Dr. Shobi Veleri

Scientist - E
Drug Safety Division
Gopalan Block, 2nd Floor, Room No 302 


Email: shobi.veleri@icmr.gov.in
Contact: +91 040 27197362
Brief Profile

He passed M.Sc. in Physiology with first rank from University of Calicut, Kerala. He has been awarded a Ph.D. from faculty of Biology and Pre-clinical Medicine, University of Regensburg, Germany for the thesis on genetic dissection of light input pathways into circadian clock of Drosophila. Subsequently, he served DRDO as a Scientist B, in DIPAS, Delhi and analyzed cognitive functions in rodents and soldiers posted at high altitude. In 2006, he went to NIH, USA on a visiting fellowship and therein National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) he focused on to delineate mechanism of general anesthesia by genetically dissecting brain neural circuits in Drosophila. Then he moved to National Eye Institute (NEI, NIH) and focused on dissecting mechanism of inherited blindness associated with ciliopathies in humans. He deciphered the molecular mechanism of genes like Cc2D2a and Reep6. The human mutations were mimicked by gene knockdown in zebrafish and knockout of genes were done in mice. In 2016, he joined CSIR-NIIST, Trivandrum as a DBT-Ramalingaswami Fellow and was dissecting mutations in cilia genes using in vitro cell culture models. In Aug, 2019, he has joined ICMR-NIN. His research focus is on molecular dissection of human genetic disorders, especially those affect energy metabolism and cause neuronal dysfunction. The research aims to discover fundamental changes in metabolic pathways during nutritional changes in the body. The players in such pathways may serve as targets for drug, which can be screened, tested for efficacy and safety in in vitro assays and in in vivo animal disease models.

Publications


  1. Veleri S.*, Punnakkal P, Dunbar GL, Maiti P. Molecular insights on the roles of Rab proteins in intracellular dynamics and neurodegenerative diseases NeuroMolecular Medicine Mar20(1):18-36. (2018). IF 3, citations 5

  2. Veleri S., Nellissery J, Mishra B, Manjunath HS, Brooks JM, Dong L, Nagashima K, Qian H, Gao C, Fariss R N, Sergeev Y V, Huang X, Qu J, Lu F, Cideciyan A V, Li T, Jin Z, Ratnapriya R, Jacobson S G, Swaroop A. Reep6 mediates trafficking of a subset of Clathrin-coated vesicles and is critical for rod photoreceptor function and survival. Human Mol. Genet. 23 March.PMID: 28369466. (2017).IF 6, citations 9.

  3. Veleri S., Lazar C., Chang B., Sieving P. A., Banin E., Swaroop A. Biology and therapy of human inherited retinal neurodegeneration using mouse models. Invited Review: Journal of Disease Models and Mechanisms. Feb8(2):109-129. PMID:25650393. (2015). IF 4.4, citations 110.

  4. Maiti P., Manna J., Veleri S., Frautschy S. A. Molecular chaperone dysfunction in neurodegenerative diseases and effects of curcumin. Invited Review: Biomed Research International, doi: 10.1155/2014/495091. Epub, 2014 Oct., 19. PMID: 25386560. (2014). IF 2.9, citations 59.

  5. Veleri S., Manjunath S. H., Fariss R.N., May-Simera H., Brooks M., Foskett T. A., Gao , Longo T. A., Liu P., Nagashima K., Rachel R. A., Li T., Dong L., Swaroop A. The ciliopathy-associated gene Cc2d2a promotes cilia biogenesis by regulating assembly of subdistal appendages. Nature Communications June 20: 5:4207. PMID: (2014). IF 12.4, citations 39.

  6. Hao H.*, Veleri S.*, Sun B., Kim D.S., Keeley P. W., Kim J., Yang H., Yadav S. P., Manjunath S. H., Sood R., Liu P., Reese B. E. and Swaroop A. Regulation of a novel isoform of Receptor Expression Enhancing Protein REEP6 in rod photoreceptors by bZIP transcription factor NRL. Human Mol. Genet. Aug 15 23 (16):4260-71. PMID: 24691551. (*equal first author). (2014). ). IF 6, citations 18.

