Animesh Barua

Education

PhD (in Reproductive Physiology);

Postdoctoral Training (Reproductive immuno-oncology).

Research Area

Main areas of my research are to detect ovarian cancer (OVCA) at early stage, understanding benign gynecological factors including endometriosis and polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) contributing to the development of OVCA and development of immunotherapies against OVCA using interdisciplinary approach.

OVCA is a lethal gynecological cancer of women with high rates of death of patients. While no curative drugs are available, early detection of OVCA offers most pragmatic options. Our ongoing research for early detection of OVCA includes establishment of a panel of serum protein biomarkers together with the development of molecular-targeted ultrasound imaging using laying hen model of spontaneous OVCA.

Approximately 10% and 5-10% of women of reproductive age suffers from benign gynecological disorders including endometriosis and PCOS, respectively. Some of these patients develop fatal cancers although nothing is known about the underlying molecular factors and mechanism(s) of such cancerous transformation. My lab examines molecular factor(s) and mechanism(s) contributing to the transformation of endometriosis and PCOS to carcinogenesis.

Although immune system plays important roles in preventing tumor development and progression, the tumor inhibits anti-tumor immune-responses by inducing immunosuppressive factors or conditions. Natural killer (NK) cells, a member of innate immune system, plays important roles locally against a developing tumor, however, ovarian tumors escape from NK cells by avoiding recognition by NK cells or exhausting NK cells. My lab examines mechanism(s) of ovarian tumor-induced suppression of NK cells and to restore NK cell function using withaferin A, an alkaloid and active ingredient present in plants.

Histopathology, immunohistochemistry, Western blotting, gene expression assays, immunoassays, serum analysis, cell-culture, ultrasound imaging, feeding-trials are commonly used methods in our in vivo and in vitro studies.

Selected Publications:

1. Barua A, Bitterman P, Abramowicz JS, Dirks AL, Bahr JM, Hales DB, Bradaric MJ, Edassery SL, Rotmensch J, Luborsky JL. Histopathology of ovarian tumors in laying hens: a preclinical model of human ovarian cancer. Int J Gynecol Cancer. 2009 May;19(4):531-9. PMID: 19509547; PMCID: PMC2759668.
2. Paris EA, Bahr JM, Bitterman P, Basu S, Abramowicz JS, Barua A, Incidence of malignant transformation in the oviductal fimbria in laying hens, a preclinical model of spontaneous ovarian cancer. PLoS One. 2021;16(7): e0255007. PMID: 34314463; PMCID: PMC8315513.
3. Paris EA, Bahr JM, Abramowicz JS, Basu S, Barua A. Glucose-Regulated Protein 78 Is a Potential Serum and Imaging Marker for Early Detection of Ovarian Cancer. Cancers (Basel). 2023 Feb 10;15(4). PMID: 36831486; PMCID: PMC9954741.
4. Barua A, Yellapa A, Bahr JM, Machado SA, Bitterman P, Basu S, Sharma S, Abramowicz JS. VEGFR2-Targeted Ultrasound Imaging Agent Enhances the Detection of Ovarian Tumors at Early Stage in Laying Hens, a Preclinical Model of Spontaneous Ovarian Cancer. Ultrason Imaging. 2015 Jul;37(3):224-37. PMID: 25294846.
5. Barua A, Bradaric MJ, Kebede T, Espionosa S, Edassery SL, Bitterman P, Rotmensch J, Luborsky JL. Anti-tumor and anti-ovarian autoantibodies in women with ovarian cancer. Am J Reprod Immunol. 2007 Apr;57(4):243-9. PMID: 17362385.
6. Yellapa A, Bitterman P, Sharma S, Guirguis AS, Bahr JM, Basu S, Abramowicz JS, Barua A. Interleukin 16 expression changes in association with ovarian malignant transformation. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2014 Mar;210(3): 272.e1-10. PMID: 24380743.
7. Allam S, Paris E, Lazcano I, Bitterman P, Basu S, O'Donnell J, Barua A. Detection of Cannabinoid Receptor Expression by Endometriotic Lesions in Women with Endometriosis as an Alternative to Opioid-Based Pain Medication. J Immunol Res. 2022; 2022:4323259. PMID: 35692500; PMCID: PMC9184153.
8. Lee HJ, Bahr JM, Bitterman P, Basu S, Sharma S, Abramowicz JS, Barua A. Polycystic Ovarian Condition May Be a Risk Factor for Ovarian Tumor Development in the Laying Hen Model of Spontaneous Ovarian Cancer. J Immunol Res. 2018; 2018:2590910. PMID: 30596106; PMCID: PMC6286744.
9. Acosta JC, Bahr JM, Basu S, O'Donnell JT, Barua A. Expression of CISH, an Inhibitor of NK Cell Function, Increases in Association with Ovarian Cancer Development and Progression. Biomedicines. 2023 Jan 21;11(2):299. PMID: 36830840; PMC9952877.
10. Barua A, Bradaric MJ, Bitterman P, Abramowicz JS, Sharma S, Basu S, Lopez H, Bahr JM. Dietary supplementation of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera, Dunal) enhances NK cell function in ovarian tumors in the laying hen model of spontaneous ovarian cancer. Am J Reprod Immunol. 2013 Dec;70(6):538-50. PMID: 24188693.