Prof. Anil Kumar received his Master degree in Bio-chemistry and PhD degree in Bio-technology from the University of Mysore, India. He did his postdoctoral training at the Unit on Retinal Vascular Neurobiology (URNV) and at the Unit on Neuron-Glia Interactions in Retinal Disease (UNGIRD) of National Eye Institute/NIH. In 2016 he joined the faculty of the State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology as a Professor and Investigator. Dr. Kumar has published many scientific research papers in peer reviewed journals.  His research mainly focuses on understanding the role of PDGF-D in physiological and pathological angiogenesis and to understand how cellular interplay leads to Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and diabetic retinopathy (DR).

PUBLICATIONS

1.       Huang D, Zhao C, Ju R, Kumar A, Tian G, Huang L, Zheng L, Li X, Liu L, Wang S, Ren X, Ye Z, Chen W, Xing L, Chen Q, Gao Z, Mi J, Tang Z, Wang B, Zhang S, Lee C, Li X. VEGF-B inhibits hyperglycemia and Macugen induced retinal apoptosis. Sci Rep. 2016: May 18;6:26059.

2.       Rebecca I. S, Frank R, Peter K, Kumar A, Mario L, Franziska T, Kerstin G, Tobias G, Axel B, Sebastian W, Lorraine O’R, Sven G. M, Klaus Schulze-O, Meinrad G, Li X, Christoph K, Frank E, Harald F. L. Platelets induce apoptosis via membrane-bound FasL. Blood. 2015: Sep 17;126 (12):1483-1493.

3.       He C, Zhao C, Kumar A, Lee C, Chen M, Huang L, Wang J, Chen W, Wang B, Gao Z, Zhong Z, Zhang F, Huang B, Ding H, Ju R, Tang Z, Liu Y, Cao Y, Li X. Vasoprotective effect of PDGF-CC mediated by HMOX1 rescues retinal degeneration. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2014;111 (41) :14806-14811.

4.       Kumar A, Zhao L, Paul G M,  Fariss R N,  Wong  W T. Vascular associations and dynamic process motility in perivascular myeloid cells of the mouse choroid: implications for function and senescent change. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2014: 55 (3), 1787–1796.

5.       Condren A B , Kumar A,  Mettu P,  Liang  K J,  Zhao L, Jen-yue Tsai,  Fariss R N,  Wong  W T. Morphological and functional characterization of perivascular mural cells of the mouse choroid. PLoS One. 2013:8(1):e53386.

6.       Segarra M, Ohnuki H, Maric D, Salvucci O, Hou X, Kumar A, Li X, Tosato G. Semaphorin 6A regulates angiogenesis by modulating VEGF signaling. Blood.  2012: Nov 8;120(19):4104-4115.

7.       Zhang F,  Li Y,  Tang Z,  Kumar A, Lee C, Ma W, Langer H, Zhang L, Jensen L, Arjunan P, Strasser A, Wong W, Chavakis T, Cao Y,  Li X. Proliferative and survival effects of PUMA promotes angiogenesis.  Cell Rep. 2012: Nov 29;2(5):1272-1285.

8.       Li X, Kumar A, Zhang F, Lee C, Tang Z. Complicated life complicated VEGF-B. Trends Mol Med. 2012: Feb;18(2):119-127.

9.       Li X, Kumar  A, Lee C, Tang Z, Li Y, Arjunan P, Hou X, Zhang F. Can VEGF-B be used to treat neurodegenerative diseases? Neurodegenerative Diseases. vol.1 (In Tech-Open Access Publisher, book chapter 9, 2011).

10.   Tang Z, Zhang F, Li Y, Arjunan P, Kumar A, Lee C, Li X. A mouse model of the cornea pocket assay for angiogenesis study. J Vis Exp. 2011: Aug 18; 54.

11.   Tang Z, Zhang S, Lee C, Kumar A, Arjunan P, Li Y, Zhang F, Li X. An optic nerve crush injury murine model to study retinal ganglion cell survival. J Vis Exp. 2011: Apr 25; 50.

12.   Li X, Kumar A, Zhang F, Lee C, Li Y, Tang Z, Arjunan P. VEGF-independent angiogenic pathways induced by PDGF-C. Oncotarget. 2010: 1(4):309-314.

13.   Kumar A, Hou X, Li Y, Lee C, Maminishkis A, Tang Z, Zhang F, Arjunan P, Dong L, Wu Z, Zhu LY, Dong L, Colosi P, Li X. PDGF-DD targeting arrests pathological angiogenesis by modulating GSK3β phosphorylation. J Biol Chem. 2010: 285(20):15500-15510.

14.   Hou X, Kumar A, Lee C, Wang B, Arjunan P, Maminishkis A, Dong L, Tang Z, Li Y, Zhang F, Zhang S-H, Wang F, Wardega F, Wu Z, Fariss RN, Colosi P, Gutkind S, Cao Y, Lennartsson J, Li X. PDGF-CC inhibition suppresses pathological angiogenesis by regulating GSK3β phosphorylation. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 2010: 107(27):12216-12221.

15.   Tang Z, Arjunan P, Lee C, Li Y, Kumar A, Hou X, Wang B, Wardega P, Zhang F, Dong L, Zhang Y, Zhang S Z, Ding H, Fariss R, Becker K G, Lennartsson J, Nagai N, Cao Y, Li X. Survival effect of PDGF-CC rescues neurons from apoptosis in both brain and retina by regulating GSK3beta phosphorylation. J Exp Med. 2010; 207(4):867-880.

16.   Zhang F, Tang Z, Hou X, Lennartsson J, Li Y, Koch AW, Scotney P, Lee C, Arjunan P, Dong L, Kumar A, Rissanen TT, Wang B, Nagai N, Fons P, Fariss R, Zhang Y, Wawrousek E, Tansey G, Raber J, Fong GH, Ding H, Greenberg DA, Becker KG, Herbert JM, Nash A, Yla-Herttuala S, Cao Y, Watts RJ, Li X. VEGF-B is dispensable for blood vessel growth but critical for their survival, and VEGF-B targeting inhibits pathological angiogenesis. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 2009; Apr 14; 106(15):6152-6157.

17.   Li X, Lee C, Tang Z, Zhang F, Arjunan P, Li Y, Hou X, Kumar A & Dong L. VEGF-B A survival or an angiogenic factor?  Cell Adhesion & Migration  2009; 3(4):322-327.

18.   Anil Kumar. C, Nanjunda Swamy. S, Gaonkar. S. L, Basappa, Bharathi. P Salimath and Kanchugarakoppal S Rangappa. N- substituted-2-butyl-5-chloro-3H-imidazole-4-carbaldehyde derivatives as anti-tumor agents against Ehrlich ascites tumor cells in vivo. Medicinal Chemistry. 2007;  03, 269-276.

19.   Anil Kumar. C, Basappa, Bharathi. P Salimath and Kanchugarakoppal S Rangappa. Pro-apoptotic activity of N- substituted-2-butyl-5-chloro-3H-imidazole-4-   carbaldehyde derivatives mediated by activation of caspase activated Dnase.  Invest New Drugs. 2007; Aug; 25(4):343-350.

20.   Priya B.S., Anil Kumar C., Nanjunda Swamy S., Basappa, Naveen S., Shashidhara Prasad J and Rangappa K.S. 2-(2-(2-Ethoxybenzoylamino) -4- chlorophenoxy) -N- (2-ethoxybenzoyl) benzamine inhibits EAT cell induced angiogenesis by down regulation   of VEGF secretion. Bioorg Med Chem Lett. 2007; May 15; 17(10):2775-80.