Sita Awasthi
Research Assistant Professor of Medicine
Department: Medicine
Contact information
502 Johnson Pavilion
3610 Hamilton walk
Philadelphia, PA 19104
3610 Hamilton walk
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Office: 215-573-8422
Fax: 215-349-5111
Lab: 215-573-8444
Fax: 215-349-5111
Lab: 215-573-8444
Email:
sawasthi@mail.med.upenn.edu
sawasthi@mail.med.upenn.edu
Education:
BS (Biology and Chemistry )
Devi Ahilya University, Indore, India , 1982.
MS (Biochemistry)
Devi Ahilya University, Indore, India , 1984.
PhD (Biochemistry)
Devi Ahilya University, Indore, India , 1989.
Permanent linkBS (Biology and Chemistry )
Devi Ahilya University, Indore, India , 1982.
MS (Biochemistry)
Devi Ahilya University, Indore, India , 1984.
PhD (Biochemistry)
Devi Ahilya University, Indore, India , 1989.
Description of Research Expertise
RESEARCH & TECHNICAL EXPERTISEMicrobiology and Immunology
•General virology techniques including, production, purification and titration, strategy to create mutant viruses, making pseudo viruses, testing, etc.
•General immunological techniques for example antibody response using ELISA, neutralization assay, binding assays, rosetting assay for IgG binding, FACS analysis.
•Tissue and cell culture techniques, maintenance of cell lines, Transfection studies, Phase contrast, Immuno-fluorescent and confocal-microscopy.
•Developed animal models and experienced in working with infectious agents in humanized mouse model.
Protein Chemistry/ Proteomics
•Protein purification using affinity chromatography and HPLC.
•Recombinant protein expression in E. coli, insect cells and yeast, Structure-function relationship.
•Protein electrophoresis, 2-Dimentional gel electrophoretic analysis, protein-protein interactions, protein phosphorylation, phosphoaminoacid analysis.
•Production and characterization of monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies.
•Hands on experience with GCG as well as new bioinformatics programs for computational analysis of proteins to predict liner functional motif or structure.
Molecular and Cellular Biology
•Cloning strategy, Northern and Southern blotting, Invirto transcription and translation, RNA manipulation, Protein-RNA interactions, Site directed mutagenesis, RT-PCR quantitation, Gel shift assay, RNAse protection, In situ hybridization, Micro array, Two-hybrid assay.
•Knowledge of signaling pathways induced under stress conditions and their assays.
•Hands on experience with GCG as well as new Bioinformatics program for computational analysis of DNA and RNA. I submitted three new splice variants m-RNA sequence on gene bank.
General Lab practices
•Hands on experience with medical, pharmaceutical, clinical and basic science research information retrieval from various data bases.
•Trained for handling radioactivity.
•Knowledge of GLP and good record keeping.
•Supervised technical staff and undergraduate and graduate students at University of Pennsylvania and other institutions.
•Experienced in writing animal protocols for approval from IUCAC.
Selected Publications
Shedlock DJ, Talbott KT, Wu SJ, Wilson CM, Muthumani K, Boyer JD, Sardesai NY, Awasthi S, Weiner DB: Vaccination with synthetic constructs expressing cytomegalovirus immunogens is highly T cell immunogenic in mice. Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics 8(11): 1-14, November 2012.Awasthi S, Lubinski JM, Shaw CE, Cai M, Friedman HM : Protection by a gD2&gC2 glycoprotein subunit vaccine against HSV-2 acute and recurrent infection in HSV-1 seropositive guinea pigs. International Herpesvirus Workshop, Calgary, Canada 35, Aug 2012 Notes: Poster presentation.
Awasthi S, Huang J, Shaw CE, Friedman HM: Blocking HSV-2 gE function improves the host control of virus. International Herpesvirus Workshop, Calgary, Canada Aug 2012 Notes: Oral presentation
Awasthi S, Bao H, Muthumani K, Friedman HM : Humanized mouse model to study viral infections and evaluate antivirals. 2nd World Congress on Virology, Las Vegas, NV Aug 2012 Notes: Oral presentation.
Awasthi S, Zumbrun EE, Si H, Wang F, Shaw CE, Cai M, Lubinski JM, Barrett SM, Balliet JW, Flynn JA, Casimiro DR, Bryan JT, Friedman HM: Live attenuated herpes simplex virus 2 glycoprotein E deletion mutant as a vaccine candidate defective in neuronal spread J Virol 86(8): 4586-4598, Apr 2012.
Awasthi S, Bau H, Muthumani K, Friedman HM: Development of a humanized mouse model to study HSV-2/HIV-1 co-infection Penn CFAR Annual Retreat, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA Dec 2011 Notes: Poster presentation.
Awasthi S, Lubinski JM, Shaw CE, Barrett SM, Cai M, Wang F, Betts M, Kingsley S, DiStefano DJ, Balliet JW, Flynn JA, Casimiro DR, Bryan JT, Friedman, HM: Immunization with a Vaccine Combining Herpes Simplex Virus 2 (HSV-2) Glycoprotein C (gC) and gD Subunits Improves the Protection of Dorsal Root Ganglia in Mice and Reduces the Frequency of Recurrent Vaginal Shedding of HSV-2 DNA in Guinea Pigs Compared to Immunization with gD Alone. J Virol 85(20): 10472-10486, October 2011.
Lubinski JM, Lazear HM, Awasthi S, Wang F, Friedman HM: Herpes simplex virus type 1 IgG Fc receptor blocks antibody-mediated complement activation and antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity in vivo J Virol 85(7): 3239-49, Apr 2011.
Awasthi S, Huang J, Lubinski JM, Shaw CE, Friedman HM: Blocking HSV immune evasion of host complement and antibody as a strategy to improve a gD subunit vaccine International Herpesvirus Workshop, Gdansk, Poland 2011 Notes: Oral Presentation.
Awasthi S, Lubinski JM, Barrett SM, Cai M, Shaw CE, and Friedman HM: Immunization with HSV-2 glycoprotein C and D: An immune evasion based novel vaccine design for HSV-2 disease. International Society of Vaccines, Vienna, Austria 2010 Notes: Oral presentation.