Dr. Rajakishore Mishra

Assistant Professor,
Department of Life Sciences,
Central University of Jharkhand, Ranchi

Contact : +91-9470575594
E-mail : rajakishore.mishra@cuj.ac.in

M.Sc. (Zoology), Ph.D. (Life Sciences)

Completed Ph.D. (in Life Sciences) in 2005 (from Institute of Life Sciences, Bhubaneswar) and joined at Dept. of Life Sciences, Central University of Jharkhand, Ranchi in May 2011. Before joining C.U.J., I have five years of Postdoctoral Experience in the U.S.A. (Dept. of Internal Medicine, Texas A&M University, 2005-07 and Stritch School of Medicine, Loyola University, Chicago 2007-10). Besides teaching to master’s students and my research group is active. The goal of my research group is to understand the molecular basis of cancer, with emphasis on basic mechanisms of signal transduction pathways and their effect on human oral tumor progression, invasion, chemo-resistance, and stemness. Specific research interest: 1. Oral Cancer, particularly Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma (O.S.C.C.) development and advancement; 2. Invasion and Metastasis in O.S.C.C.; 3. Drug Resistance in O.S.C.C.; and 4. Stemness in O.S.C.C. Methods: Histopathology, I.H.C., W.B., PCR, RT-PCR, D.N.A. methylation analysis, and animal cell culture. Supervised Ph.D. students (Ph.D. degree awarded (Two); Thesis Submitted (One); Work completed (One); Currently working (Two), and M.Sc. students (Thirty-two students completed their M.Sc. dissertation).

1. Coordinator, Centre for Life Sciences, C.U.J. (July 2017 to Jan 2018)
2. Coordinator, Centre for Life Sciences, C.U.J. (March 2014 to Aug 2015)

1. R.I.M.S., Ranchi,
2. HCG-CARA Cancer Hospital, Ibra, Ranchi
3. Prof. MK Rai (Retd. Pathologist-RIMS, Ranchi)
4. Prof. S Nagini (Annamalai University)
5. Prof. A. Rana (U.I.C., U.S.A.)
6. Dr. S. Bhutia (N.I.T., Rourkela)
7. Dr. R. Dash (ILS, Bhubaneswar)

1. Indian Association for Cancer Research (IACR)
2. Environmental Mutagenesis, Carcinogenesis and Health (EMCH)
3. American Association for Cancer Research (AACR)
4. European Association for Cancer Research (EACR)
5. The American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB)

Project (Completed)

1. R. Mishra (P.I., C.U.J.) and S. Nagini (Co-PI, AU) received a research grant of Rs. 68,80,000/- from D.B.T. on June 2013 for the project titled “Evaluation of the therapeutic potential of glycogen synthase kinase 3 in chewing tobacco mediated oral cancer” (Project Reference No.: BT/PR4624/MED/30/701/2012 (2013-16); Duration 3 years; Status: Completed.
2. R. Mishra (Co-PI, C.U.J.) and (P.I., Head, D.L.S.) received a research grant of Rs. 4,43,00,000/- from D.B.T. on June 2014 for the sub-project titled “To define the multidrug resistance gene mdr-1in oral cancer” (Project Reference No.: D.B.T. Boost Programme, Govt. of India, Programme No. BT/PR9028/INF/22/193/2013 (2014-2019); Duration 5 years; Status: Completed.

