Research Interests
Research Topics
Development, Genetics, Genomics, Metabolic Regulation, Protein-Nucleic Acid Interactions, Regulation of Gene Expression, RNA Biology
Disease Research Interests
Cancer, Drug Discovery, Heart Disease, Stroke, and Thrombosis, Metabolic Disorders/Diabetes, Trauma, Bleeding & Tissue Regeneration
Research Description
The Kalsotra laboratory seeks to uncover the biological function(s) of post-transcriptional gene regulation underlying tissue development, regeneration, and disease. We are particularly interested in understanding (i) how RNA processing mechanisms integrate with transcriptional, translational, and metabolic programs to ensure normal tissue growth and function, (ii) why misregulation of these mechanisms results in disease, and (iii) whether they can be leveraged to prevent or reverse particular human disorders. We employ large-scale biochemical, and genomics approaches along with cell- and tissue-specific gene targeting in mice to study the physiological function and regulation of mRNA splicing, polyadenylation, and translation processes.
Education
B.S., 1999, Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani, India
Ph.D., 2005, University of Texas, Houston
Postdoc., 2006-2010, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston
Inst. 2011-2012 Baylor College of Medicine, Houston
Awards and Honors
2024 Chan-Zuckerberg Biohub Chicago Investigator
2023 Research Award, Muscular Dystrophy Association
2021 William C. Rose Professorship in Biochemistry
2014-20 Excellence in Teaching Recognition (every year, in multiple courses taught), UIUC
2019 Distinguished Promotion Award, UIUC
2019 Editorial Board member: WIREs RNA
2017 Research Award, Muscular Dystrophy Association
2016 Beckman Fellow, Center for Advanced Study, UIUC
2014 Basil O’Connor Research Scholar, March of Dimes
2014 Elected member, Faculty of 1000
2013 Roy J. Carver Charitable Trust Young Investigator Award
2011 Scientist development grant, American Heart Association
Courses Taught
Additional Campus Affiliations
External Links
Highlighted Publications
Preprints
1. Chembazhi UV, Bangru S, Dutta R, Das D, Peiffer B, Natua S, Toohill K, Leona A, Purwar I, Bhowmik A, Goyal Y, Sun Z, Diehl AM, Kalsotra A (2024) Dysregulated RNA splicing induces regeneration failure in alcohol-associated liver disease.
bioRxiv. doi: 10.1101/2024.11.29.626099.
2. Zhou S, Lizarazo S, Mouli L, Chorghade S, Cheng R, Rajendra KC, Kalsotra A, Van Bortle K (2024) Cancer-associated snaR-A noncoding RNA interacts with core splicing machinery and disrupts processing of mRNA subpopulations.
bioRxiv. doi: 10.1101/2024.07.02.601767.
Journal Articles
1. Bangru S, Chen J, Baker N, Das D, Chembazhi UV, Derham JM, Chorghade S, Arif W, Alencastro F, Duncan AW, Carstens RP, Kalsotra A (2025) ESRP2-microRNA-122 axis promotes the postnatal onset of liver polyploidization and maturation.
Genes Dev. 2025 Jan 10. doi: 10.1101/gad.352129.124.
2. Dewald ZL, Adesanya O, Bae H, Gupta A, Derham JM, Chembazhi UV, Kalsotra A (2024) Altered drug metabolism and increased susceptibility to fatty liver disease in a mouse model of myotonic dystrophy.
Nature Commun. Oct 21;15(1):9062.
3. Wang Y*, Chembazhi UV*, Yee D, Chen S, Ji J, Wang Y, Nguyen KL, Lin P, Ratti A, Hess R, Qiao H, Ko C, Yang J, Kalsotra A#, Mei W# (2024) PTBP1 mediates Sertoli cell actin cytoskeleton organization by regulating alternative splicing of actin regulators.
Nucleic Acids Res. Oct 7:gkae862. doi: 10.1093/nar/gkae862.
*denotes equal authors
#denotes co-corresponding authors
4. Piersma SJ*, Bangru S*, Yoon J, Liu TW, Yang L, Hsieh CS, Plougastel-Douglas B, Kalsotra A#, Yokoyama WM# (2023) NK cell expansion requires HuR and mediates control of solid tumors and long-term virus infection.
J. Exp. Med. Nov 6;220(11):e20231154.
*denotes equal authors
#denotes co-senior authors
5. Arif W, Mathur B, Saikali MF, Chembazhi UV, Toohill K, Song YJ, Has Q, Karimi S, Blue SM, Yee BA, Van Nostrand EL, Bangru S, Guzman G, Yeo GW, Prasanth KV, Anakk S, Cummins C, Kalsotra A (2023) Splicing factor SRSF1 deficiency in the liver causes NASH-like pathology and cell death.
Nature Commun. Feb 9;14(1):551.
6. Chembazhi UV*, Tung WS*, Hwang H*, Wang Y, Lalwani A, Nguyen KL, Bangru S, Yee D, Chin K, Yang J, Kalsotra A# and Mei W# (2023) PTBP1 controls intestinal epithelial regeneration through post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression.
Nucleic Acids Res. Feb 6:gkad042. DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad042.
*denotes equal authors
#denotes co-corresponding authors
7. Chembazhi UV*, Bangru S*, Hernaez M, Kalsotra A (2021) Cellular plasticity balances the metabolic and proliferation dynamics of a regenerating liver.
