Shankar Chinta, PhD

He/Him/His

Areas of Expertise

• Aging
• Neurodegenerative diseases

Biography

Dr. Chinta holds a PhD in Neurosciences from India and completed post-doctoral training in neurodegenerative diseases at the Buck Institute. Before joining the College of Osteopathic Medicine, he served as an assistant professor at Touro University California College of Pharmacy. During his tenure at TUCOP, Dr. Chinta was involved in teaching courses on the pathophysiology of neurodegenerative diseases, inflammation, and immune-mediated disorders.

Dr. Chinta’s research focuses on unraveling the intricate relationship between inflammation and the onset and progression of age-associated neurodegenerative diseases, with a primary emphasis on Alzheimer’s disease (AD). His work seeks to elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms driving neuroinflammation and its contribution to neuronal damage and cognitive decline.

In tandem with investigating neuroinflammation, Dr. Chinta is deeply passionate about exploring the therapeutic potential of natural products in AD. His research endeavors to identify and characterize bioactive compounds derived from natural sources that exhibit neuroprotective properties. The ultimate goal of this research is to develop innovative and sustainable approaches for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.

Education

• Postdoctoral fellow, Buck Institute, Novato, CA.
• Ph.D. Neuroscience, NIMHANS, India
• MS. Biochemistry, Karnataka University, India

Recent Publications

Tüzer F, Chinta SJ, Viel TA. Editorial: Role of Senescence in Neurodegenerative Diseases. Front Aging Neurosci. 2022 May 17; 14:907670.

Lee S, Wang EY, Steinberg AB, Walton CC, Chinta SJ, Andersen JK. A guide to senolytic

intervention in neurodegenerative disease. Mech Ageing Dev. 2021 Dec; 200:111585.

Tom S, Rane A, Katewa AS, Chamoli M, Matsumoto RR, Andersen JK, Chinta SJ. Gedunin Inhibits Oligomeric Aβ1-42-Induced Microglia Activation Via Modulation of Nrf2-NF-κB Signaling. Mol Neurobiol. 2019 Nov;56(11):7851-7862.

Chinta SJ, Woods G, Demaria M, Rane A, Zou Y, McQuade A, Rajagopalan S, Limbad C, Madden DT, Campisi J, Andersen JK. Cellular Senescence Is Induced by the Environmental Neurotoxin Paraquat and Contributes to Neuropathology Linked to Parkinson's Disease. Cell Rep. 2018 Jan 23;22(4):930-940.

Leonoudakis D, Rane A, Angeli S, Lithgow GJ, Andersen JK, Chinta SJ. Anti-Inflammatory and Neuroprotective Role of Natural Product Securinine in Activated Glial Cells: Implications for Parkinson's Disease. Mediators Inflamm. 2017:8302636. Complete list of publications: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=Chinta+sj&sort=date

Memberships and Affiliations

• Society for Neurosciences