Dr. Pendyala's Laboratory | Anesthesiology | University of Nebraska Medical Center

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Neuroinflammation associated with long-term use of psychostimulant drugs (methamphetamine, nicotine) at the synapse
Prenatal drug exposure and synaptic development
Application of novel anti-inflammatory drugs to attenuate inflammation at the synapse
Sex differences and drug abuse
Molecular mechanisms of microRNAs at the synapse
Role of extracellular vesicles in drug addiction and HIV infection

LAB PERSONNEL

Pranavi Athota
H-STAR Fellow
Reeyan Bhakat
SURP Fellow
Melissa Campbell
Research Administrator
Adrian Flores
Graduate Student
Jordan Hernandez
Graduate Student
Stuti Jain
H-STAR Fellow
Sneh Koul
Research Technologist I
Olivia Loh
Graduate Student
Daniel Meyer
H-STAR Fellow
Melody Nguyen
Graduate Student
Vicki Schaal
Research Technologist II
Kunal Sualy, MD
Clinical Researcher

LAB ALUMNI

Murali Devanaboyina
High School Research
Gabriel Gallegos, MD
Clinical Researcher
Sid Gillella
High School Researcher
Rahul Guda
Undergraduate Researcher
Nate Lombardo
Research Scholar
Colton Roessner
Medical Student
Alex Schmitz
Medical Student
Sneham Tiwari, PhD
Postdoctoral Research Associate
Nate Zaroban
Medical Student

LAB TECHNIQUES

Rodent animal models
Cell and Molecular biology
Biochemical Isolation of Synapses
In vitro primary (neuronal, glial) and mixed cultures
High throughput “Omics” approaches (Genomics, Transcriptomics, Proteomic)

LAB NEWS

CURRENT FUNDING

NIH/NIDA R01DA046852
Award Period: 09/30/2018-08/31/2023
Title: “Extracellular vesicles, meth relapse and sex differences”
Role: Principal Investigator

NIH/NIDA R21DA049577
Award Period: 09/30/2019-08/31/2021
Title: “High-throughput Integrated Magneto-electrochemical Exosome (HiMEX) platform to identify neurodevelopmental markers associated with pre and postnatal oxycodone exposure”
Role: Principal Investigator

NIH/NEI R01EY030507
Award Period: 09/01/2019-05/31/2024
Title: “Influence of Ocular hypertension on neurons and synapses in the visual thalamus”
Role: Co-Investigator (PI: Matthew Van Hook, Ph.D., UNMC)

UARC FA4600-12-D-9000, NU/NSRI Department of Defense
Award Period: 01/01/2020-12/31/2024
Title: “Acute Radiation Syndrome (ARS)”
Role: Co-Investigator (PI: Bayles and Berkowitz)

NIH/NIDA R21DA046284
Award Period: 04/15/2019-03/31/2021 *No cost extension till 3/31/2022.
Title: “Therapeutic efficacy of Ibudilast to attenuate inflammation at the synapse in HAND”
Role: Principal Investigator

Collaboration Initiative (2020-2021 RFA)-Team Seed Grants – Nebraska Foundation
Award Period: 07/01/2021-06/30/2023
Title: “Strategies to mitigate intergenerational prescription opioid abuse”
Role: Principal Investigator

Collaboration Initiative (2020-2021 RFA)-Preliminary Data & Application Preparation Grants - Nebraska Foundation
Award Period: 07/01/2021-06/30/2022
Title: “Maternal/Infant Microbiome in Rural Populations”
Role: Co-Investigator and Mentor (PI: Moore)

Collaboration Initiative (2020-2021 RFA)-Preliminary Data & Application Preparation Grants - Nebraska Foundation
Award Period: 07/01/2021-06/30/2022
Title: “Omega 3- fatty acid: Potential for mitigation of neurodevelopmental outcomes from in utero opioid exposure in a chronic stress rat model”
Role: Co-Investigator (PI: Anderson-Berry)

Children’s Health Research Institute- Children’s Hospital and Medical Center/UNMC      
Award Period: 07/01/2020-06/30/2022
Title: “Cord blood extracellular vesicle proteins as novel biomarkers to screen newborns exposed to intrauterine prescription opioids”
Role: Principal Investigator

Children’s Health Research Institute- Children’s Hospital and Medical Center/UNMC      
Award Period: 07/01/2020-06/30/2022
Title: “The conundrum of opioid use in the NICU: Providing comfort or aggravating development”
Role: Co-Investigator and Mentor (PI: Sualy)

COBRE - Rural Drug Addiction Research Center, Pilot grant
Award Period: 07/01/2021-06/31/2023
Title: “Sex specific brain derived extracellular vesicle markers associated with chronic methamphetamine use disorder”
Role: Co-Investigator (PI: Yelamanchili, UNMC)

Collaboration Initiative (2020-2021 RFA)-Team Formation and Publication Grant
Award Period: 07/01/2021-06/30/2022
Title: “Healthcare Disparities and Experiences of Stressors in Women During Their Pregnancy Lifecycle”
Role: Co-Investigator (PI: Blount)

State of NE, Dept. of Health and Human Service (LB506)
Award Period: 07/01/21-06/30/22
Title: “Sex specific brain derived EVs as potential markers for nicotine addiction”
Role: Co-Investigator (PI: Yelamanchili)

Gurudutt Pendyala, PhD, and Vicki Schaal, MS, prepare research materials in Dr. Pendyala's lab.

