Raghavan Raju

My laboratory uses an integrated systems approach to solve biological problems. We currently use a hemorrhage model to understand the cellular processes altered following injury and to devise better therapeutic methods. My laboratory has extensive experience in molecular biology, functional genomics, proteomics and immunology. Current projects in my laboratory address trauma and sepsis.

Post doctoral training at the University of Minnesota and Mayo Medical School, Rochester, MN.

Currently graduate and undergraduate teaching responsibilities at Georgia Regents University, Augusta

Associate Editor of Journal of Immunology (2006-2010);
Associate Editor of Aging and Disease (2010-present);
Academic Editor, PLOS One;
Peer-reviewed articles for several journals.

Myasthenia Gravis Foundation Fellowship
Junvenile Diabetes Foundation Fellowship
Muscular Dystrophy Association Career Award

Several invited lectures national and international

Reading, chess, some sailing

Chu X, Wen J, Raju RP. Rapid senescence-like response after acute injury. Aging Cell. 2020 Sep;19(9):e13201.

Chu X, Schwartz R, Diamond MP, Raju RP. A Combination Treatment Strategy for Hemorrhagic Shock in a Rat Model Modulates Autophagy. Front Med (Lausanne). 2019;6:281.

Chu X, Wu S, Raju R. NLRX1 Regulation Following Acute Mitochondrial Injury. Front Immunol. 2019;10:2431.

Thounaojam MC, Jadeja RN, Warren M, Powell FL, Raju R, Gutsaeva D, Khurana S, Martin PM, Bartoli M. MicroRNA-34a (miR-34a) Mediates Retinal Endothelial Cell Premature Senescence through Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Loss of Antioxidant Activities. Antioxidants (Basel). 2019 Aug 22;8(9). doi: 10.3390/antiox8090328.

Subramani K, Chu X, Warren M, Lee M, Lu S, Singh N, Raju R. Deficiency of metabolite sensing receptor HCA2 impairs the salutary effect of niacin in hemorrhagic shock. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis. 2019 Mar 1;1865(3):688-695.

Subramani K, Raju SP, Chu X, Warren M, Pandya CD, Hoda N, Fulzele S, Raju R. Effect of plasma-derived extracellular vesicles on erythrocyte deformability in polymicrobial sepsis. Int Immunopharmacol. 2018 Dec;65:244-247. doi: 10.1016/j.intimp.2018.10.011. Epub 2018 Oct 16.

Kvirkvelia N, McMenamin M, Warren M, Jadeja RN, Kodeboyina SK, Sharma A, Zhi W, O'Connor PM, Raju R, Lucas R, Madaio MP. Kidney-targeted inhibition of protein kinase C-α ameliorates nephrotoxic nephritis with restoration of mitochondrial dysfunction. Kidney Int. 2018 Aug;94(2):280-291.

Raju R. Immune and metabolic alterations following trauma and sepsis - An overview. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis. 2017 Oct;1863(10 Pt B):2523-2525.

Warren M, Subramani K, Schwartz R, Raju R. Mitochondrial dysfunction in rat splenocytes following hemorrhagic shock. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis. 2017 Oct;1863(10 Pt B):2526-2533.

Ham PB 3rd, Raju R. Mitochondrial function in hypoxic ischemic injury and influence of aging. Prog Neurobiol. 2017 Oct;157:92-116.

Subramani K, Lu S, Warren M, Chu X, Toque HA, Caldwell RW, Diamond MP, Raju R. Mitochondrial targeting by dichloroacetate improves outcome following hemorrhagic shock. Sci Rep. 2017 Jun 1;7(1):2671.

Lu S, Aguilar A, Subramani K, Poulose N, Ayub A, Raju R. Alteration of cytokine profile following hemorrhagic shock. Cytokine. 2016 May;81:35-8. doi: 10.1016/j.cyto.2016.01.022.

Raju R, Chaudry I. The host response to hypoxia in the critically ill. In: Webb A, Angus D, Finfer S, Gattinoni L, Singer M, editors. Oxford Text Book of Critical Care Second ed. London: Oxford University Press; 2016. Chapter 305; p.1459-61.

Poulose N and Raju R. Sirt1 regulation in aging and injury. BBA Molecular Basis of Disease. 2015;1852:2442-55

Ayub A, Poulose N and Raju R. Resveratrol improves survival and improves longevity following hemorrhagic shock. Molecular Medicine. 2015; 21:305-12.

Poulose N, Raju R. Aging and injury: alterations in cellular energetics and organ function. Aging Dis. 2014: 5(2): 101-108.

