Research Interests:

• Contractile and regulatory protein gene expression and function.

• Transgenic mice research involving modeling of human cardiovascular disease and understanding the intracellular signaling pathways.

Education:

• 2002-2007: Postdoctoral Training, Molecular Genetics, University of Cincinnati.
• 1995-2002: Ph.D. Biochemistry/Molecular Cardiology, Madurai Kamaraj University, India.
• 1991-1994: M.Sc. Medical Biochemistry, JIPMER, Pondicherry, India.
• 1988-1991: B.Sc. Biochemistry, University of Madras, India.

Academic Appointments:

• Sep 2007–Present: Research Scientist, Molecular Genetics, University of Cincinnati.

• Feb 2002– Aug 2007: Post-doctoral Research Fellow (with Dr. David F. Wieczorek) Department of Molecular Genetics, Biochemistry and Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA.

• Feb 1997 to Jan 2002: CSIR Senior Research Fellow, Dept. of Biochemistry, School of Biological Sciences, Madurai Kamaraj University, Madurai, India.

• Feb 1995 to Jan 1997: CSIR Junior Research Fellow, Dept. of Biochemistry, School of Biological Sciences, Madurai Kamaraj University, Madurai, India.

• Oct 1994 to Jan 1995: Junior Research Fellow, Department of Neurological Sciences, Christian Medical College, Vellore, India.

Professional Memberships:

• American Heart Association (AHA) – Council on Basic Cardiovascular Sciences.
• International Society for Heart Research (ISHR).
• Biophysical Society.

Abstracts Presented in National & International Meetings: (in reverse chronological order)

1. Sudarsan Rajan, Chehade N. Karam, Karen M. D'Souza, Shahab A. Akhter, Greg P. Boivin, Dipak K. Dube, Natalia Petrashevskaya, Stephen B. Liggett, Andrew B. Herr, R John Solaro, David F. Wieczorek. Molecular and Functional Characterization of a Novel Cardiac Specific Human Tropomyosin Isoform. Biophysical Society Annual Meeting. Boston, MA. March 2009. (Platform presentation).

2. Sudarsan Rajan, CN Karam, KM D'souza, CF Bulcao, SA Akhter, GP Biovin, DK Dube, N Petrashevskaya, SB Liggett, RJ Solaro, DF Wieczorek. Molecular and Functional characterization of a novel cardiac specific human tropomyosin isoform. 30th International Society for Heart Research North American Section Meeting "Cell to Bedside", Cincinnati, OH. June 17-20, 2008.

3. Chehade N. Karam, Sudarsan Rajan, Chao Yuan, David F. Wieczorek, R John Solaro. Effects of the Novel Tropomyosin-Kappa on Modulating the Mechanical Properties of the Heart. Biophysical Society Annual Meeting. Long Beach, CA. February 2008.

4. Rajan S, Jagatheesan G, Petrashevskaya N, Karam CN, D’Souza KM, Bulcao CF, Akhter SA, Boivin GP, Dube DK, Liggett SB, Solaro RJ and Wieczorek DF. Expression Analysis and Functional Significance of a Novel Cardiac Specific Human Tropomyosin in Normal and Cardiomyopathy Patients. AHA Scientific Sessions, 2007, Orlando, FL. Supplement to Circulation. Vol.116, No.16: Abstract 754.

5. Azhar M, Yin M, Martin M, Pawloski S, Prasad V, Rajan S, Miller M, Chen D, Runyan R, Gittenberger-de Groot AC, Fuchs E, Doetschman T. TGF-beta2 is required in vivo for epithelial-mesenchymal transformation, collagen fibrillogenesis, and differentiation, condensation and maturation of mesenchyme during valvulogenesis. Weinstein Cardiovascular Development Conference, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN. May 10-12, 2007 (Abstract#31).

6. Chad M. Warren, Grace M. Arteaga, Beata M. Wolska, Dalia Urboniene, Rafeeq PH Ahmed, Sudarsan Rajan, David F. Wieczorek, R John Solaro. Quantitative Determination of Contractile Protein Phosphorylation in a Murine Model of (Glu54Lys) Alpha-Tropomyosin. Biophysical Society Annual Meeting. Baltimore, MD. March 2007.