Research publications

Articles in Journals (2010 to present)

1. Nath N, Rana A, Nagini S, Mishra R*. Glycogen synthase kinase-3β inactivation promotes cervical cancer progression, invasion and drug resistance. Biotechnol Appl Biochem. 2021 Sep 23. doi: 10.1002/bab.2258. Online ahead of print. PMID: 34554598 JIF: 2.431
2. Alam M, Mishra R* (2021) Bcl-xL expression and regulation in the progression, recurrence, and cisplatin resistance of oral cancer. Life Sciences 280; 119705. doi: 10.1016/j.lfs.2021.119705 [Elsevier Science; ISSN: 0024-3205] JIF:5.037
3. Siddavaram N, Ramesh N, Manikandan P, Mishra R (2021) Nimbolide, a Neem Limonoid is a Promising Candidate for the Anticancer Drug Arsenal. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 64(7): 3560-3577. [A.C.S. Journal ISSN: 0022-2623]( JIF:7.446)
4. Nath N, Mishra P, Panda AK, Mishra R* (2020)  Polymorphisms and haplotypes of TLR4, TLR9 and CYP1A1  genes possibly interfere with high-risk human papillomavirus infection and cervical cancer susceptibility in Jharkhand, India. International Immunopharmacology: 88, 106925 [Elsevier Science; ISSN: 1567-5769] doi.org/10.1016/j.intimp.2020.106925 (JIF:4.932)
5. Kashyap T, Nidhi N, Mishra P, Jha A, Nagini S, Mishra R* (2020).  Pluripotency transcription factor Nanog and its association with overall oral squamous cell carcinoma progression, cisplatin-resistance, invasion and stemness acquisition. Head & Neck, 42(11): 3282-3294 [Wiley Online Library, ISSN: 1097-0347]   (DOI:10.1002/hed.25471) (JIF:3.147)
6. Mishra R (2020) Bio-genesis and deregulation of circular ribonucleic acid and their role in human cancer. The Applied Biology & Chemistry Journal, 1 (2), 83-94. ISSN No: 2582-8789.
7. Alam M, Mishra R (2020) Role of PI3K and EGFR in Oral Cancer Progression and Drug Resistance. International Journal for Research in Applied Sciences and Biotechnology, 7, 6: 85-89. ISSN No:  2349-8889; https://doi.org/10.31033/ijrasb.7.6.14
8. Das S, Nair RS, Mishra R, Sondarva G, Viswakarma N, Abdelkarim H, Gaponenko V, Satyanarayan P, Rana B and Rana A (2019) Mixed Lineage Kinase 3 promotes breast tumorigenesis via phosphorylation and activation of p21 activated kinase 1 Oncogene, 38(19):3569-3584. [Nature Publications; ISSN: 0950-9232] (JIF:9.867)
9. Alam M, Kashyap T, Mishra P, Panda AK, Nagini S, Mishra R* (2019) Role and regulation of pro-apoptotic Bax in oral squamous cell carcinoma and drug resistance. Head & Neck, 41(1): 185-197.[Wiley Online Library, ISSN: 1097-0347]   (DOI:10.1002/hed.25471) (JIF:3.147)
10. Nagini S, Josephraj S, Mishra R (2019) Glycogen synthase kinase: Moonlighting proteins with theranostic potential in cancer. Seminars in Cancer Biology, 56: 25-36 [Elsevier Science; ISSN: 1044 – 579X]; (JIF:15.707)
11. Kashyap T,  Pramanik KK, Nath N, Mishra P, Singh AK, Nagini  S, Rana A, Mishra R* (2018) Crosstalk between Raf-MEK-ERK and PI3K-Akt-GSK3β signaling networks promotes chemo-resistance, invasion/migration and stemness via expression of CD44 variants (v4 and v6) in oral cancer Oral Oncology, 86: 234-243.[Elsevier Science;  ISSN: 1368-8375] (JIF:5.337)
