Rekha Pal

Senior Director @ Crown Bioscience

About

 Extensively worked in translational cancer research using human patient’s blood plasma or serum and bone marrow sample for gene expression and co-related with clinical data for the targeted biomarker identification with the drug treatment.  Identified molecular targets and mechanisms of action and drug resistance of thalidomide and its immunomodulatory derivatives (IMiDs, Celgene drug) including pomalidomide and lenalidomide (Pal R et all, Blood 2010, Li S, Pal R et all, Blood 20011) by using hematopoietic stem cell , myeloma cancer cell and patient bone marrow and peripheral blood mononuclear cells.  Developed novel assays for the preclinical evaluation of drugs such as cell proliferation (MTT) or thymidine uptake, apoptosis (Annexin V) by flow cytometry and cell cycle analysis in primary human patient cell or human cell lines based cultures. Identification and preclinical development of small molecule therapeutics like diallyl trisulphide (DATS) - a natural garlic derivative.  Maintenance, culture and differentiation of human and mouse embryonic stem cells and their targeting by lentiviral vectors to explore the self-renewal mechanism.  Excellent writing ability as an Independent investigator and co-investigator resulting funded grants and high impact factor publications. Worked as a supervisory capacity, an individual contributor and in a team environment.  Consultant for the Celgene Corporation for exploring the molecular mechanisms of actions of IMiDs in multiple myeloma. Resolved research and technical problems in various translational based projects associated with Immunomodulatory derivatives (IMiDs) and hematological malignancies. Specialties: A translational cancer researcher with special focus on translational development of novel immunomodulatory agents in hematological and solid malignancies, biology of stem cells, molecular oncology, cellular signaling, and biomarker identification.

Country

United States

City

Greater Pittsburgh Region

Industry

Biotechnology

Skill

Pre-clinical Studies, Leadership, Investigational New Drug Application (IND), Interpersonal Communication, Clinical Trials, Drug Development, Communication, Presentation Skills, Cancer, Molecular Biology, Oncology, Grants, Signaling, Cell Biology, Hematology, Cell Culture, PCR, Therapeutic areas, Therapeutics, Cell Based Assays

Experience

Senior Director

Crown Bioscience

2022-4 - Present · 4 yrs 6 mos

Greater Pittsburgh Area

Director, Scientific Engagement

Crown Bioscience

2019-4 - 2022-3 · 3 yrs

Greater Pittsburgh Area

Cellular and Molecular Biology, Supervisor, NSABP Foundation, Inc

Pittsburgh

2013-10 - 2019-4 · 5 yrs 7 mos

Greater Pittsburgh Area

Pre-clinical and Translational research

Research Assistant Professor

UPMC

2008-8 - 2013-10 · 5 yrs 3 mos

• Developing novel predictive role of microRNAs as a biomarker in medulloblastoma tumorigenesis and metastasis. In this translational based project, human pediatric patients biopsy samples are used for the establishment of microRNAs as a biomarker by real time PCR miRNA array and if dysregulation is implicated in tumor metastasis and recurrence. • Conceived the idea to identify a novel agent diallyl trisulfide (a garlic derivative, natural agent) for the treatment of multiple myeloma by using both in-vitro and in-vivo xenograft model and also in combination with chemotherapeutic agents. Grant awarded by “The Pittsburgh Foundation 2010” for $50,000. • To minimize the problem of formation of osteolytic bone lesions by using 5TGM1 myeloma metastatic model targeting tumor microenvironment by using natural garlic derivative, diallyl trisulfide, pro - written NIH R21 grant as an Independent Investigator and submitted 2010. This R21 grant proposal scored 32 percentile and got very encouraging comments from reviewers. • Wrote proposal titled ‘Role of IMiDs in expansion of CD34+ cells by regulating the notch/jagged signaling ‘was reviewed as excellent scientific merit by Celgene Alliance Committee and was offered for sharing Lenalidomide and Thalidomide. • Investigated and analyzed the biology of MICA protein in human sarcoma cells.

Research Associate

Universuty of Pittsburgh

2001-7 - 2008-7 · 7 yrs 1 mo

• Identified molecular targets of thalidomide and its immunomodulatory derivatives (IMiDs) including pomalidomide and lenaliodmide. Investigated the effects of IMiDs on lineage commitment in hematopoietic stem cells, with a special focus on transcription factors such as PU.1 and C/EBP β as well as miRNA. • Identified Cathepsin G, a novel clinically relevant biomarker responsible for the neutropenia and increased risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in the treatment of myeloma cancer patients by IMiDs. Published paper Pal R et al. Immunomodulatory Derivatives (IMiDs) induce PU.1 downregulation, myeloid maturation arrest and neutropenia. Blood 2010. • Identified C/EBP β as intracellular signaling cascades regulates transcription factors IRF4, XBP1 and BLIMP1 critical for proliferation and survival in multiple myeloma cells and mechanisms of action by IMiDs induced apoptosis/resistance. Pal R et al. Blood 2009. Li S, Pal R et al. Blood 2011. • Investigated and targeted the function of cell cycle regulators such p18 in mouse and human embryonic stem cells to delineate the possible mechanisms of self-renewal by targeting the gene by lentiviral transduction using lipofectamine transfection reagent in 293 cells for the generation of viral particles followed by transduction in ES cells. • Investigated the complex roles of DNA methylation in early diagnosis and monitoring of various treatment of cancer - primarily on Oncogene and tumor suppressor gene alterations. Emphasized on human micro dissected cancerous tissue to analyze the various mutated genes as well as their DNA methylation status. • Investigated the mechanism of Leptin signaling in the hypothalamus with reference to feeding and obesity with focus on JAK/STAT pathway.