Girish Ramaswamy, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow
University of Pennsylvania
Hometown
Tamil Nadu, India
Education
Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PAPh.D. (Biomedical Engineering)University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, ALM.S. (Biomedical Engineering) University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, ALB.E. (Mechanical Engineering) Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Rajasthan, India
Areas of Interest
My research interests are growth factor signaling in musculoskeletal development and disease, signaling pathways regulating stem cell differentiation and orthopedic biomechanics. Currently, I am working on understanding the mechanisms underlying heterotopic bone formation in Progressive Osseous Heteroplasia (POH), a rare genetic bone disorder with a mutation in GNAS locus affecting cAMP signaling. My focus is to delineate the factors which regulate differentiation of stem cells into adipogenic and osteogenic lineages and understand how the POH mutation affects normal skeletal development.
Girish joined the lab in the spring of 2012 as a postdoctoral fellow. For his doctoral research, Girish focused on characterizing articular cartilage in mice which develop osteoarthritis due to altered TGF-β signaling. In addition to science, Girish enjoys watching football and basketball and traveling.
Book Chapters and Reviews
Ramaswamy G, Bidez MW, Misch CE. Bone Response to Mechanical Loads. In: Misch CE. Contemporary Implant Dentistry. Misch CE (Editor), 3rd Ed., Mosby Elsevier 2007, pp 317-328.
Wan C, Gilbert SR, Wang Y, Cao XM, Shen X, Ramaswamy G, Jacobsen KA, Alaql ZS, Gerstenfeld LC, Einhorn TA, Eberhardt AW, Deng L, Guldberg RE, Clemens TL. Role of Hypoxia Inducible Factor-1alpha Pathway in Bone Regeneration. Journal of Musculoskeletal and Neuronal Interactions, 2008, 8: 323-324.
Manuscripts
Ramaswamy, G., H. Kim, D. Zhang, V. Lounev, J.Y. Wu, Y. Choi, F.S. Kaplan, R.J. Pignolo, and E.M. Shore (2017). Gsα Controls Cortical Bone Quality by Regulating Osteoclast Differentiation via cAMP/PKA and β-Catenin Pathways. Scientific Reports 7, 45140; doi:10.1038/srep45140.
Loro, E., G. Ramaswamy, A. Chandra, W-J. Tseng, M.K. Mishra, E.M. Shore and T.S. Khurana (2017). IL15ra is required for osteoblast function and bone mineralization. Bone 103, 20-30.
Ramaswamy, G., J. Fong, N. Brewer, H. Kim, D. Zhang, Y. Choi, F.S. Kaplan, and E.M. Shore (2018). Ablation of Gsa signaling in osteoclast progenitor cells adversely affects skeletal bone maintenance. Bone 109, 86-90.
Pignolo, R.J., G. Ramaswamy, J.T. Fong, E.M. Shore, and F.S. Kaplan (2015). Progressive osseous heteroplasia: diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis. Applic. Clin. Genet. 8, 37-48
Irianto J, Ramaswamy G, Serra R, Knight MM. Depletion of primary cilia reduced the compressive modulus of articular cartilage. Journal of Biomechanics, 2014, 47:579-582.
Ramaswamy G, Sohn P, Eberhardt A, Serra R. Altered Responsiveness to TGF-β Results in Reduced Papss2 Expressions & Alterations in the Biomechanical Properties of Mouse Articular Cartilage. Arthritis Research & Therapy, 2012, 14:R49.
Chang CF, Ramaswamy G, Serra R. Deletion of primary cilia in articular chondrocytes results in reduced Gli3 repressor to activator ratio, increased hedgehog signaling and symptoms of early osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis & Cartilage, 2012, 20:152-161.
Kumar S, Wan C, Ramaswamy G, Clemens TL, Ponnazhagan S. Mesenchymal Stem Cells Expressing Osteogenic and Angiogenic Factors Synergistically Enhance Bone Formation in a Mouse Model of Segmental Bone Defect. Molecular Therapy, 2010, 18:1026-1034.
Chanda D, Isayeva T, Kumar S, Hensel JA, Sawant A, Ramaswamy G, Seigal GP, Beatty MS, Ponnazhagan S. Therapeutic Potential of Adult Bone Marrow-derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Prostate Cancer Bone Metastasis. Clinical Cancer Research, 2009, 15:7175-7185.
Shen X, Wan C, Ramaswamy G, Mavalli M, Wang Y, Duvall CL, Deng LF, Guldberg RE, Eberhart A, Clemens TL, Gilbert SR. Prolyl Hydroxylase Inhibitors Increase Neoangiogenesis and Callus Formation Following Femur Fracture in Mice. J Orthopedic Research, 2009, 27:1298-1305.
Wan C, Gilbert SR, Wang Y, Cao X, Shen X, Ramaswamy G, Jacobsen KA, Alaq ZS, Eberhardt AW, Gerstenfeld LC, Einhorn TA, Deng L, Clemens TL. Activation of the Hypoxia Inducible Factor-1α Pathway Accelerates Bone Regeneration. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2008, 15: 686-692.
Abstracts/Oral Presentations
Ramaswamy G, Zhang D, Kaplan FS, Pignolo RJ, Shore EM, Heterozygous inactivation of Gnas alters skeletal development and bone quality, EFF/ASBMR Fellows Forum on Metabolic Bone Diseases, Houston, TX. 2014. (Poster)
Ramaswamy G, Zhang D, Kaplan FS, Pignolo RJ, Shore EM, Heterozygous inactivation of Gnas alters skeletal development and bone quality, Gordon Research Conference on Bones and Teeth, Galveston, Texas. 2014. (Oral Presentation)
Ramaswamy G, Zhang D, Kaplan FS, Pignolo RJ, Shore EM, Inactivation of Gnas affects postnatal bone quality, 11th International Conference on the Chemistry and Biology of Mineralized Tissues, Lake Geneva, Wisconsin 2013. (Oral Presentation)
Ramaswamy G, Zhang D, D, Kaplan FS, Pignolo RJ, Shore EM, Heterozygous Inactivation of Gnas Induces Heterotopic Ossification and Impairs Normal Skeletal Development, Annual Meeting of The American Society for Bone and Mineral Research, Baltimore, Maryland 2013. (Poster)
Ramaswamy G, Zhang D, Pignolo RJ, Shore EM, Heterozygous inactivation of Gnas affects early postnatal bone quality, AAOS/ORS Bone Quality and Fracture Prevention Symposium, Rosemont, Illinois 2013. (Poster)
Merits and Awards
Endocrine Fellows Foundation (EFF) Award to attend the Eighth EFF/ASBMR Fellows Forum on Metabolic Bone Diseases, Houston, TX. September 10-11, 2014
Young Investigator Travel Award for short talk, Gordon Research Conference, Bones and Teeth, 2014
Travel Award for presenter, Gordon Research Conference, Musculoskeletal Biology & Bioengineering, 2010
Outstanding Graduate Student in the Department of Biomedical Engineering, UAB, 2007
Young Investigator Travel Award, American Society for Bone and Mineral Research, 2007
UAB Graduate Fellowship, 2005-2006
3rd Place, Physical Sciences and Engineering, 2008 Graduate Student Research Days, UAB1st Place, Physical Sciences and Engineering, 2007 Graduate Student Research Days, UAB