7. Ahmed RPH, Jagatheesan G, Rajan S, Boivin G, Petrashevskaya N, Schwartz A, Liggett SB, Arteaga GM, Solaro RJ and Wieczorek DF. Differences in Actin affinity, thermal stability, and calcium sensitivity among striated tropomyosin isoforms. Biophysical Society Annual Meeting. Baltimore, MD. March 2007.

8. Ahmed RPH, Rajan S, Jagatheesan G, Boivin G, Petrashevskaya N, Liggett SB, Arteaga G, Solaro RJ, Wieczorek DF. Effects of the Familial Dilated Cardiomyopathy Mutation (Glu54Lys) on alpha Tropomyosin Structure and Function. Biophysical Society Annual Meeting. Salt Lake City, UT. March 2006.

9. Ganapathy Jagatheesan, S Rajan, N Petrashevskaya, A Schwartz, G Boivin, G Arteaga, RJ Solaro and DF Wieczorek. The Internal Troponin-T Binding Domain of Striated β- Tropomyosin Increases Myofilament Calcium Sensitivity in Transgenic Mice. Keystone Symposia, Santa Fe, NM. February 2006.

10. Sudarsan Rajan, RPH Ahmed, G Jagatheesan, G Boivin, N Petrashevskaya, SB Liggett, G Arteaga, RJ Solaro and DF Wieczorek. A Mouse Model of Dilated Cardiomyopathy caused by an α-Tropomyosin Mutation (Glu40Lys). Keystone Symposia, Santa Fe, NM. February 2006.

11. Ganapathy Jagatheesan, Sudarsan Rajan, Natalia Petrashevskaya, Arnold Schwartz, Greg Boivin, Grace Arteaga, R.John Solaro, David F. Wieczorek. The internal Troponin-T binding domain of striated β-TM alters heart physiology and blunts adrenergic response without altering myofilament calcium sensitivity. Keystone Symposia, Steamboat Springs, CO. February 2005.

12. Ganapathy Jagatheesan, Sudarsan Rajan, Natalia Petrashevskaya, Arnold Schwartz, Greg P. Boivin, Arteaga G, R. John Solaro and David F. Wieczorek. The Internal Troponin-T Binding Domain of Striated β-TM in Alters Heart Physiology and Blunts Adrenergic Response without Altering Myofilament Calcium Sensitivity. AHA Scientific Sessions, 2004. New Orleans, LA. Supplement to Circulation. Vol.110, No.17: Abstract 455.

13. Ganapathy Jagatheesan, Sudarsan Rajan, Natalia Petrashevskaya, Arnold Schwartz, Greg Boivin, Grace Arteaga, Pieter P. deTombe, R.John Solaro, David F. Wieczorek. Isoform specific troponin-T binding domains of striated tropomyosin regulate cardiac function. Keystone Symposia, Keystone, CO. March 2004.

14. Sudarsan Rajan, Ganapathy Jagatheesan, Sarah S. Williams, Bruce J. Aronow, David F. Wieczorek. Gene expression profiling of murine hypertrophied heart. Keystone Symposia, Keystone, CO. March 2004.

15. Ganapathy Jagatheesan, Sudarsan Rajan, Natalia Petrashevskaya, Arnold Schwartz, Greg P. Boivin, Arteaga G, R. John Solaro and David F.Wieczorek. Rescue of Aberrant Cardiac Function in familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy mice by Alpha/beta-chimeric tropomyosin. AHA Scientific Sessions, 2003. Orlando, FL. Supplement to Circulation. Vol 108, No.17: Abstract 222.

16. Chellam Rajamanickam, Jeejabai Radhakrishnan and Sudarsan Rajan. Cardiac isoform of α-2 Macroglobulin engineered for a non-invasive gene delivery into the heart. XXVth Annual Meeting, North American Section of the International Society for Heart Research, July 2003.

17. Sudarsan Rajan and Chellam Rajamanickam. Direct Gene Transfer and Expression of Full-length cDNA of the Cardiac isoform of α-2 Macroglobulin into rat heart in vivo induces cardiac hypertrophy. Annual Conference 2002, International Society for Heart Research, Indian Section.