Education and Outreach

Naresh Kumar, Ph.D.

Division of Biological Sciences

Naresh Kumar, Ph.D.

Education

B.Sc., medicine, Government National College, Sirsa, India, 1996.
M.Sc., biotechnology, Himachal Pradesh University, Shimla, India, 1998.
Ph.D., biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), SAS Nagar, India, 2002.
Postdoctoral training, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, 2003-2004.
Postdoctoral training, Division of Biological Sciences, CIIT Centers for Health Research, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, 2004-present.

Research

My primary research interest is in the area of metabolic disorders. In Dr. Sheila Collins' laboratory, I am investigating the mechanisms by which catecholamines such as adrenaline regulate fat cell metabolism. My work involves the signaling interactions of the G-protein-coupled ß3-adrenergic receptor with known and novel protein molecules in brown and white adipose tissue, specifically protein kinase A and MAP kinase cascades, to coordinate the activation of various signaling pathways. Since the ß3-adrenergic receptor participates in the control of lipolysis and thermogenesis, elucidating these intermolecular interactions will provide insights into the complex control of fuel utilization. These interactions can also serve as a model to understand the mechanisms by which other related G-protein-coupled receptors trigger growth-factor signaling events.

Publications

Kumar, N. and Dey, C. S. (2004). Restoration of impaired p38 activation by insulin in insulin resistant skeletal muscle cells treated with thiazolidinediones. Mol. Cell. Biochem. 260, 55-64.

Kumar, N., Kaul, C. L., Ishrath, A., and Dey, C. S. (2004). Combination of metformin and thiazolidinediones restore insulin signalling in insulin-resistant cultured myotubes. Life Sci. 74, 1877-1888.

Pillai, O., Kumar, N., Dey, C. S., Borkute, S., Sivaprasad, N., and Panchagnula, R. (2004). Transdermal iontophoresis of insulin. III: Influence of electronic parameters. Methods Find. Exp. Clin. Pharmacol. 26, 399-408.

Gargi, A., Kumar, N., and Dey, C. S. (2003). Differential regulation of MAP kinase isoforms by H202 in neuronal cells. Neurosci. Res. Commun. 33, 17-29.

Kumar, N. and Dey, C. S. (2003). Development of insulin resistance and reversal by thiazolidinediones in C2C12 skeletal muscle cells. Biochem. Pharmacol. 65, 249-257.

Pillai, O., Kumar, N., Dey, C. S., Borkute, S., Nagalingam, S., and Panchagnula, R. (2003). Transdermal iontophoresis of insulin. Part 1: A study on the issues associated with the use of platinum electrodes on rat skin. J. Pharm. Pharmacol. 55, 1505-1513.

Kumar, N. and Dey, C. S. (2002). Gliclazide increases insulin receptor tyrosine phosphorylation but not p38 phosphorylation in insulin-resistant skeletal muscle cells. J. Exp. Biol. 205, 3739-3746.

Kumar, N. and Dey, C. S. (2002). Metformin enhances insulin signalling in insulin-dependent and -independent pathways in insulin resistant muscle cells. Br. J. Pharmacol. 137, 329-336.

Ishrath, A., Kumar, N., and Dey C. S. (2002). Differential activation of ERK and JNK by arsenite in mouse muscle cells. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. C. Toxicol. Pharmacol. 132, 375-384.