  7. Veleri S., Bishop K., Dalle Nogare D.E., English M.A., Foskett T. J., Chitnis A., Sood R., Liu P., Swaroop A. Knockdown of Bardet-Biedl Syndrome Gene BBS9/PTHB1 leads to cilia defects. PLOS One March, 29: 7(3):e34389. PMID: 22479622. (2012). IF 2.8, citations 34.

  8. Margaret J Ochocinska, Estela M Muñoz, Shobi Veleri, Joan L Weller, Steven L Coon, Nikita Pozdeyev, P Michael Iuvone, Sandra Goebbels, Takahisa Furukawa, David C Klein. NeuroD1 is required for survival of photoreceptors but not pinealocytes: Results from targeted gene deletion studies. J Neurochem. Jul 11. Doi 10.1111/j. PMID: 22784109. (2012). IF 4.6, citations 24.

  9. Rachel R., May-Simera H., Veleri S., Gotoh N., Yoon C., Murga-Zamalloa, McIntyre J., Marek J., Lopez I., Hackett A., Brooks M., den Hollander A., Beales L., Li T., Jacobson S.G., Sood R., Martens J.R., Liu P., Friedman T.B., Khanna H., Koenekoop R.K., Kelley M.W., Swaroop, A. Combining Cep290 and Mkks ciliopathy alleles in mice rescues sensory defects and restores ciliogenesis. J. Clinical Invest. April 2122(4):1233-45. PMID: 22446187. (2012). IF 13.3, citations 62.

  10. Roger J.E., Ranganath K., Zhao L., Cojocaru R. I., Brooks M., Gotoh N., Veleri S., Hiriyanna A., Rachel R. A., Campos M. M., Fariss R. N., Wong W. T., Swaroop A. Preservation of cone photoreceptors after a rapid yet transient degeneration and remodeling in cone-only Nrl-/- mouse retina. Journal of Neurosci. Jan 1132(2):528-41. PMID: 22238088. (2012). IF 6, citations 43.

  11. Yoshii T., Wülbeck C., Sehadova H., Veleri S., Bichler D., Stanewsky R., Helfrich-Förster C. The neuropeptide pigment-dispersing factor adjusts period and phase of Drosophila&rsquos clock. Journal of Neurosci. Feb 25:29(8):2597-610. PMID: 19244536. (2009). IF 6, citations 168.

  12. Maiti P., Singh S. B., Muthuraju S., Veleri S., Ilavazhagan G. Brain Res. Oct .11:1175:1-9. PMID: 17870061. (2007). Hypobaric hypoxia damages the hippocampal pyramidal neurons in the rat brain. IF 3, citations 65.

  13. Veleri S., Rieger D., Helfrich-Förster C. and Stanewsky R. Hofbauer-Buchner eyelet affects circadian photosensitivity and coordinates TIM and PER expression in Drosophila clock neurons. Journal of Biological Rhythms 22:1 29-42. PMID: 17229923. (2007). IF 3.2, citations 67.

  14. Peschel N.*, Veleri S.*, Stanewsky R. Veela defines a molecular link between cryptochrome and timeless in the light-input pathway to Drosophila&rsquos circadian clock. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 14103 (46) :17313-8. PMID: 17068124. (*equal first author). (2006). IF 9.5, citations 82. Commentary in PNAS. Research highlight in Nature Genetics: Vol:38pg 1367,12 Dec., 2006. IF 27

  15. Veleri S. and Wülbeck C. Unique Self Sustaining Circadian Oscillators within the Brain Of Drosophila melanogaster. Invited Review: Chronobiology International 21:3: 327- 340. PMID: 15332440. (2004). IF 3.3, citations 12.

  16. Veleri S. The genes sense time? A clock ticks inside us! Asian Student Medical Journal (online). September. (2003). IF NA, citations 1.

  17. Veleri S., Brandes C., Helfrich-Förster C., Hall J. C*., Stanewsky R A self-sustaining, Light&ndashEntrainable Circadian Oscillator in the Drosophila Brain.. Current Biology 13: October,14:1758-1767. PMID: 14561400. (2003). IF 8.9, citations 165.(*Nobel Laureate 2017)

  18. Veleri Shobi & Goel H.C. Protection against radiation induced conditioned taste aversion by Centella asiatica. Physiology & Behavior 73: 19-23. PMID: 11399290 (2001). IF 3, citations 57.

