondrial dysfunction; and b) the role of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species in initiation and/or sustenance of the pathological processes, i.e. inflammation, oxidative damage, and clinical severity of cardiac disease.

Our second program focuses upon screening the T. cruzi genome and identification of vaccine candidates. In previous studies, we have shown the usefulness of T. cruzi secretory and GPI-anchored proteins in elicitation of protective immune responses and partial protection from challenge infection. We are now exploiting the computational and molecular approaches for the identification of the secretory and membrane-associated proteins of T. cruzi. The usefulness of these genes as vaccine candidates is tested in experimental models. The goal of these studies is to develop optimal vaccine cocktail that provides maximal protective immunity to T. cruzi in a variety of host strains.

Our collaborators are at UTMB and several laboratories in Argentina and Mexico.

Selected Publications
  1. Mensa-Wilmot, K., Garg, N., McWire, B.S., Lu, H.G., Russell, M.J., Zhong, L., Armah, D.A., LeBowitz, J.H. and Chang, K.P. (1999). A role for free glycosylphosphatidylinositols in cellular replication: Cytostasis of Leishmania amastigotes associated with a glycoinositol phospholipid. Mol. Biochem. Parasitol. 99: 103-116.
  2. Wizel, B. Garg, N., and Tarleton, R.L. (1998). Vaccination with trypomastigote surface antigen 1 encoding DNA confers protection against lethal Trypanosoma cruzi infection. Infect. Immun. 66: 5073-5081.
  3. Garg, N., Nunes, M. and Tarleton, R.L. (1997c). Delivery by Trypanosoma cruzi of proteins into MHC class I antigen processing and presentation pathway. J. Immunol. 158: 3293-3302.
  4. Garg, N., Tarleton, R.L. and Mensa-Wilmot, K. (1997a). Proteins with glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) signal sequences have divergent fates during a GPI shortage. GPIs are essential for nuclear division in Trypanosoma cruzi. J. Biol. Chem. 272: 12482-12491.
  5. Garg, N., Postan, M., Mensa-Wilmot, K. and Tarleton, R.L. (1997b). Glycosylphosphatidylinositols are required for development of Trypanosoma cruzi amastigotes. Infect. Immun. 65: 4055-4060.
  6. Santos, M.A.M., Garg, N. and Tarleton, R.L. (1997). The identification and molecular characterization of Trypanosoma cruzi amastigote surface protein-1, a member of the trans-sialidase gene super-family. Mol. Biochem. Parasitol. 86: 1-11.
  7. Jain, V., Garg, N., and Nainawatee, H.S. (1993). Effect of nitrate on Bradyrhizobium mungbean (Vigna radiata) symbiosis in the presence of syringaldehyde. J. Plant Biochem. Biotechnol. 2: 25-27.
  8. Jain, V., Garg, N., and Nainawatee, H.S. (1992). Effect of nod regulators on the ammonia assimilation enzymes of Rhizobium sp. Vigna and Rhizobium meliloti. Natl. Acad. Sci. Lett. 15: 345-349.
  9. Garg, N., Singh, R. and Batra, V.I.P. (1991). Enzymes of ammonia assimilation in leaves of high and low protein wheat during grain development. Proc. Indian Natl. Sci. Acad. B57: 63-68.
  10. Garg, N., Sheoran, I.S. and Nainawatee, H.S. (1991). Partitioning of assimilated CO2 in Pisum sativum plants inoculated with hup+ or hup- Rhizobium leguminosarum. Curr. Sci. 61: 838-840.
  11. Jain, V., Garg, N., and Nainawatee, H.S. (1991). Influence of flavonoids on nodulation and carbon partitioning in pea-Rhizobium symbiosis. J. Plant Biochem. Biotechnol. 1: 23-26.
  12. Jain, V., Garg, N., and Nainawatee, H.S. (1991). Effect of nod regulators on growth, carbohydrate metabolism and ARA of Rhizobium sp. Vigna. Natl. Acad. Sci. Lett. 14: 121-124.
  13. Jain, V., Garg, N., and Nainawatee, H.S. (1991). Production of Tsr factor by Rhizobium meliloti. Folia Microbiol. 36: 164-168.
  14. Jain, V., Garg, N., and Nainawatee, H.S. (1991). Influence of rhizosphere application of syringaldehyde on rhizobia-mungbean (Vigna radiata) symbiosis. Biochem. Physiol. Pflanzen. 187: 331-336.
  15. Jain,V. Garg, N. and Nainawatee, H.S. (1990). Naringenin enhanced efficiency of Rhizobium meliloti-alfalfa symbiosis. World J. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 6: 434-436.
  16. Ford, C., Garg, N., Garg, R.P., Tibelius, K.H., Yates, M.G., Arp, D.J. and Seefeldt, L.C. (1990). The identification, characterization, sequencing and mutagenesis of the genes (hup SL) encoding the small and large subunits of Azatobacter chroococcum. Mol. Microbiol. 4: 999-1008.
  17. Garg, N. and Nainawatee, H.S. (1989). Reductant and energy level of bacteroids of Rhizobium leguminosarum. Phytochem. 28: 2913-2915.
  18. Garg, N., Garg, R.P. and Nainawatee, H.S. (1989). In planta comparison of hup+ and isogenic hup- Rhizobium leguminosarum. Indian J. Exp. Biol. 28: 427-429.
  19. Garg, N., Singh, R. and Batra, V.I.P. (1985). Enzymes of glutamine metabolism in testa-pericarp and endosperm of developing wheat grain. Phytochem. 24: 1663-1666.
  20. Garg, N., Singh, R. and Batra, V.I.P. (1984). Enzymes of glutamine and asparagine metabolism in developing wheat grain. J. Agri. Food Chem. 32: 519-523.

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