Nagineni CN, Raju R, Nagineni KK, Kommineni VK, Cherukuri A, Kutty KR, Hooks JJ, Detrick B. Resveratrol suppresses expression of VEGF by human retinal pigment epithelial cells: potential nutraceutical for age-related macular degeneration. Aging. Dis. 2014, 5(2): 88-100

Jian B, Shaolong Y, Chaudry IH and Raju R. Resveratrol restores SIRT1 activity and PDK1 expression following trauma-hemorrhage in a rat model. Molecular Medicine 2014: 20:10-6.

Raju R, Jian B, Hooks J and Nagineni C. TGF-beta regulates the expression of anosmin-1 (KAL-1) in human retinal pigment epithelial cells. Cytokine 2014: 61(3):724-7.

Zschüntzsch J, Voss J, Creus K, Sehmisch S, Raju R, Dalakas, MC, Schmidt J. Explanation for the inefficacy of immunotherapy in sIBM: quantitative assessment of inflammation and β-amyloid in the muscle. Arth Rheum. 2012;64(12):4094-103.

Jian B, Yang S, Chaudry IH and Raju R. Resveratrol improves cardiac contractility following trauma-hemorrhage by modulating Sirt1. Molecular Medicine 2012 18(1):209-14.

Voss JG, Dobra A, Morse C, Kovacs JA, Raju R, Danner RL, Munson PJ, Logan C, Rangel Z, Adelsberger JW, McLaughlin M, Adams L, Dalakas M. Fatigue-Related Gene Networks Identified in CD14+ Cells Isolated From HIV-Infected Patients--Part I: research findings. Biol Res Nurs. 2013 Apr;15(2):137-51.

Raju R*, Jian B, Hubbard W, Chaudry I. The mitoscriptome in aging and disease. Aging and Disease 2011; 2:174-180. (*Invited Review).

Jian B, Wang D, Chen D, Chaudry I, Raju R. Influence of aging and hemorrhage injury on Sirt1
expression: Possible role of myc-Sirt1 regulation in mitochondrial dysfunction. BBA-Molecular Basis of Disease. 2011;1812(11):1446-51.

Jian, Yang Y, Chen D, Zou L, Chatham L, Chaudry I and Raju R. Aging influences cardiac mitochondrial gene expression and cardiovascular function following trauma-hemorrhage. Mol Med 2011;17(5-6)542-9.
Jian B, Wang D, Chen D, Voss J, Bland K, Chaudry I, Raju R. Hypoxia induced alteration of mitochondrial genes in cardiomyocytes: augmentation of Bnip3 and Pdk1. Shock, 2010;34:169-75.

Kozlov AV, Duvigneau JC, Hyatt TC, Raju R, Behling T, Romana T, Hartl RT, Katrin SK, Ingrid-Miller I, Wolfgang-G W, Heinz-Redl H, Chaudry IH.. Hepatic mitochondrial function and intracellular stress markers following hemorrhage and prolonged hypotension without fluid resuscitation. Mol Med. 2010;16:254-61.

Raju R, Hubbard WJ and Chaudry IH. Experimental models of sepsis and non-infectious SIRS. In Sepsis and non-infectious systemic inflammation. Eds.JM Cavaillon and C.Adrie Wiley-VCH Winheim, 2009.pp375-87.

Jian B, Nagineni CN, Meleth S, Grizzle W, Bland K, Chaudry I, Raju R. Anosmin-1 involved in neuronal cell migration is hypoxia inducible and cancer regulated. Cell Cycle 2009; 8:3770-6.

Hsieh CH, Hsu JT, Hsieh YC, Frink M, Raju R, Hubbard WJ, Bland KI, Chaudry IH. Suppression of activation and costimulatory signaling in splenic CD4+ T cells after trauma-hemorrhage reduces T-cell function. A mechanism of post-traumatic immune suppression. Am J Pathol. 2009;175:1504-14.

Dalakas MC, Rakocevic G, Salajegheh M, Dambrosia JM, Hahn AF, Raju R, McElroy B. Placebo-controlled trial of rituximab in IgM anti-myelin-associated glycoprotein antibody demyelinating neuropathy. Ann Neurol. 2009;65:286-93.

Jian B, Hsieh C, Chen J, Choudhry M, Bland K, Chaudry IH and Raju R. Activation of endoplasmic reticulum stress response following trauma-hemorrhage. BBA-Molecular Basis of Disease. 2008; 1782:621-6.

Kan WH, Hsu JT, Schwacha MG, Choudhry MA, Raju R, Bland KI, Chaudry IH. Selective inhibition of iNOS attenuates trauma-hemorrhage/resuscitation-induced hepatic injury. J Appl Physiol. 2008;105:1076-82.