12. Josephraj S, Kowshik J, Bhutia S, Manavathi B, Mishra R, Nagini S (2018) Nimbolide, a neem limonoid inhibits cytoprotective autophagy to activate apoptosis via modulation of the PI3K/ Akt/ GSK3β signaling pathway in oral cancer, Cell Death and Disease, 9(11):1087. Doi: 10.1038/s41419-018-1126-4. [Nature Publications; ISSN: 2041-4889] (JIF:8.469)
13. Naik PP, Mukhopadhyay S, Panda PK, Sinha N, Das CK, Mishra R, Patil S, Bhutia SK (2018). Autophagy regulates cisplatin induced stemness and chemo-resistance via the upregulation of CD44, ABCB1 and ADAM17 in oral squamous cell carcinoma. Cell Proliferation: e12411. [Wiley Online Library, ISSN: 1365-2184]. DOI: 10.1111/cpr.12411 (JIF:6.831)
14. Pramanik KK, Nagini  S, Singh AK, Mishra P, Kashyap T, Nath N, Alam M, Rana A, Mishra R*(2018) Glycogen synthase kinase-3β mediated regulation of matrix metalloproteinase-9 and its involvement in oral squamous cell carcinoma progression and invasion. Cellular Oncology 41(1): 47-60. DOI: DOI: 10.1007/s13402-017-0358-0 [Springer:  ISSN: 2211-3428] (JIF:6.730)
15. Kowshik J, Mishra R., Josephraj S, Rautray S, Anbarasu K, Reddy GD, Dixit M, Mahalingam S, Siddavaram N (2017) Nimbolide upregulates RECK by targeting miR-21 and HIF-1α in cell lines and in a hamster oral carcinogenesis model. Scientific Reports, 7(1): 2045. [Nature Publications; ISSN: 2045-2322] (JIF:4.379)
16. Alam M, Tanushree, Pramanik KK, Singh AK, Nagini S, Mishra R* (2017) The elevated activation of NFκB and AP-1 is correlated with differential regulation of Bcl-2 and associated with oral squamous cell carcinoma progression and resistance. Clinical Oral Investigations, 21(9): 2721-2731. [Springer Publications; ISSN 1432-6981]. DOI: 10.1007/s00784-017-2074-6. (JIF:3.573)
17. Pramanik KK, Singh AK, Alam M, Tanushree, Mishra P, Panda AK, Dey RK, Rana A, Nagini S,  Mishra R* (2016) Reversion-inducing cysteine-rich protein with Kazal motifs and its regulation by glycogen synthase kinase 3 signaling in oral cancer. Tumor Biology; 37(11):15253-15264. [Springer Publications; ISSN: 1010-4283] DOI:10.1007/s13277-016-5362-x. (J.I.F.: 3.650)
18. Josephraj S, Tanagala K.K.K., Jaganathan K, Mishra R, and Nagini S (2016) Nimbolide, a neem limonoid inhibits Phosphatidyl Inositol-3 Kinase to activate Glycogen Synthase Kinase-3β in a hamster model of oral oncogenesis. Scientific Reports 6: 22192; doi: 10.1038/ srep22192 (2016). [Nature Publications; ISSN: 2045-2322]  (JIF:4.379)    
19. Mishra R*, Nagini S, Rana A (2015) Expression and inactivation of glycogen synthase kinase 3 alpha/ beta and their association with the expression of cyclin D1 and p53 in oral squamous cell carcinoma progression. Molecular Cancer. 14(1):20. [BioMed Central; ISSN: 1476-4598] (JIF:27.401)
20. Kavitha K, Thiyagarajan P, Rathna Nandhini J, Mishra R, Nagini S (2013) Chemopreventive effects of diverse dietary phytochemicals against DMBA-induced hamster buccal pouch carcinogenesis via the induction of Nrf2-mediated cytoprotective antioxidant, detoxification, and D.N.A. repair enzymes. Biochimie, 95(8): 1629-39 [Elsevier Science;  ISSN:0300-9084]  (JIF:4.079)