Genome Res. Apr; 31(4):576-591.
*denotes equal authors
• Highlighted by News & Views article in Nature Reviews Gastroenterol. & Hepatol.
• Press coverage
8. Misra C, Bangru S, Lin F, Lam K, Koenig SN, Lubbers ER, Hedhli J, Dobrucki LW, Cooper TA, Tajkhorshid E, Mohler PJ, Kalsotra A (2020) Aberrant expression of a non-muscle RBFOX2 isoform triggers cardiac conduction defects in myotonic dystrophy.
Dev. Cell. Mar 23; 52(6):748-763.
9. Hyun J, Sun Z, Ahmadi AR, Bangru S, Chembazhi UV, Du K, Chen T, Tsukamoto H, Rusyn I, Kalsotra A# and Diehl AM# (2020) Epithelial splicing regulatory protein 2-mediated alternative splicing reprograms hepatocytes in severe alcoholic hepatitis.
J. Clin. Invest. Mar 16; 130(4):2129-2145.
#denotes co-corresponding authors
10. Lee J*, Bai Y*, Chembazhi UV, Peng S, Yum K, Luu LM, Hagler LD, Serrano JF, Chan, HYE, Kalsotra A# and Zimmerman SC# (2019) Intrinsically cell-penetrating multivalent and multi-targeting ligands for Myotonic Dystrophy type 1.
Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA. Apr 30; 116(18):8709-8714.
*denotes equal authors
#denotes co-corresponding authors
• Highlighted by Myotonic Dystrophy Foundation
11. Bangru S*, Arif W*, Seimetz J, Bhate A, Chen J, Rashan EH, Carstens RP, Anakk S, and Kalsotra A (2018) Alternative splicing rewires Hippo signaling pathway in hepatocytes to promote liver regeneration.
Nature Struct. Mol. Biol. Oct 1; 25(10):928-939.
*denotes equal authors
• Covered by the Naked Scientists Podcast
• Highlighted by Visible Embryo, Health24 News, and Fight Aging
• Press coverage
12. Chorghade S*, Seimetz J*, Emmons RS, Yang J, Bresson SM, De Lisio M, Parise G, Conrad NK, and Kalsotra A (2017) Poly(A) tail length regulates PABPC1 expression to tune translation in the heart. eLIFE 6:e24139. DOI: 10.7554/elife.24139
* denotes equal authors
• Commentary by Gray and Gray
• Highlighted by Nature Reviews Cardiology
• Featured as the cover article.
• Video abstract
• Press coverage
13. Lewis CJ, Pan T and Kalsotra A (2017). RNA modifications and structures cooperate to guide RNA-protein interactions. Nature Reviews Mol. Cell Biol.
(3):202-210. DOI: 10.1038/nrm.2016.163.
14 Bhate A*, Parker DJ*, Bebee TW, Ahn J, Arif W, Rashan EH, Chorghade S, Chau A, Lee JH, Anakk S, Carstens RP, Xiao X and Kalsotra A (2015). ESRP2 controls an adult splicing program in hepatocytes to support postnatal liver maturation.
Nature Commun. 6:8768. DOI: 10.1038/ncomms9768.
* denotes equal authors
• Highlighted by Healio and Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News
• Press coverage
15. Kalsotra A and Cooper TA (2011). “Functional consequences of developmentally regulated alternative splicing”. Nature Reviews Genet. 12, 715-29.
• Chosen as the feature article
• Highlighted as the cover article
Recent Publications
Adesanya, O., Das, D., & Kalsotra, A. (2024). Emerging roles of RNA-binding proteins in fatty liver disease. Wiley interdisciplinary reviews. RNA, 15(2), Article e1840. https://doi.org/10.1002/wrna.1840
Dewald, Z., Adesanya, O., Bae, H., Gupta, A., Derham, J. M., Chembazhi, U. V., & Kalsotra, A. (2024). Altered drug metabolism and increased susceptibility to fatty liver disease in a mouse model of myotonic dystrophy. Nature communications, 15(1), Article 9062. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-53378-z
Goo, Y. H., Plakkal Ayyappan, J., Cheeran, F. D., Bangru, S., Saha, P. K., Baar, P., Schulz, S., Lydic, T. A., Spengler, B., Wagner, A. H., Kalsotra, A., Yechoor, V. K., & Paul, A. (2024). Lipid droplet-associated hydrolase mobilizes stores of liver X receptor sterol ligands and protects against atherosclerosis. Nature communications, 15(1), Article 6540. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-50949-y
Wang, Y., Chembazhi, U. V., Yee, D., Chen, S., Ji, J., Wang, Y., Nguyen, KL., Lin, P., Ratti, A., Hess, RA., Qiao, H., Ko, C., Yang, J., Kalsotra, A., & Mei, W. (2024). PTBP1 mediates Sertoli cell actin cytoskeleton organization by regulating alternative splicing of actin regulators. Nucleic acids research, 52(20), 12244-12261. Article gkae862. https://doi.org/10.1093/nar/gkae862
Zhou, S., Lizarazo, S., Mouli, L., Chorghade, S., Cheng, R., Rajendra, K. C., Kalsotra, A., & Van Bortle, K. (2024). Cancer-associated snaR-A noncoding RNA interacts with core splicing machinery and disrupts processing of mRNA subpopulations. (bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology). https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.07.02.601767