Kan WH, Hsieh CH, Schwacha MG, Choudhry MA, Raju R, Bland KI, Chaudry IH. Flutamide protects against trauma-hemorrhage-induced liver injury via attenuation of the inflammatory response, oxidative stress, and apopotosis. J Appl Physiol. 2008;10:595-602.

Raju R, Bland KI, Chaudry IH. Estrogen: a novel therapeutic adjunct for the treatment of trauma-hemorrhage-induced immunological alterations. Mol Med. 2008;14:213-21.

Raju R, Chaudry IH. Sex steroids/receptor antagonist: their use as adjuncts after trauma-hemorrhage for improving immune/cardiovascular responses and for decreasing mortality from subsequent sepsis. Anesth Analg. 2008;107:159-66.

Raju R and Hampe CS. Immunobiology of Stiff-person syndrome. Int Rev Immunol. 2008; 27:79-92.

Voss JG, Raju R, Logun C, Danner RL, Rangel Z, Munson PJ, Dalakas MC. A focused microarray to study human mitochondrial and nuclear gene expression. Biol Res Nur 2008; 9: 272-279.

Salajegheh M, Rakocevic G, Raju R, Shatunov A, Goldfarb LG, Dalakas MC. T cell receptor profiling in muscle and blood lymphocytes in sporadic inclusion body myositis. Neurology. 2007;69:1672-9.

Salajegheh M, Raju R, Schmidt J, Dalakas MC. Upregulation of thrombospondin-1(TSP-1) and its binding partners, CD36 and CD47, in sporadic inclusion body myositis. J Neuroimmunol. 2007;187:166-74.

Dalakas MC, Rakocevic G, Shatunov A, Goldfard L, Raju R and Salajegheh M. Inclusion body myositis with human immunodeficiency virus infection: four cases with clonal expansion of viral-specific T cells. Annal Neurol. 2007; 61(5):466-75.

Kurup VP, Barrios CS, Raju R, Johnson BD, Levy MB, Fink JN. Immune response modulation by curcumin in a latex allergy model. Clin Mol Allergy. 2007;5(1):1.

Raju R and Dalakas MC. Absence of upregulated genes associated with protein accumulations in desmin myopathy. Muscle Nerve 2006; 35(3): 386-8.

Raju R, Rakocevic G, Chen Z, Hoehn G, Semino-Mora C, Shi W, Olsen R, and Dalakas MC. Autoimmunity to GABARAP in Stiff-Person Syndrome. Brain 2006;129:3270-6.

Rakocevic G., Raju R, Semino-Mora C and Dalakas MC. Stiff-person syndrome with cerebellar disease and GAD-specific epitopes. Neurology 2006; 67:1068-70.

Raju R, Foote J, Banga JP, Hall TR, Padoa CJ., Dalakas MC, Ortqvist E, Hampe CS. Analysis of GAD65 Autoantibodies in Stiff Person Syndrome Patients. Journal of Immunology 2005;175: 7755.

Raju R and Dalakas MC. Gene expression profile in the muscles of patients with inflammatory myopathies: Effect of therapy with IVIg and biologic validation of disease relevant genes. Brain 2005;128:1887-1896.

Kurup VP and Raju R. Genes in asthma and allergy. In Mold allergy, biology and pathogenesis Ed. Kurup VP. Research Signpost, Trivandrum, India. 2005 pp. 323-334.

Kurup VP, Raju R and Manickam P. Gene expression in murine model of allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis. Infection and Immunity 2005;73:4381.

Schmidt J, Rakocevic G, Raju R, Dalakas MC. Upregulated Inducible Costimulator-Signaling in Inclusion Body Myositis is Associated with CD8+ T cell Cytotoxicity. Brain 2004;127:1182-90.

Rakocevic G, Raju R, Dalakas MC. Anti-GAD antibodies in the serum and CSF of patients with Stiff-Person Syndrome. Arch Neurol 2004;61:902-4.

Raju R. Tracking the ‘General’: Tagging Skin-Derived Dendritic Cells. Trends in Biotechnology 2004;22: 58-59.

Raju R, Vasconcelos OM, Semino-Mora C, Granger R and Dalakas MC. Interferon- Inducible Chemokines in the Muscles of Patients with Inclusion Body Myositis. J Neuroimmunol 2003;141:125-131.

