Natarajan Ayithan, PhD

1995-1998       B.S., Zoology, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli, India

1998-2000       M.S., Zoology, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli, India

2000-2001       M.Phil., Zoology, University of Madras, Chennai, India

2001-2006       Ph.D., Zoo-Biochemistry, University of Madras, Chennai, India

2006-2007       Honorary Visiting Fellow, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia

2008-2009       Research Associate, Ajou University, Suwon, South Korea

2009-2014       Visiting Research Fellow, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA

2014-2015       Sr. Postdoctoral Fellow, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA

2015- 2016       Postdoctoral Research Scholar, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA

2016- 2021       Postdoctoral Fellow, IHV, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA

Research interests on cellular and molecular mechanism of various virus pathogenesis (Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, HIV, COVID-19, EBOV, Respiratory Syncytial and Influenza Viruses), immune regulation of infectious diseases in human, mouse and cell line models. Mainly focused on the molecular mechanism of innate (IFNs & Cytokines) and adaptive immunity (T/B lymphocytes) and involvement of signaling pathways like TLR/NLR, RIG-I/MDA5, Type I/II IFNs, B/T Cell Receptors and MAPK.

I have been working on the pathogenesis of chronic hepatitis viral infections and my research elucidates the molecular and cellular pathways critical for persistence of Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and HIV virus infections. Clinical trials for Chronic hepatitis infection, HIV, Liver Fibrosis, Viral Immunology, Restoration of Innate and Adaptive Immune cells Responses, immunomodulatory strategies.

1. Ayithan, N, Tang, L., Tan, S., Chen, D., Wallin, J., Fletcher, S., Kottilil, S. and Poonia, B. Follicular helper T (TFH) cell targeting by TLR8 signaling for improving HBsAg-specific B cell response in chronic hepatitis B patients. Front. Immunol. 12: 735913 (2021).

2. Khanam, A., Ayithan, N., Tang, L., Poonia, B. and Kottilil, S. IL-21 deficient T follicular helper cells support B cell responses through IL-27 in patients with chronic hepatitis B. Front. Immunol. 11: 599648 (2021).

3. Reyes, M., Lutz, JD., Lau, AH., Gaggar, A., Grant, EP., Joshi, A., Mackman, RL., Ling, J., Tan, SK., Ayithan, N., Daffis, S., Woo, J., Wu, P., Lam, T., Fletcher, SP., Kottilil, S., Poonia, B., Gane, EJ., Mathias, A. and German, P. Safety, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of selgantolimod, an oral toll-like receptor 8 agonist: a Phase Ia study in healthy subjects. Antivir. Ther. 25 (3): 171-180 (2020).

4. Kim, JH., Ghosh, A., Ayithan, N., Romani, S., Khanam, A., Park, JJ., Rijnbrand, R., Tang, L., Sofia, MJ., Kottilil, S., Moore, CB. and Poonia, B. Publisher Correction: Circulating serum HBsAg level is a biomarker for HBV-specific T and B cell responses in chronic hepatitis B patients. Sci. Rep. 10 (1): 5947 (2020).

5. Poonia, B., Ayithan, N., Nandi, M., Masur, H. and Kottilil, S. HBV induces inhibitory FcRL receptor on B cells and dysregulates B cell-T follicular helper cell axis. Sci. Rep. 8 (1): 15296 (2018).

6. Ayithan N, Bradfute S, Anthony SM, Stuthman KS, Dye JM, Bavari S, Bray M, Ozato K. Ebola virus-like particles stimulate type I Interferons and pro-inflammatory cytokine expression through the toll-like receptor and interferon signaling pathways. J. Interferon Cytokine Res., 34(2): 79-89 (2014).

7. Ayithan N, Bradfute S, Anthony SM, Stuthman KS, Bavari S, Bray M, Ozato K. Virus like particles activate type I interferons pathway to facilitate post-exposure protection against Ebola virus infection. PLoS One. 10(2): e0118345 (2015).

8. Bradfute SB, Anthony SM, Stuthman KS, Ayithan N, Tailor P, Bray M, Ozato K, Bavari S . Mechanisms of immune protection in post-exposure vaccination against Ebola virus infection. PLoS One. 10(3): e0118434 (2015).

9. Imai Y, Ayithan N, Wu X, Yuan Y, Wang L, Hwang ST . Cutting edge: PD-1 regulates imiquimod-induced psoriasiform dermatitis through inhibition of innate IL-17A expression by γδ low T cells. J. Immunol. 195 (2): 421-425 (2015).

10. Li N, Xu W, Yuan Y, Ayithan N, Imai Y, Wu X, Miller H, Olson M, Feng Y, Huang Y, Jo Turk M, Hwang ST, Malarkannan S, Wang L. Immune-checkpoint protein VISTA critically regulates the IL-23/IL-17 inflammatory axis. Sci. Rep. 7 (1): 1485 (2017).

11. Brouillette, RB, Phillips, EK, Ayithan, N. and Maury, W. Differences in glycoprotein complex receptor binding site accessibility prompt poor cross-reactivity of neutralizing antibodies between closely related Arenaviruses. J. Virol. 91 (7): e01454-16 (2017).

12. Devaraj, H. and Natarajan, A. Molecular mechanisms regulating molting in a crustacean. FEBS Journal, 273 (4): 839-846 (2006).