CBGM Faculty - Dr. Shruti Sharma's Lab
IL-6 signaling | Barrier dysfunction | Angiogenesis | VEGF signaling | Diabetic retinopathy | Dry eye disease | Translational research
Shruti Sharma, MS, PhD
Associate Professor
Center for Biotechnology & Genomic Medicine
James and Jean Culver Vision Discovery Institute
Department of Ophthalmology
Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University
706-721-6522
Office: CA-4139 | Lab: CA-4132A
Jump to: Research Interests Projects Funding & Teaching Media Articles & Publications Graduate Students & Staff
Research Interests
The Shruti Sharma Lab employs molecular, cellular, and translational approaches to study diabetic retinopathy (DR) and dry eye disease (DED). The lab integrates in-vitro and in-vivo models to investigate mechanisms of inflammation, vascular dysfunction, and ocular surface damage. A major focus of our work is the role of interleukin-6 (IL-6) signaling, investigating 1) how the disruption of the “IL-6 cis-trans balance” in retinal Müller glial cells alters VEGF regulation, causing retinal neurovascular dysfunction, and 2) whether selective inhibition of IL-6 trans-signaling with sgp130Fc can reduce inflammation. In our DED research, we examine the osmoprotective potential of L-carnitine in preventing epithelial barrier disruption, inflammation, and ocular surface damage.
Projects
IL-6 is a pleiotropic cytokine with both anti- & pro-inflammatory roles. Our lab has
established that selectively inhibiting IL-6 trans-signaling with sgp130Fc can prevent
oxidative stress, inflammation, barrier dysfunction, & apoptosis.
The Sharma Lab uses hyperosmolar stress, benzalkonium chloride (BAC), & desiccating stress models to examine the molecular mechanisms of dry eye disease (DED) in corneal epithelial cells & mice. Our current research evaluates whether supplementation with L-carnitine, an osmoprotectant, can prevent ocular surface instability & dysfunction characteristic of DED pathology.
We collect & analyze tear fluid samples from patients and mice with & without DED.
Our research aims to identify potential biomarkers of DED through the detection of
differentially expressed microRNAs & proteins in human & mouse tears.
Funded Grants & Teaching
Funding:
- NIH/NEI R01 grant: “Targeting Interleukin-6 cis-trans balance in Müller cell dysfunction”
- NIH/NEI R01 grant: “Sex-specific Influences on tear microRNAs in dry eye disease”
- Intramural Grant: Investigating Potential Treatments for Dry Eye Disease in Mouse Models
Teaching:
- Course Director, Translational Genomics and Proteomics (GNMD 8051)
- Course Director, Genomic Medicine Seminar (GNMD 8060)
- Course Director, Functional Genomics and Proteomics Using Animal Models (GNMD8052)
Selected Publications & Media Articles
- Altered carnitine homeostasis modulates hyperosmolarity-induced mitochondrial dysfunction and lipotoxicity in human corneal epithelial cells. Kontoh-Twumasi R, Aliste A, Scheid A, Lax K, Glass J, Sharma A, Sharma S. Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science (2026)
- L-carnitine partially restores adherens junction integrity and promotes wound healing
in human corneal epithelial cells exposed to hyperosmolar stress.
Kontoh-Twumasi R, Aliste A, Scheid A, Glass J, Sharma A, Sharma S. Experimental Eye Research (2025)
- Proteomic alterations in retinal Müller glial cells lacking interleukin-6 receptor: a comprehensive analysis.
Glass J, Robinson R, Edupuganti N, Altman J, Greenway G, Lee TJ, Zhi W, Sharma A, Sharma S. Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science (2024)
- Diabetic Müller-glial-cell-specific Il6ra knockout mice exhibit accelerated retinal functional decline
and thinning of the inner nuclear layer.
Glass J, Robinson RL, Greenway G, Jones G, Sharma S. Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science (2023)
- Generation and characterization of a Müller-glial-cell-specific Il6ra knockout mouse
to delineate the effects of IL-6 trans-signaling in the retina.
Robinson R, Glass J, Sharma A, Sharma S. Scientific Reports (2022)
- Interleukin-6 trans-signaling mediated regulation of paracellular permeability in
human retinal endothelial cells.
Glass J, Robinson R, Lee TJ, Sharma A, Sharma S. International Journal of Translational Medicine (2021)
- Interleukin-6 trans-signaling: a pathway with therapeutic potential for diabetic retinopathy.
Sharma S. Frontiers in Physiology (2021)
- Diabetes induced alterations in murine proteome are mitigated by IL-6 trans-signaling
inhibition.
Robinson R, Youngblood H, Iyer H, Bloom J, Lee TJ, Chang L, Lukowski Z, Zhi W, Sharma A, Sharma S. Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science (2020)
- Interleukin-6 trans-signaling inhibition prevents oxidative stress in a mouse model of early diabetic retinopathy. Robinson R, Srinivasan M, Shanmugan A, Ward A, Ganapathy V, Bloom J, Sharma A, Sharma S. Redox Biology (2020)
- Inhibition of interleukin-6 trans-signaling prevents inflammation and endothelial barrier disruption in retinal endothelial cells. Valle M, Dworshak J, Sharma A, Ibrahim A, Al-Shabrawey M, Sharma S. Experimental Eye Research (2019)
Media Articles
Noninvasive technique collects sufficient tear fluid to look for biomarkers of health and disease
Link
Graduate Students & Lab Staff
Richard Kontoh-Twumasi
- Graduate Research Assistant
- Class of 2022
706-721-3404
Graduated Students
Rebekah Robinson, MD, PhD
- Medical College of Georgia (MCG)
- Class of 2024
Project: IL-6/gp130 signaling in diabetic retinopathy
Arthur Miller, MD
- Medical College of Georgia (MCG)
- Class of 2025
Medical Residents & Students
Neel Edupuganti
- Medical Student (M4)
- Medical College of Georgia (MCG)
706-731-3404
Laboratory Staff