Raju R, Malloy A, Shah T, Smith R and Hosenpud J. Expression of IFN- inducible chemokines in human aortic endothelial cells. Possible role in allograft rejection. Transplantation 2003;75:1072-1074.
Vasconcelos OM, Raju R, Granger R, Dalakas MC. Detection of two new mutant alleles in the UDP-N-acetylglucosamine/N-acetylmannosamine kinase gene (GNE) in a cohort of patients with sporadic and hereditary Inclusion Body Myositis. Neurology 2002;59:1776-80.
Kudva YC. Rajagopalan G. Raju R. Abraham RS. Smart M. Hanson J. David CS. Modulation of insulitis and type 1 diabetes by transgenic HLA-DR3 and DQ8 in NOD mice lacking endogenous MHC class II. Human Immunology. 2002;63:987.
Raju R, Marietta E, Vinasco J, Conti-Fine BM, Infante AJ, and David CS. Cryptic determinants and promiscuous sequences on human acetylcholine receptor alpha subunit. HLA dependent dichotomy in T cell function. Human Immunology 2002;63:237-247.

Raju R, Spack EG and David CS. Acetylcholine receptor peptide recognition in HLA DR3 transgenic mice. In vivo responses correlate with MHC-peptide binding. J Immunology 2001;167:1118-1124.

Raju R, Zhan W-Z, Karachunski P, Conti-Fine BM, Sieck GC and David CS. Polymorphism at HLA DQ locus determines susceptibility to Experimental Autoimmune Myasthenia Gravis. J Immunology 1998;160:4169-4174.

Raju R, Munn SR, Majoribanks C and David CS. Islet cell autoimmunity in NOD mice transgenic to HLA-DQ8 and lacking I-Ag7. Transplantation Proceedings 1998;30:474.

Raju R, Zhan W-Z, Karachunski P, Sieck GC, Conti-Fine BM and David CS. Susceptibility of HLA DR3 transgenic mice to experimental autoimmune myasthenia gravis. Ann NY Acad Sci. 841 (1998) 360-364.

Raju R, Munn SR and David CS. T cell recognition of human pre-proinsulin peptides depends on the polymorphism at HLA DQ locus: A study using HLA DQ8 and DQ6 transgenic mice. Human Immunology 58 (1997) 21-29.

Raju R, Navaneetham D, Kellerman S-A, Morris JC, Freeman SL, McCormick DJ and Conti-Fine BM. TCR V usage of TSH receptor specific CD4+ T cells in Graves' disease patients and healthy humans. J. Autoimmunity. 10 (1997) 479-489.

Raju R, Navaneetham D, Protti PM, Horton RM, Hoppe BL, Howard J and Conti-Fine BM. Preferential TCR Vusage by acetylcholine receptor specific CD4+ T cells in Myasthenia Gravis. J. Autoimmunity 10 (1997) 203-217.

Diethelm-Okita B, Raju R , Okita DK and Conti-Fine BM. Epitope repertoire of human CD4+ T cells on tetanus toxoid: identification of immunodominant sequence segments. J. Infectious Diseases 175 (1997) 382-391.

Raju R. Ontogeny of GAD, an autoantigen in diabetes (paper review). Molecular Medicine Today. 2 (1996) 318-319.

Raju R, Diethelm-Okita, Okita D and Conti-Fine BM. Epitope repertoire of human CD4+ lines propagated with tetanus toxoid or with synthetic tetanus toxin sequences. J. Autoimmunity 9 (1996) 79-88.

Horton RM, Raju R and Conti-Fine BM. A T-linker strategy for modification and directional cloning of PCR products. In PCR Cloning protocols, Vol. 67. Ed. Bruce A White, Humana Press, Totowa, NJ. 1996. pp101-110.

Horton RM, Raju R and Conti-Fine BM. Designing PCR primers to amplify specific members or subgroups of multigene families. In PCR Cloning protocols, Vol. 67. Ed. Bruce A White, Humana Press, Totowa, NJ. 1996. pp459-476.

Raju R, Navaneetham D, Okita DK, McCormick D and Conti-Fine BM. Epitopes for human T helper cell on diphtheria toxin: structural features of sequence segments forming epitopes recognized by most subjects. Eur. J. Immunol. 25 (1995) 3207-3214.

Raju R, Hoppe BL, Navaneetham D and Conti-Fine BM. Rapid method for the elution and analysis of PCR products separated on high resolution acrylamide gels. Biotechniques.18:1 (1995) 33-35.

Raju R, Srikanta S and Kochupillai N. I-45 islet cell antigen is a 68kD neuroendocrine protein. Immunol. Invest. (New York) 24:4 (1995) 573-582.

Raju R, Srikanta S and Kochupillai N. Substrate for islet cell antibody assays. Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice (letter). 24 (1994) 121.

Raju R, Prabhu KM and Murthy PS. Hypoglycemic action of an indigenous plant material. Diabetes Research Clinical and Experimental (letter). 27(1994) 89-90

Raju R, Srikanta S, Kharbanda K and Kochupillai N. Islet cell antigens and auto-antigens: Monoclonal antibodies and further characterisation. J Biosci 17:3 (1992)313-23.