21. Mishra R (2013) Cell cycle-regulatory cyclins and their deregulation in oral cancer. Oral Oncology. 49(6): 475-81.[Elsevier Science;  ISSN: 1368-8375] (JIF:5.337)
22. Yedida GR, Nagini S, Mishra R* (2013) The importance of arkinson transcription factors for oral cancer pathogenesis and treatment. Oral Surgery Oral Medicine Oral Pathology Oral Radiology. 116 (2):179-88.  [Elsevier Science;  ISSN:1079-2104] (JIF:2.589)
23. Rana A, Rana B, Mishra R, Sondarva G, Rangasamy V, Das S, Viswakarma N, Kanthasamy A (2013)  Mixed Lineage Kinases (M.L.K.s)-J.N.K. Axis: A potential Therapeutic Target in Cancer. Genes & Cancer 4(9-10):334-341. [SAGE Publications; ISSN: 1947-6019]   doi:10.1177/1947601913485415
24. Rangasamy V#, Mishra R#, Sondarva G, Das S, Ho T, Bakowska JC, Tizivion G, Malter JS, Rana B, Lu KP, Kanthasamy, Rana A (2012). Mixed linease kinase 3 phosphorylates Pin1 to regulate its nuclear translocation and cellular function. Proc Natl Acad Sci, U.S.A. 109(21): 8149-154. [HighWire Publication; ISSN: 1091-6490] # Equal Contribution (JIF:11.205)
25. Siddavaram N, Ramamurthy, VP, Veeran V, Mishra R (2012). Chlorophyllin abrogates canonical Wnt/b catenin signaling pathway and angiogenesis to inhibit the development of D.M.B.A. induced hamster cheek pouch carcinoma. Cellular Oncol (Dordr). 35(5): 385-395. [Springer:  ISSN: 2211-3428] (JIF:6.730)
26. Mishra R (2012) Biomarkers of premalignant oral epithelial lesions for clinical application. Oral Oncology. 48: 578-584 [Elsevier Science; ISSN: 1368-8375] (JIF:5.337)
27. Rangasamy V, Mishra R,  Mehrotra S, Sondarva G, Ray R, Rao A, Chatterjee M, Rana B, Rana A (2010) Estrogen suppresses MLK3-mediated apoptosis sensitivity in ER+ breast cancer cells. Cancer Research 70(4): 1731-40.  [American Association for Cancer Research; ISSN: 0008-5472]  (J.I.F.: 9.727)
28. Rana A, Rangasamy V, Mishra R (2010) How estrogen fuels breast cancer. Future Oncology. 6(9): 1369-1371. [Future Medicine; ISSN: 1479-6694] (JIF:3.404)
29. Sondarva G, Kundu CN, Mehrotra S, Mishra R, Rangasamy V, Sathyanarayan P, Roy R, Rana B, Rana A (2010) TRAF2-MLK3 interaction is essential for TNF-alpha-induced MLK3 activation. Cell Research 20(1): 89-98. [Nature Publication; ISSN: 1001-0602] (JIF:25.617)
30. Sharma NR, Mani P, Nandwani N, Mishra R, Rana A and Sarkar DP (2010) Reciprocal regulation of Akt and M.A.P. Kinase dictates virus-host cell fusion. J. Virology 84(9):4366-82. [American Society for Microbiology; ISSN: 0022-538X]  (JIF:5.103)
31. Kanthasamy A, Jin H, Mehrotra S, Mishra R, Kanthasamy A, Rana A (2010) Novel cell death signaling pathways in neurotoxicity models of dopaminergic degeneration: Relevance to oxidative stress and neuroinflammation in Parkinson’s diseases. NeuroToxicology. 31: 555-561.  [Elsevier Science; ISSN: 0161-813X] (JIF:4.294)
32. Mishra R (2010) Glycogen synthase kinase3-beta: can it be a target for oral cancer. Molecular Cancer 9(1): 144. [BioMed Central; ISSN: 1476-4598] (JIF:27.401)

