Vijay Suresh Akhade, Ph.D

Senior Scientist
Molecular Genetics
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Research Focus

Long non-codingRNAs, micro RNAs, Myeloid malignancies, Development, Signaling pathways.

Research Interest

Our primary research interest lies is detailed analysis of functional interaction/network between long non-coding (lnc) RNAs and micro (mi) RNAs in myeloid malignancies. We actively aim to identify specific miRNAs, lncRNAs and transcriptional networks underlying the miRNA-mediated interactions between lncRNAs and mRNAs in the context of hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) self renewal and differentiation as well as myeloid malignancies (Acute myeloid leukemia or AML and Myelodysplastic syndrome or MDS). We also plan to extend this work to other cancers as well as identify novel functional regulators of different cell signaling pathways in cancer. Exploring the non-coding RNA networks would help in identification of new non-coding RNAs for prognosis and therapy in future.

Another biological question that we seek to address is the impact  of  signaling  pathways  on  nuclear  organization  and  identify  novel  non coding RNA regulators bridging the signaling pathways with the reorganization process. This would be addressed not only in the context of cancer but also during developmental processes like spermatogenesis and embryonic stem cell differentiation. 

Credentials

  • Senior Scientist, Molecular Genetics Division, CSIR-IICB, Kolkata (October 2023-present)
  • Research Associate (April 2023- September 2023): Jawaharlal Nehru Center for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), Bangalore, India.
  • Post Doctoral Researcher (August 2018 – January 2023): University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
  • Post Doctoral Researcher (July 2015 – April 2018): University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
  • Ph.D (Aug 2009-June 2015): Jawaharlal Nehru Center for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), Bangalore, India.

 

Honours & Awards

  • CSIR JRF (2009-2011) and SRF (2011-2014)
  • Best Poster Award at Annual In-House Symposium organized by JNCASR, 2011.
  • Post-Doctoral Research Fellowship (July 2015- July 2017) from University of Gothenburg, Sweden.
  • Assar Gabrielssons Fond Research Grant (Nov 2017- Nov 2018) from AG Fonden, Sweden.
  • Research Trainee Award 2019 by Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research (MSFHR), Canada.

Patents & Publications

Publications:

  1. Akhade VS , Liu T, Docking TR, Jiang J, Gopal A , Karsan A (2023). Control of Focal Adhesion Kinase Activation by RUNX1-regulated miRNAs in high-risk AML. Leukemia, 37(4):776-787. doi: 10.1038/s41375-023-01841-z
  2. Kuo CC, Hanzelmann S, Senturk N, Frank S, Zajzon B, Derks JP, Akhade VS, Ahuja G, Kanduri C, Grummt I, Kurian L, Costa IG (2019). Detection of RNA–DNA binding sites in long noncoding RNAs. Nucleic Acids Research, 47(6):e32. doi: 10.1093/nar/gkz037.
  3. Frank S, Ahuja G, Bartsch D, Russ N, Yao W, Kuo JC, Derks JP, Akhade VS, Kargapolova Y, Georgomanolis T, Messling JE, Gramm M, Brant L, Rehimi R, Vargas NE, Kuroczik A, Yang TP, Sahito RGA, Franzen J, Hescheler J, Sachinidis A, Peifer M, Rada-Iglesias A, Kanduri M, Costa IG, Kanduri C, Papantonis A, Kurian L (2018). yylncT Defines a Class of Divergently Transcribed lncRNAs and Safeguards the T-mediated Mesodermal Commitment of Human PSCs. Cell Stem Cell, 24(2):318-327.e8. doi: 10.1016/j.stem.2018.11.005.
  4. Subhash S, Mishra K, Akhade VS, Kanduri M, Mondal T, Kanduri C (2018). H3K4me2 and WDR5 enriched chromatin interacting long non-coding RNAs maintain transcriptionally competent chromatin at divergent transcriptional units. Nucleic Acids Res, 46(18):9384-9400. doi: 10.1093/nar/gky635.
  5. Ali MM#, Akhade VS#, Kosalai ST#, Subhash S#, Statello L, Meryet-Figuiere M, Abrahamsson J, Mondal T, Kanduri C (2018). PAN-Cancer analysis of S-phase-enriched lncRNAs identifies oncogenic drivers and novel biomarkers. Nat Commun, 9(1):883. doi: 10.1038/s41467-018- 03265-1. (#: Equal contribution)
  6. Kataruka S, Akhade VS, Kayyar B, Rao MRS (2017).Mrhl lncRNA mediates meiotic commitment of mouse spermatogonial cells by regulating Sox8 expression. Mol Cell Biol, 37(14): e00632-16.
  7. Akhade VS, Dighe SN, Kataruka S, Rao MR (2016). Mechanism of canonical wnt signaling induced down regulation of mrhl RNA in mouse spermatogonial cells. Nucleic Acids Res, 44(1):387- 401.
  8. Akhade VS, Arun G, Donakonda S, Satyanarayana Rao MR (2014) Genome wide chromatin occupancy of mrhl RNA and its role in gene regulation in mouse spermatogonial cells. RNA Biol, 11(10):1262-79.
  9. Arun G#, Akhade VS#, Donakonda S, Rao MR. (2012) mrhl RNA, a long noncoding RNA, negatively regulates Wnt signaling through its protein partner Ddx5/p68 in mouse spermatogonial cells. Mol Cell Biol, 32: 3140-3152. (#: Equal first author).

 

Review Articles:

  1. Kayyar B, Kataruka S, Akhade VS, Rao MRS (2023). Molecular functions of Mrhl lncRNA in mouse spermatogenesis. Reproduction. Jul 31;166(3):R39-R50. doi: 10.1530/REP-23-0065. 
  2. Fatima R, Akhade VS, Pal D, Rao MR (2015). Long non coding RNAs in Development and Cancer: Potential Biomarkers and Therapeutic targets. Mol Cell Ther. 3:5. doi: 10.1186/s40591- 0150042-6.

 

Book Chapter:

  1. Akhade VS, Pal D, Kanduri C (2017). Long Noncoding RNA: Genome Organization and Mechanism of Action. In Long Non Coding RNA Biology. Ed. Rao MRS. Adv Exp Med Biol.,1008:47-74.

 

Patent:

  1. Kanduri C., Mah A. M. M., Statello L., Akhade V. S., Subhash S., Kosalai S. T. Long non-coding RNA in cancer. US Patent US20200140861A1. Status: Granted (2022).
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