  19. Ramakrishna, S. Vatsala, Veleri Shobi, E. Sreekumaran, T. R. Madhav, J. Ramesh, K. R. R. Easwaran. Betaine reverses toxic effects of aluminium: Implications in Alzheimer&rsquos disease (AD) and AD-like pathology. Current Science Vol. 75 No, 11 10 Dec.: 1153-1156. (1998). IF NA, citations NA.

Awards and Honors
  1. University First Rank for M.Sc. Physiology

  2. DFG (German Research Council) International doctoral fellowship for Ph.D. at University of Regensburg.2000. *1st Author paper with Jeffrey C Hall (Nobel Laureate, 2017) in  Ph.D. thesis. Veleri et al., 2003 (Current Biology PMID: 14561400)

  3. NIH Visiting Fellowship to NIMH, NIH, USA , 2006.

  4. NIH Visiting Fellowship to NEI, NIH, USA, 2008.

  5. NIH Merit Award, 2012

  6. NEI Director’s Rising Star Award, 2014

  7. NEI ‘Performance Award’. 2014.

  8. Highlighted in NIH Research: 2014.NIH study reveals gene critical to the early development of cilia

  9. DBT-Ramalingaswami re-entry fellowship by Dept. of Biotechnology, Govt. of India. 2015.

  10. 1st CNS Oration Award for Basic Scientist organized by Neurological Society of India, Kerala, 2018.

  11. Golden Jubilee Oration, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences Govt Medical College, Trivandrum. 2018.

  12. Travel Award for Young Investigator meeting at Bhubaneshwar/Sri Nagar, India. 2011.

  13. Travel Award for Young Investigator Meeting, Srinagar, India. 2015.

  14. Invited Speaker, 14th Vision Research Conference: Retina ciliopathies. From genes

  15. to mechanisms and treatment. Florida, USA. 2012.

  16. Invited Speaker, Gordon Research Conference on Visual system Development, New London, NH, USA. 2012.


Conferences attended, abstracts submitted and oral presentations
  1. Participated in the International Colloquium on ‘Brain Research’ organized by National Brain Research Centre, held at Indian National Science Academy, New Delhi from October 1 to 3, 1999.

  2. Radiobiology2000, International Conference on Radiation Biology. Regional Cancer Centre, Trivandrum from February 17 to 19, 2000. (Abstract and poster presentation).

  3. Annual Summer Meeting of the Graduate College Universität Regensburg. “Sensory photoreceptors in natural and artificial systems”. 1st meeting 20 to 24, July, 2001: Nove Hrady, Czech Republic. 2nd meeting 26 to 30, July, 2002: Nove Hrady, Czech Republic. 3rd meeting 20 to 23, July, 2003: Frauenchiemsee, Germany. (For all, Oral, abstract and poster presented).

  4. 8th meeting Society for Research on Biological Rhythms. Amelia Island Plantation and Conference Center, Jacksonvillie, Florida, USA. May 21 to 26, 2002. (Abstract and poster presented invitation for oral presentation).

  5. SSF meeting series on Circadian clock. Frauencheimsee. Germany. 31st, July to 1st, August, 2002. (Abstract and poster presented).

  6. Mechanisms and Functions of Biological Clocks: Chronobiology Summer School. September 8 to 13 2002. Max-Planck Research Centre for Ornithology, Andechs/Seewiesen, Germany. (Oral, abstract and poster presented).

  7. Biannual Review of the Graduate College “Sensory photoreceptors in natural and artificial systems” by DFG in Universität Regensburg. 14th January, 2003. (Oral, abstract and poster presented).

  8. Mosbacher Kolloquium The rhythm of life: molecular mechanisms of life. March 28-30, 2003, Germany. (Abstract and poster presented).

  9. Gordon Research Conference on Chronobiology 11 to 16 May 2003. Il Ciocco Italy. (Abstract and poster presented).

  10. Neurobiology of Drosophila Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Cold Spring Harbor, New York. USA. October 1 to5, 2003. (abstract submitted).