Book Chapters (Published-04) 

1. R. Mishra R and S. Nagini (2018) A.D.A.M. and A.D.A.M.T.S. Family of Metalloproteinases: Role in Cancer Progression and Acquisition of Hallmarks. Book chapter; Book: Proteases in Human Diseases, pp.303-331; ISBN: 978-981-10-3161-8; DOI: 10.1007/978-981-10-3162-5_15, Editors Sajal Chakraborti and Narajan S Dhalla. [Springer Publishers]

Invited Speaker (10 International Conferences, 6 National Conferences), Chairperson (3 International Conferences and 2 National Conferences)

1. International Symposium on “Advances in Cancer Research: Drug Discovery to Delivery.” This was jointly organized by the Central University of Jharkhand (C.U.J.) and Carcinogenesis Society, U.S.A. on 19th November 2013 at C.U.J., India. (Role - Organizing Secretary)
2. National Seminar on Challenges and Opportunities in Life Sciences, Centre For Life Sciences, Central University of Jharkhand. 20th April 2018 (Role - Treasurer)
3. COVID-19: A challenge and opportunities for Life Science Communities, Dept. of Life Sciences, C.U.J. (5th June 2020) (Role Co-Convener)

PhD Scholars :

Current :
6. Ms. Anjali Kumari (continuing Ph.D.; Proposed Thesis Title: Alteration of bioenergy metabolism and its implications in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma progression and resistance); DOJ: 16th January 2021 Research gate Link: click here

5. Ms. Arpita Jha (continuing Ph.D.; Approved Thesis Title: Mechanism of innate and acquired immune system failure during Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma progression, invasion, and resistance); DOJ: 21st October 2019; Research gate Link: Click Here

4. Ms. N. Nath (completed Pre-Ph.D. Submission Seminar on 12th Nov 21; Thesis Title: Role of wingless integrated - Glycogen Synthase Kinase3β mediated signaling in cervical cancer progression and resistance); DOJ: 4th September 2017; Research gate Link: click here
Completed:

3. Ms. Tanushree (completed Ph.D.; Thesis Title: Identification of important cancer stem cell (CSC) markers and dissect their role in invasion and drug resistance of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC); DOJ: 18th September 2015; DOS: 25th January 2021; DOA: 29th September 2021; Just After Ph.D. Joined as RA at IISER Bhopal; Research gate Link: click here

2. Mr. K.K. Pramanik (completed Ph.D.; Thesis Title: Role and regulation of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and MMP-9 in chewing tobacco mediated oral squamous cell carcinoma); DOJ: 20th August 2014, DOS: 5th October 2018, DOA: 3rd May 2019; After Ph.D.: Permanent Lecture/teaching Job; Research gate Link: click here

1. Mr. M. Alam (completed Ph.D., Thesis Title: Identification of key apoptotic molecules and their upstream pathway/s causing cytotoxic drug-induced chemo-resistance in human oral squamous cell carcinoma and targeting them for improved chemo-sensitization); Date Of Joining (DOJ): 22nd August 2014; Date Of Submission (DOS): 31st October 2017; Date Of Award (DOA): 27th February 2018; After Ph.D.: Joined RA-ICMR at NIP, New Delhi; Research gate Link: click here

Post-Doctoral Scholars/ Research Associates:

1. Dr. A.K. Singh (Completed RA, DBT; Title of project: Role of P70S6 Kinase signaling in oral cancer of Jharkhand population); DOJ: 1st January 2015; Completion date: 31st December 2017; Just After RA: Joined as RA CTRTI, Ranchi; Research gate Link: click here

Lab Assistants:

3. Ms. Sneha Kumari (M. Sc.)
2. Ms. Ujjal Chakrabarti (M. Sc.)
1. Mr. Satish K. Kranti (M. Sc.)

1. Google Scholar Profile
2. ResearchGate Profile
3. Ph.D. Thesis Examiner-04 (ILS, Bhubaneswar; IMMT, Bhubaneswar; MSCBDU, Odisha; NOU, Baripada)
4. Referees for Scientific Journals-40
5. Editorial Board -one Journal
6. Conference Proceedings-76
7. Research Grant Reviewer (UK)