Dr. Savneet Kaur



I possess an excellent academic background and a research expertise in cellular and molecular biology. My watchwords are “doing ordinary things with an extra-ordinary enthusiasm”.

ACADEMIC CAREER
I have obtained a first class first MSc (Biochemistry) from Kurukshetra University, qualified ICMR (JRF) and CSIR (NET)-JRF among top 20%. I have done my PhD research work at the prestigious CSIR institute, ‘Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology’, New Delhi. Thereafter, I have pursued my postdoctoral fellowship, funded by Department of Biotechnology, New Delhi at the ‘Division of Cellular and Molecular Cardiology, Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, Kerala’. Then, I have worked as a CSIR pool scientist at the Department of Gastroenterology, GB Pant Hospital, New Delhi. Currently, I'm working as a faculty associate in the School of Biotechnology,[Gautam Buddha University], Greater Noida.

AWARDS AND SCHOLARSHIPS

 * Goyal scholarship awarded to M.Sc toppers, Kurukshetra University, 2001
 * Junior Research Fellowship, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, India, Jan 2002-Dec 2003
 * Senior Research Fellowship, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, India, Jan 2003-Dec 2005
 * Senior Research Fellowship, Department of Biotechnology, India, Feb 2006-June 2006
 * Postdoctoral fellowship, Department of Biotechnology and Indian Institute of Science, India, July 2006-June 2009
 * International Travel Award given by Indian National Science Academy and Department of Science and Technology, worth Rs 35, 000 to attend the 35th Annual Scandinavian Society for Immunology held from 13th to 16th June, 2004 in Aarhus, Denmark
 * International Travel Fellowship by the organizers for poster presentation at the18th FAOBMB symposium held from 20-23rd Nov, 2005 in Lahore, PakistanBest poster award at the ‘7th Indo-US’ workshop organized by Indo-US forum at Trivandrum, Kerala, India for poster presentation entitled; “The potential of circulating endothelial progenitor cells to form colonies is inversely proportional to vascular risk score and disease severity in patients with coronary artery disease” from 1st-3rd Feb, 2007
 * International Travel Award by Department of Science and Technology, India to present the work entitled: “Genetic engineering of human endothelial progenitor cells with endothelial nitric oxide synthase - a step towards hybrid cell-gene therapy for cardiovascular diseases” at the 2008 Meeting of International Society for Heart Research, ‘Cell to Bedside’ at Cincinnati, Ohio from 17-20th June, 2008

RESEARCH EXPERTISE
My PhD work, entitled: “Studies on molecular pathogenesis of respiratory infectious and allergic diseases” at ‘Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology’, Delhi, evaluated the role a human serum collectin protein, mannan-binding lectin (MBL), a key player of innate immunity in Aspergillus fumigatus mediated infectious/invasive and allergic diseases by addressing a series of in vitro, in vivo and genetic association studies. Scientific relevance of my work is well evident from publications in national and international peer reviewed journals, travel awards and two filed international patents. My work has also been presented and well received at both national and international forums. During my PhD research I have learnt to address scientific queries using multidisciplinary tools and technologies ranging from biochemistry, immunology and molecular biology.

My postdoctoral project “Genetic engineering of human endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) by endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) gene transfer and functional characterization of the engineered cells” was aimed at developing a cell and gene- based hybrid therapy using bone marrow-derived endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) and a cardio-protective gene, endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) for neo-vascularization therapy of ischemic diseases. The work involved the isolation of stem/progenitor cells from patients with coronary artery disease and their expansion to EPC lineage using defined growth factor conditions. Subsequently, the expanded cells after morphological and functional characterization were transfected with mammalian expression vector pcDNA3.1-eNOS containing the full-length human eNOS gene using lipofectamine. Initial in vitro studies have shown that eNOS modified EPCs have enhanced functional properties such as increased proliferation, differentiation into endothelial-like spindle-shaped cells and incorporation into vessel-like structures on the matrigel as compared to the untransfected cells. The in vitro experiments were followed by the in vivo studies to test the efficacy of eNOS-transfected EPCs in animal models of hindlimb ischemia. The results suggest that in comparison to the unmodified cells, eNOS-EPCs significantly augment the process of angiogenesis and arteriogenesis in these animal models. The study proposed that genetic engineering of human EPCs with eNOS is feasible and constitutes a potential strategy to improve the functional aspects of these cells. My initial work with EPCs has led to two publications in peer reviewed journals and an award at an international conference.

At GB Pant Hospital,I was involved in addressing the role of EPC-mediated angiogenesis in the progression of fibrosis to cirrhosis in chronic liver diseases in animal models and chronic liver disease patient groups. A part of this work done in the patients has been submitted for presentation in an international conference.

With a strong background and expertise in endothelial progenitor cell biology, angiogenesis and immunology, now I wish to establish my career in the development of novel pro- or anti-angiogenesis therapies at the gautam buddha university. Angiogenesis, the development of new vessels, constitutes an important process in health and disease. The vasculature is the first organ to arise during development. Blood vessels run through virtually every organ in the body (except the avascular cornea and the cartilage), assuring metabolic homeostasis by supplying oxygen and nutrients and removing waste products. However, when dysregulated, the formation of new blood vessels contributes to numerous malignant, ischemic, inflammatory, infectious and immune disorders. In this regard, my aim would be to identify important players and mechanisms maintaining the intricate balance between therapeutic and pathological angiogenesis, development of novel diagnostic and therapeutic modalities based on the type of cellular and molecular mediators involved in the angiogenic response and finally the translation of this knowledge to preclinical and finally clinical stages. I would really be happy to spend a part of my time in teaching these subjects to aspiring students which would also help me to update and improve my teaching and research skills.

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