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 to study the physiological function and regulation of mRNA splicing, polyadenylation, and translation processes. We also deploy bulk and single-cell transcriptomics to identify the conserved repertoire of RNA binding proteins and RNA splice variants within individual cells of developing, regenerating, and diseased tissues.
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 Professorial Scholar 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
External Links
Highlighted Publications
Journal Articles
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# (2025) Dysregulated RNA splicing impairs regeneration in alcohol-associated liver disease.
Nature Commun. Sep 10;16(1):8049.
*denotes equal authors
#denotes co-corresponding authors
• Highlighted by HealthMedicineNetwork, Mirage News, Bioengineer.org,TechnologyNetworks and ScienMag
• Press coverage
2. 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. Mar 3;39(5-6):325-347.
• Highlighted by Newswise, MedicalXpress, Today Headline, and Frontline Genomics
• Press coverage
3. 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.
•Highlighted by EurekAlert, Mirage News, MedicalXpress, Science Daily and Nipponese.news
• Press coverage
4. 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
5. 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
• Highlighted article on mechanisms and models of Cancer
6. 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.
•Highlighted by EurekAlert, Bioengineer.org, MedicalXpress, LabRoots and NewsMedical
• Press coverage
7. 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
8. 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
9. 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.
10. 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
11. 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
12. 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
13. 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
14. 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.
15. 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
Recent Publications
Bangru, S., Chen, J., Baker, N., Das, D., Chembazhi, U. V., Derham, J. M., Chorghade, S., Arif, W., Alencastro, F., Duncan, A. W., Carstens, R. P., & Kalsotra, A. (2025). ESRP2–microRNA-122 axis promotes the postnatal onset of liver polyploidization and maturation. Genes and Development, 39(5-6), 325-347. https://doi.org/10.1101/gad.352129.124
Chembazhi, U. V., Bangru, S., Dutta, R. K., Das, D., Peiffer, B., Natua, S., Toohill, K., Leona, A., Purwar, I., Bhowmik, A., Goyal, Y., Sun, Z., Diehl, A. M., & Kalsotra, A. (2025). Dysregulated RNA splicing impairs regeneration in alcohol-associated liver disease. Nature communications, 16, Article 8049. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-63251-2
Li, K., Chembazhi, U. V., Krueger, S. B., Dewald, Z., Chen, J., Bai, Y., Kim, D., Lanzendorf, A. N., Kocheril, P. A., Chen, J., Kalsotra, A., & Zimmerman, S. C. (2025). Drug delivery agent that acts as a drug for synergistic activity. iScience, 28(8), Article 112890. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2025.112890
Weidenhamer, C. J., Huang, Y.-H., Natua, S., Kalsotra, A., & Hernández-Saavedra, D. (2025). Muscle memory of exercise optimizes mitochondrial metabolism to support skeletal muscle growth. American Journal of Physiology - Cell Physiology, 329(4), C1239-C1255. https://doi.org/10.1152/ajpcell.00451.2025
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
