Positions
- Professor
-
Verna and Marrs McLean Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
ÌÇÐÄvlogÃÛÌÒ of Medicine
Houston, Texas, United States
Primary Appointment
- Alvin Romansky Chair in Biochemistry
-
Verna and Marrs McLean Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
ÌÇÐÄvlogÃÛÌÒ of Medicine
Houston, Texas, United States
- Director
-
Graduate Program in Chemical, Physical & Structural Biology
ÌÇÐÄvlogÃÛÌÒ of Medicine
- Professor
-
Molecular Virology and Microbiology
ÌÇÐÄvlogÃÛÌÒ of Medicine
Houston, Texas, United States
Secondary Appointment
- Member
-
Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center
ÌÇÐÄvlogÃÛÌÒ of Medicine
Houston, Texas, United States
Addresses
- BCM-Alkek Graduate School (Office)
-
Room: BCMN-N410
Houston, TX, 77030
United States
Education
- Postdoctoral Fellowship at University of Arizona
- 01/1988 - Tucson, Arizona, United States
- Postdoctoral Training at Indian Institute of Science
- 01/1984 - Bangalore, Karnataka, India
- PhD from Indian Institute of Science
- 01/1981 - Bangalore, Karnataka, India
- MSc from Indian Institute of Technology
- 01/1974 - Bombay, Maharashtra, India
- BSc from Bangalore University
- 01/1972 - Bangalore, Karnataka, India
Honors & Awards
- Fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology
- Fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology
- American Academy of Microbiology (08/2015)
- Ruth McLean Bowman Bowers Excellence in Research Award
- ÌÇÐÄvlogÃÛÌÒ of Medicine (01/2013)
- Ruth McLean Bowman Bowers Excellence in Research Award
- ÌÇÐÄvlogÃÛÌÒ of Medicine (01/2010)
- Alvin Romansky Professor and Chair of Biochemistry
- ÌÇÐÄvlogÃÛÌÒ of Medicine (07/2008)
- Indo-US Professorship for the American Society of Microbiology
- American Society of Microbiology (01/2004 - 12/2005)
- NIH MERIT award
- NIH MERIT award (01/2003)
- Indian National Science Academy Medal for Young Scientists
- Indian National Science Academy Medal for Young Scientists (01/1983)
- NIAID MERIT Award
- The MERIT award is given to investigators who have demonstrated superior competence and outstanding productivity in their research
- National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (09/2013)
Professional Interests
- Protein Structure-Function and Protein Folding
- Virology, biochemistry, immunology and cell biology of viral and microbial pathogen
- Glycobiology of pathogen-host interactions
- Host-pathogen coevolution
- Cellular Antiviral Responses
- Antiviral Drug Discovery/Design, and Vaccine Strategies
- Quantitative and Computational Biosciences
- Viral Pathogens
Professional Statement
Main focus of our research program, largely funded by NIH and Welch foundation, is to understand structure-function relationships in medically important viruses with a clear emphasis on using this knowledge to develop/design effective antiviral drugs. Our structure-function studies are mainly focused on three human pathogens: Rotaviruses, which are major pathogens of infantile gastroenteritis; Noroviruses in Caliciviridae (NIAD priority B biodefense pathogen), which cause epidemic diarrhea in humans; and influenza viruses (NIAD priority C biodefense pathogen), which cause seasonal and pandemic flu.
Our approach is to use a variety of structural techniques including cryo-electron microscopy and X-ray crystallography along with various biochemical and cell biology techniques to elucidate structure-function relationships in these human pathogens. In addition to understanding the structural basis for the capsid-related activities such as how viruses gain entry into host cells, how they interact with receptors, how they evade immune surveillance, and how they disassemble, we also focus on understanding the molecular processes by which these viruses successfully replicate once inside the host cells. The latter processes, which include genome transcription, viral protein synthesis, genome replication and encapsidation, and finally assembly of the new virions, are controlled by exquisite interplay between virus-encoded non-structural proteins some of which have fascinating enzymatic activities. Although these processes vary from one virus to another they are conserved between various strains in each virus family, thus making them suitable targets for designing and developing effective antiviral strategies.
One of the fascinating aspects of virus replication is how these viruses counteract antiviral response mounted by the host cells, for example, interferon response. Each virus appears to specially designate a viral protein to antagonize the host immune response. In rotavirus it is the non-structural protein NSP1 and in influenza virus it is NS1. During this process, these viral proteins target critical cellular pathways by interacting with various cellular proteins. Thus our research on understanding the molecular basis of such a process provides an excellent opportunity to interface with cell biology.
Our approach is to use a variety of structural techniques including cryo-electron microscopy and X-ray crystallography along with various biochemical and cell biology techniques to elucidate structure-function relationships in these human pathogens. In addition to understanding the structural basis for the capsid-related activities such as how viruses gain entry into host cells, how they interact with receptors, how they evade immune surveillance, and how they disassemble, we also focus on understanding the molecular processes by which these viruses successfully replicate once inside the host cells. The latter processes, which include genome transcription, viral protein synthesis, genome replication and encapsidation, and finally assembly of the new virions, are controlled by exquisite interplay between virus-encoded non-structural proteins some of which have fascinating enzymatic activities. Although these processes vary from one virus to another they are conserved between various strains in each virus family, thus making them suitable targets for designing and developing effective antiviral strategies.
One of the fascinating aspects of virus replication is how these viruses counteract antiviral response mounted by the host cells, for example, interferon response. Each virus appears to specially designate a viral protein to antagonize the host immune response. In rotavirus it is the non-structural protein NSP1 and in influenza virus it is NS1. During this process, these viral proteins target critical cellular pathways by interacting with various cellular proteins. Thus our research on understanding the molecular basis of such a process provides an excellent opportunity to interface with cell biology.
Selected Publications
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Lawton JA, Estes MK, Prasad BV. " " Nat. Struct. Biol.. 1997 Feb ; 4 (2) : 118-21.
Pubmed PMID: . -
Prasad BV, Rothnagel R, Zeng CQ, Jakana J, Lawton JA, Chiu W, Estes MK. " " Nature. 1996 Aug 1; 382 (6590) : 471-3.
Pubmed PMID: . -
Prasad BV, Hardy ME, Dokland T, Bella J, Rossmann MG, Estes MK. " " Science. 1999 Oct 8; 286 (5438) : 287-90.
Pubmed PMID: . -
Bornholdt ZA, Prasad BV. " " Nature. 2008 Dec 18; 456 (7224) : 985-8.
Pubmed PMID: .
Memberships
- American Crystallographic Association
- Member (01/2014)
- American Society of Virology
- Member (01/2014)
- Biophysical Society of America
- Member (01/2014)
- American Society of Microbiology
- Member (01/2014)
- American Association for the Advancement of Science
Skills
- X-ray Crystallography
- Cryo-EM
- Computational Biology
- Cell culture
- Protein Purification
- Biophysical Chemistry
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