Medical College of Wisconsin
Medical College of Wisconsin Medical College of Wisconsin
Research Lab Bench

Biophysics
Balaraman Kalyanaraman

Balaraman Kalyanaraman, PhD

Professor and Chair; Harry R. & Angeline E. Quadracci Professor in Parkinson’s Research

Locations

  • Biophysics
    MFRC 2034

Contact Information

Education

Research Associate (Postdoctoral), National Biomedical ESR Center, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, 1981-1984
Visiting Fellow, Chemistry, Laboratory of Environmental Biophysics, National Institute of Environmental Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, 1978-1981
PhD, Chemistry, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, 1978
MS, Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology, Mumbai (formerly Bombay), India, 1972
BS, Chemistry, Loyola College, University of Madras, Chennai, India, 1970

Biography

In 1981, I joined the Biophysics section of the Department of Radiology at the Medical College of Wisconsin; in 1984, I became an assistant professor in the Department of Radiology; and in 1989, I became an associate professor in the Department of Biophysics. Currently, I am professor and chair of the Department of Biophysics. I have served as an associate editor for Free Radicals in Biology and Medicine, Free Radical Research and Biochemical Journal.

Research Interests

My research interests are centered on the application of EPR in free radical biology and understanding the role of oxidants and antioxidants in signal transduction and apoptosis. My specific research areas are outlined below.

  • Chemistry and Biophysics
    • Detection of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species by EPR spin-trapping, fluorescence, optical stopped-flow, and HPLC techniques
    • Syntheses of mitochondrially targeted spin traps, spin labels, and ROS-specific fluorescence probes
    • EPR studies of mitochondria
  • Mechanism of Signal Transduction/Cell Signaling
    • Mitochondrial STAT3 and redox signaling
    • Oxidant-induced iron signaling and apoptosis
    • Chemotherapeutic drug (e.g., doxorubicin) toxicity and prevention; mechanism of apoptosis in tumor cells and normal cells
  • Mechanism of Disease
    • Role of mitochondria-derived oxidants in chemically induced Parkinsonism (e.g., MPTP, rotenone) in cell culture and animal models; mechanism of protein aggregation, proteosomal dysfunction, and apoptotic neuronal cell death
    • Targeting of metabolism, bioenergetics, and redox signaling in cancer
    • Development of new mitochondria-targeted antitumor and antiproliferative drugs

My research projects include the following:

  • Chemoprevention of Lung Cancer by Targeting Lonidamine to Mitochondria
    The goal is to examine the efficacy and mechanism of a novel mitochondrial targeting agent (Mito-LON) in treating lung cancer and brain metastasis.

  • Chemoprevention of Lung Cancer with Mitochondria-targeted Honokiol
    The goal is to evaluate the chemopreventive potential of Mito-HNK, a mitochondria-targeted compound, using both in vitro and in vivo models of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) and determine its mechanism of action, to determine its efficacy for inhibiting LUAD progression and metastasis and its suitability for human clinical trials.
     

Lab Members
Donna McAllister, Research Associate I
Laura McOlash, Research Technologist III

Publications

Publications of Balaraman Kalyanaraman PhD from the Faculty Collaboration Database