Student Profile: Chadni Patel

 

Department: Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology
Advisor: Dr. Peter Cole, MD
ckp39@gsbs.rutgers.edu

Education
BA, Cellular Biology and Neuroscience, Rutgers University, 2019
PhD Candidate in Molecular Biosciences (Concentration: Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology), Rutgers University, 2019 - Present

Research Interests
Drug development and discovery, cancer biology, pediatric oncology, pharmacology, toxicology

Research Summary
Although chemotherapies have significantly improved overall survival in cancer patients, especially pediatric cancer patients, the current drugs are associated with detrimental side effects such as cognitive impairment, or “chemobrain”. Chemotherapy-induced cognitive impairment (CICI) comprises objectively measurable deficits as well as subjective symptoms that include trouble with verbal and visual memory, difficulty with concentration and confusion. Despite extensive research into the multifactorial causes of CICI, there are no FDA approved drugs to reduce its severity. The quality of life for patients is compromised, and research needs to be performed to improve these conditions. My project’s goal is to address the poorly-understood mechanism of CICI by studying changes in blood brain barrier (BBB) permeability. Moreover, not all cancer patients are at equal risk for CICI making it important to identify susceptible patients. To this end, my project will also focus on APOE (Apolipoprotein E) and how the E4 allele of APOE, which causes a weakened BBB, will accelerate the BBB disruption, and induce more severe cognitive deficits relative to the E3 allele of APOE in a juvenile rat model. The experimental outcome will provide a better understanding of the mechanisms relative to the BBB and how that is related to the cognitive dysfunction post-chemotherapy exposure for not only pediatric cancer patients, but also adult cancer patients, as we are investigating two commonly used chemotherapies: methotrexate and doxorubicin. It will also allow us to identify patients who are more susceptible to CICI and to examine novel therapeutics to improve the clinical treatment of CICI.

Awards & Honors
Technology Award, Rutgers University 2021
Biotechnology Training Fellowship NIH T32 GM135141, September 2020-Present
Molecular Biosciences Excellence Award, Rutgers University, September 2019
 
Publications
Wen J, Patel C, Diglio F, Baker K, Marshall G, Li S, Cole PD. Cognitive impairment persists at least 1 year after juvenile rats are treated with methotrexate. Neuropharmacology. 2022; 206: 108939. PMID: 34986414
Chou PC, Rajput S, Zhao X, Patel C, Albaciete D, Oh WJ, Daguplo HQ, Patel N, Su B, Werlen G, Jacinto E. mTORC2 is involved in the induction of RSK phosphorylation by serum or nutrient starvation. Cells. 2020; 9: 1567. PMCID: PMC7408474.
Cordover E, Wei J, Patel C, Shan NL, Gionco J, Sargsyan D, Wu R, Cai L, Kong AT, Jacinto E, Minden A. KPT-9274, an inhibitor of PAK4 and NAMPT, leads to downregulation of mTORC2 in triple negative breast cancer cells. Chem Res Toxicol. 2020; 33: 482-491. NIHMSID: 1641855.
Moloughney JG, Vega-Cotto NM, Liu S, Patel C, Kim PK, Wu CC, Albaciete D, Magaway C, Chang A, Rajput S, Su X, Werlen G, Jacinto E. mTORC2 modulates the amplitude and duration of GFAT1 Ser-243 phosphorylation to maintain flux through the hexosamine pathway during starvation. J Biol Chem. 2018; 293: 16464–16478. PMCID: PMC6200946.
 
Representative Graduate Courses Taken
Fundamentals of Molecular Biosciences
Experimental Methods in Molecular Biosciences
Ethical Scientific Conduct
Statistics in Biomedical Sciences
Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology
Biophysical Chemistry II
Topics in Biomedical Engineering: Medical Devices
 
Leadership and Outreach
Student Coach for 1st year Molecular Biosciences PhD Students, September 2020 - May 2021
Program Coordinator for Molecular Biosciences Graduate Student Organization, July 2020 - June 2021
Volunteer for COVID qPCR team, RUCDR, April 2020 - July 2020