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Faculty Profile

Moody JandhyalaDakshina (Moody) Jandhyala

Research Assistant Professor of Pharmacology
Department of Pharmacological and Pharmaceutical Sciences
Director, Core Research Laboratories & Facilities

Office: 
University of Houston College of Pharmacy
Health 2, Room 6009
4349 Martin Luther King Boulevard
Houston, TX 77204-5000

Contact: dmjandhyala@uh.edu - 713-743-0475

Research:

Most of my recent research has focused on the pathophysiology of infectious diseases, specifically as it applies to bacterial and toxin-mediated illnesses. More specifically I am interested in how ribosomal damage by bacterial and plant toxins activates cell death and inflammatory signaling pathways. In addition, I am interested in the relationship between gut health and the human microbiota as well as how probiotics can be used to perturb intestinal inflammatory signaling. I also love to teach and train folks in the biological sciences.

  • Ph.D., Molecular Biology, University of Houston
  • B.S., Biology, University of Texas

Scopus Profile

Peer-reviewed Research

  • Jandhyala, D.M., J. Wong, L.J. Wood, B.E. Magun, N.J. Mantis, J.M. Leong, and C.M. Thorpe. (2016) A novel zak-knockout mouse with a defective ribotoxic stress response. Toxins (Basel) 8:259 PMID: 27598200
  • Jandhyala, D.M., A. Ahluwalia, J.J. Schimmel, A.B. Rogers, J.M. Leong, and C. M. Thorpe (2015). Activation of the classical MAPKinases is part of the Shiga toxin-induced ribotoxic stress response, and may contribute to Shiga toxin-induced inflammation. Infection and Immunity, 84:138-48 PMID: 26483408
  • DesRochers, T. M., E. P. Kimmerling, D. M. Jandhyala, W. El-Jouni, J. Zhou, C. M. Thorpe, J. M. Leong, D. L. Kaplan (2015). The Effects of Shiga Toxin Type 2 on a Bioengineered 3D Model of Human Renal Tissue. Infection and immunity, 83:28-38 PMID: 25312954
  • Stone, S.M., C.M. Thorpe, A. Ahluwalia, A.B. Rogers, F. Obata, A. Vozenilek, G.L. Kolling, A.V. Kane, B.E. Magun, and D.M. Jandhyala (2012) Shiga toxin 2-induced intestinal pathology in infant rabbits is A-subunit dependent and responsive to the tyrosine kinase and potential ZAK inhibitor imatinib. Frontiers in cellular and infection microbiology. 2:135 PMID: 23162799
  • Wong, J., L.B. Smith, E.A. Magun, T. Engstrom, K. Kelley-Howard, D.M. Jandhyala, C.M. Thorpe, B.E. Magun, L.J. Wood (2012) Small molecule kinase inhibitors block the ZAK-dependent inflammatory effects of doxorubicin. Cancer biology and therapy. 14:56-63 PMID: 23114643
  • Jandhyala, D. M., T. J. Rogers, A. Kane, A. W. Paton, J. C. Paton, and C. M. Thorpe (2010) Shiga toxin 2 and flagellin from Shiga toxigenic Escherichia coli super-induce IL-8 through synergistic effects on host SAPKinase activation. Infection and immunity, 78:2984-96 PMID: 20439475
  • Wolfson, J.J., K. L. May, C. M Thorpe, D. M. Jandhyala, J. C. Paton, and A. W. Paton (2008) Subtilase cytotoxin activates PERK, IRE1 and ATF6 endoplasmic reticulum stress-signaling pathways. Cellular Microbiology, 10:1775-86 PMID: 18433465
  • Jandhyala, D. M., A. Ahluwalia, T. Obrig, and C. M. Thorpe (2008) ZAK: a MAP3Kinase that transduces Shiga toxin and ricin induced proinflammatory cytokine expression. Cellular Microbiology, 10:1468-77 PMID: 18331592
  • Khaitan A, D. M. Jandhyala, C. M. Thorpe, J. M. Ritchie, and A. W. Paton (2007) The operon encoding SubAB, a novel cytotoxin, is present in Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli isolates from the United States. Journal of Clinical Microbiology, 45:1374-5 PMID: 17287319
  • *R. C. Rigden, *Jandhyala, D. M., C. Dupont, D. Crosbie-Caird, N. Lopez-Villalobos, N. Maeda, B. Giquel, and A. Murray (2006) Humoral and cellular immune responses in sheep immunised with a 22 kilodalton exported protein of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis, Journal of Medical Microbiology, 55:1735-40 (*equal contribution) PMID: 17108279
  • *Jandhyala, D.M., *M. Berman, P. R. Meyers, B. T. Sewell, R. C. Willson, and M. J. Benedik (2003) CynD, the Cyanide Dihydtratase from Bacillus pumilus: Gene Cloning and Structural Studies. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 69:4794-4805 (*equal contribution) PMID: 12902273

Book Chapters & Reviews

  • Jandhyala, D. M., V. Vanguri, E. J. Boll, Y. Lai, Beth A. McCormick, and J. M. Leong (2013) Shiga Toxin-Producing E. coli O104:H4: An Emerging Pathogen with Enhanced Virulence, ID Clinics of North America, 27:631-49 PMID: 24011834
  • Vanaja, S. K., D. M. Jandhyala, E. M. Mallick, J. M. Leong, and S. Balasubramanian (2013). Enterohemorrhagic and other Shiga-toxin-producing Escherichia coli, Chapter 5. In M. S. Donnenberg (editor) Escherichia coli, Pathotypes and Principles of Pathogenesis, 2nd Edition. Elsevier, Boston
  • Jandhyala, D. M., B. Magun, and C. M. Thorpe. (2012) Ricin and Shiga toxins: Effects on host cell signal transduction. In N. J. Mantis (editor) Ricin and Shiga toxins: Pathogenesis, Immunity, Vaccines and Therapeutics, Chapter 3. Current Topics in Microbiology and Immunology, 357: 41-65 PMID: 22057792

Presentations

  • American Society for Microbiology, 114th General Meeting, A 3-Dimensional Renal Tubule Organ Model for Studying Shiga Toxin-Mediated Disease. May 17-20, 2014, Boston, MA

Interviews

  • Reuters Health, Will Boggs, May 5, 2014, Bowel Lavage Prevents Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome Associated with E. coli.

Funding Awards

  • 2013 Tufts Collaborates!, Studying Shiga Toxin-Mediated Disease Using a Three-Dimensional Renal Tubule Organ Model
  • 2012 Charlton Research Grant, The role of ZAK in ricin-mediated intestinal damage
  • 2011 NIH/Tufts Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI), Heart failure and the role of intestinal dysfunction

Journal Reviewer

  • Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy
  • Cellular Microbiology
  • Infection and Immunity
  • Journal of Bacteriology
  • Canadian Journal of Microbiology
  • Clinical and Vaccine Immunology
  • Cell Adhesion and Migration
  • Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology
  • Frontiers in Microbiology