Dr. Rajendra Upadhya

Biography

Rajendra Upadhya is an Assistant Research Professor in the Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology at Duke University. His research focuses on fungal disease virulence pathways using the model yeast Cryptococcus neoformans. He began his training in Dr. Ian Willis' lab at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, where he discovered a novel yeast protein that acts as a major regulator of RNA polymerase III transcription, affecting cell growth and proliferation. Upadhya has utilized his expertise to functionally characterize the genome of Toxoplasma gondii and has developed various genome-based methodologies to understand the Toxoplasma genome. His primary research interest lies in the characterization of fungal cell walls and their influence on fungal virulence and disease. He has identified fungal cell wall biosynthesis as a crucial target for creating new antifungal agents, specifically noting the role of chitosan in maintaining cell wall integrity and its importance in fungal virulence. Through genomic, molecular biology, and cell biology approaches, he has revealed that chitosan-deficient mutants are avirulent in mice due to effective host clearance and a protective immunological response. His research aims to elucidate the mechanisms controlling chitosan synthesis and its implications in the pathogenicity of C. neoformans and C. gattii.

Research Interests

Experience