REPRESENTATIVE PUBLICATIONS
(Past two years)

Guda R, Tan C, Schaal VL, Yelamanchili SV and Pendyala, G (2021) “Integrated systems analysis of mixed neuroglial cultures post oxycodone exposure International Journal of Molecular Sciences 22, 6421. https://doi.org/10.3390/ ijms22126421. PMID: 34203972

Doke, M, Pendyala G and Thangavel S (2021) “Psychostimulants and Opioids Differentially Influence the Epigenetic Modification of Histone Acetyltransferase and Histone Deacetylase” PLoS One Jun 11;16(6):e0252895. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0252895. eCollection 2021. PMID: 34115777

Odegaard K, Pendyala G and Yelamanchili SV (2021). “Generational effects of opioid exposure”. Encyclopedia 1(1), 99-114  https://doi.org/10.3390/encyclopedia1010012

Kumar S, Pendyala, G, Yelamanchili SV, Seth P, Maggirwar S, Bidlack JM and Chang SL (2021) “Society on Neuroimmune Pharmacology COVID-19 Virtual Workshop”. J Neuroimmune Pharmacology Jun 28:1-12. doi: 10.1007/s11481-021-10001-y. PMID: 34181181

Odegaard K, Schaal VL, Clark A, Koul S, Sankarasubramanian J, Xia Z, Mellon M, Uberti M, Liu Y, Stothert A, Van Hook M, Wang H, Guda C, Lisco SJ, Pendyala G# and Yelamanchili SV (2021). “A holistic systems approach to characterize the impact of pre- and post-natal oxycodone exposure on neurodevelopment and behavior” Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology, DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.619199. PMID: 33490084

Gowen A, Odegaard KE, Hernandez J, Chand S, Koul S, Pendyala G# and Yelamanchili SV (2021). “Role of microRNAs in the pathophysiology of addiction”. WIRES RNA Dec 17:e1637. doi: 10.1002/wrna.1637. PMID: 33336550 

Odegaard K, Chand S, Wheeler S, Tiwari S, Flores A, Hernandez J, Savine M, Gowen A, Pendyala G and Yelamanchili SV (2020). “Role of extracellular vesicles in substance abuse and neurological pathologies”. International Journal of Molecular Sciences Sep 15;21(18):6765. doi: 10.3390/ijms21186765. PMID: 32942668 

Odegaard K, Schaal VL, Clark A, Koul S, Gowen A, Sankarasubramanian J, Xiao P, Guda C, Lisco SJ, Yelamanchili SV and Pendyala G# (2020). “Characterization of the intergenerational impact of in utero and postnatal oxycodone exposure”. Translational Psychiatry Sep 23; 10(1), 329, doi.org/10.1038/s41398-020-01012-z. PMID: 32968044

Chand S, Jo A, Veliichirammal NN, Gowen A, Guda C, Schaal V, Odegaard K, Lee H, Pendyala G and Yelamanchili SV (2020) “Comprehensive characterization of organ-specific extracellular vesicle protein markers: Implications for preclinical and clinical applications”. ACS Applied Nanomaterials 8906-8919, doi:10.1021/acsanm.0c01654 (2020). PMID: In Progress

Koul S, Schaal VL, Chand S, Pittenger ST, Vellichirammal NN, Kumar V, Guda C, Bevins RA, Yelamanchili SV and Pendyala G# (2020). “Role of brain derived extracellular vesicles in decoding sex differences associated with nicotine self-administration”. Cells 9(8), 1883; doi: 10.3390/cells9081883. PMID: 327967722

Additional Publications in Pubmed. 

COLLABORATORS

Ann Anderson Berry, MD, PhD
Dept. of Pediatrics, UNMC
Rick Bevins, PhD
Dept. of Psychology, UNL
Chittibabu (Babu) Guda, PhD
Dept. of Genetics, Cell Biology & Anatomy, UNMC
Hakho Lee, PhD
Dept. of Radiology, Harvard University
Steven J. Lisco, MD
Dept. of Anesthesiology, UNMC
Mohanad Shukry, MD
Dept. of Anesthesiology, UNMC
Cristina Woo, PhD
Dept. of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University
Sowmya Yelamanchili, PhD
Dept. of Anesthesiology, UNMC

LAB PHOTOS