EC

Ezhilarasi Chendamarai

Washington University in St Louis, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Christian Medical College Vellore

ORCID iD 0000-0001-7032-9301
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About

17 years’ experience in the field of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) blood cancer treatment, specifically AML therapy failure, investigated mechanisms of resistance in AML to the arsenic trioxide treatment back in India, came to US to continue research on AML stem cell transplant resistance and did preclinical studies on novel AML therapy compound selinexor and my preclinical data helped to successfully get this drug to clinical trial. Furthering research by generating genetic mouse models of this disease, identifying, and characterizing new genetic variants that could be targeted with new therapies that could provide failure free survival options for leukemia patients.

My research has focused on the application of molecular biology in the treatment of Leukemia, especially Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML). I am best known for my research on molecular therapy resistance of Arsenic trioxide (ATO) in a subgroup of relapsing acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) patients, especially on long term safety and efficacy of ATO regimens for the treatment of APL patients.
My major contribution is in the field of molecular monitoring for recommending the usefulness of Minimal Residual Disease (MRD) monitoring for therapeutic decision making in APL patients treated with single agent regimen of ATO, as well as by being part of a standardization project of international scale reporting for MRD monitoring in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). Using this critical information is included in clinical guidelines NCCN to prevent leukemia relapses and to monitor the patients.

In my work here in U.S. close to a decade, I have been part of significant advances in this field fighting against cancer. With my unique skill set in the tools of cancer immunogenomics I believe I will be able to contribute to developing more targeted and personalized cancer therapies that can be tailored to the genetic make-up of individual patients need.

Employment

  • Washington University in St Louis Senior Scientist
    2022 - Present
  • Washington University in St Louis Staff scientist
    2014 - 2021
  • Christian Medical College, Vellore Senior Research Fellow
    2008 - 2012

Education

  • Christian Medical College Vellore Ph.D.
    2007 - 2013

Projects & Funding

Projects & funding information is unavailable.

Publications (45)