Visvanathan Ramamurthy , PhD

Professor & Chairman

Organization:

West Virginia University School of Medicine

Department:

Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine

Classification:

Faculty

Professor

Organization:

West Virginia University School of Medicine

Department:

Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences

Classification:

Faculty

• PhD, Wesleyan University, 1998
• BPharm, Pharmacy (Honors), Birla Institute of Technology & Science, Pilani, India, 1991
• MSc, (Honors), Birla Institute of Technology & Science, Pilani, India., 1991

[2020]

EDUCATION

1991 B. Pharmacy (Honors), Birla Institute of Technology & Science, Pilani, India.

1991 M.Sc. (Honors), Birla Institute of Technology & Science, Pilani, India.

1992-1998 Ph.D. Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Wesleyan University, Connecticut. Mentor: Dr. Donald Oliver.

POSTDOCTORAL STUDIES

1999-2004 Biology of Vision, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle. Mentor: Dr. James Hurley

ACADEMIC APPOINTMENTS

2004-2006 Research Assistant Professor, Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle.

2006-2012 Assistant Professor, Department of Ophthalmology and Biochemistry, West Virginia University, Morgantown.

2012- 2016 Associate Professor, Department of Ophthalmology and Biochemistry, West Virginia University, Morgantown.

2016 - Professor, Departments of Biochemistry, Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown.

Protein folding, modification in neurodegenerative diseases and ciliopathies

Protein Folding: We want to identify the significance of Heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) mediated protein folding in photoreceptor neurons. Our interest in HSP90 stems from the recent use of HSP90 inhibitors for treatments of neurodegenerative diseases and cancer. In cancer trials, patients complain of night vision loss, alluding to the need for HSP90 for normal vision. To uncover the link between the need for HSP90 and vision, we generated an animal model lacking HSP90 using CRISPR-Cas9.

Protein Assembly and Interactome: Proteins function as an extensive network to evoke a particular function. Our goal is to map in vivo the protein networks in the photoreceptor neurons and how these networks change during disease.

Protein post-translational modification and function: Modifications of proteins enhance their diversity and impart unique functionality. Interestingly, several diseases are linked to defective protein modifications. Recently, we have focused on protein glutamylation, as this modification is reversible, potentially playing a dynamic role in the cell. Using a combination of mass-spectrometry, animal models, etc., we are testing the importance of this modification in photoreceptor neurons.

Protein Trafficking: Our human eye contains around 120 million photoreceptor cells (rods/cones). Each of these cells moves proteins at an astonishingly rapid rate (1000 molecules per second in each cell), yet we know little about this process. Following are some interesting questions we are trying to answer:

How do proteins move at this rapid pace? What are the molecular motors that drive this movement?

How does post-translational lipid modification help to retain proteins in different compartments? 

Tubulinopathies: Protein diversity can also be achieved by encoding proteins with minor changes to fit the task. A classic example is the expression of multiple tubulin isoforms that make up the microtubules. Mutations in several tubulin isoforms lead to defective brain development, pointing to the unique need for these isoforms in neurons. We have confirmed this with one of our animal models; we hypothesize that defective Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) movement in the brain leads to this phenotype. Besides, mutations in tubulin lead to sensory defects, including vision and hearing. Our goal is to understand the mechanism behind the tublinopathies that leads to hearing loss and defective brain development

Our approach: We use a combination of animal and cell culture models generated by CRISPR-Cas9. Our comprehensive experimental strategy includes electrophysiology, morphology (by High-resolution imaging/Electron microscopy), biochemical, biophysical, and molecular approaches.

        This project will investigate how RNA binding proteins boost protein expression in photoreceptor cells to enable vision, an unexplored aspect of the photoreceptor cell biology. Our work will allow us to better understand how photoreceptors function and how blinding disease develops. We expect that the results of this study will open new ways to treat blinding diseases