  11. Eurofly 2003: 18th European Drosophila Research Conference. University of Göttingen. October 2 to 4, 2003. (Abstract and Poster presented).

  12. ITB-Autumn School on: Circadian Timing. Humboldt-Universität (Charite), Berlin. October 14 to 18, 2003. (Abstract and Poster presented).

  13. Neurobiology of Drosophila Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Cold Spring Harbor, New York. USA. October 3 to 7, 2007.

  14. 49th Annual meeting of The American Soc. for cell Biol. San Diego Convention Center. Dec. 5-9, 2009.

  15. 9th international conference on zebrafish development and genetics. University of Wisconsin. June-16-20, 2010.

  16. "Focus On Fellows”. National Eye Institute, NIH, October, 28-29, 2010. Bethesda, USA. Selected Speaker.

  17. ARVO 2011 Annual Meeting, Fort Lauderdale May 1-5, 2011. (Two abstracts and poster presentation: one for Postbac trainee).

  18. 3rd Young Investigator Meeting at Bhubhanewshawr, India 12-17th, Feb., 2011. (poster and platform presentation on cilia genes).

  19. Invited speaker, 14th vision research conference: Retina ciliopathies. From genes to mechanisms and treatment. 4-5 May, 2012, Lauderdale, FL, USA.

  20. Invited speaker, Gordon Research Conference on Visual system Development. August 19-24, 2012, Colby-Sawyer College, New London, NH, USA.

  21. American Society for Human Genetics 62nd Annual meeting, San Francisco, CA. Nov. 6-10, 2012. (Poster presentation on Cc2d2a-KO)

  22. ARVO 2013 Annual Meeting, Seattle, WA May 5-10, 2013. (Poster presentation on Cc2d2a-KO).

  23. ARVO 2014 Annual Meeting, Orlando, FL May 4-8, 2013. (Poster presentation on Cc2d2a-KO).

  24. RD2014, XVIth International Symposium on Retinal Degeneration. July 13-18, Pacific Grove, CA, USA. (Poster presentation on Reep6-KO).

  25. 7th Young Investigator Meeting at Srinagar, India March 27th, to April. 1st, 2015. (poster on Reep6 gene function).

  26. Invited speaker, “Retinal homeostasis and diseases: insights on molecular mechanisms”. IISER Mohali. October, 13, 2015.

  27. Invited speaker, Turning points in stem cells: promise and embedded challenges. UGC sponsored National Seminar on ‘Advances in stem cell Research, 1-2, March, 2016, E.M.E.A. College of Arts & Science, Malappuram, Kerala.

  28. Invited speaker at CUSAT-NUS Joint International meeting on “Biotechnology and Neuroscience” (CUSBAN 2016), December 19-21): http://cusban2016.cusat.ac.in/speakers.html

  29. Invited speaker for Golden Jubilee seminar series at College of Pharmacy, Govt. Medical College, Trivandrum on 24-10-2017.

  30. Invited speaker at Neurological society of India, Kerala Chapter, NEUROCON, 11-02-2018, Kumaragam, Kerala.

  31. Invited speaker at APPICON 2018, Manipal University, Nov 27-Dec 1, 2018. Karnataka.

  32. Invited speaker at upcoming, International Conference “CRDB 2019 in the area of Biosciences” at Dept of Biotechnology and Microbiology, University of Kannur, Jan 17-19, 2019. Kerala.

Professional memberships
  1. Society for Neuroscience

  2. American Society for Cell Biology

  3. The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO)

  4. Indian Society for Radiation Biology (Life member)

  5. Association of Physiologists and Pharmacologists of India

  6. American Society for Human Genetics

Patent 194325 (Date of priority 13/12/2000)
  1. A process for preparation of a radioprotective herbal extract. Goel, H.C., Arora, R., Veleri, S., Thalakkottur, L. M.


Science popularization program in Media
  1. Science Guest on Doordaharshan Kendrum (DD) Trivandurm, Sudinam program: Discussion on Nobel Prize for Medicine and Physiology circadian clock research (2017); Reflections from Ph.D. thesis research. 15-November 2017.