CBGM Faculty - Dr. Shruti Sharma's Lab

IL-6 signaling | Barrier dysfunction | Angiogenesis | VEGF signaling | Diabetic retinopathy | Dry eye disease | Translational research

Dr. Shruti Sharma

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

 shsharma@augusta.edu

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 investigates the role of inflammation-induced endothelial dysfunction in diabetic retinopathy (DR).

The lab has identified interleukin-6 (IL-6) trans-signaling as a novel therapeutic target and demonstrated that the IL-6 inhibitor sgp130Fc (Olamkicept) effectively reduces inflammation, oxidative stress, and retinal vascular damage in DR. This has led to an expanded focus on the roles of Müller glial cells, pericytes, and VEGF signaling in retinal diseases including the use of oxygen-induced retinopathy animal models to study Müller cell-mediated IL-6 signaling in ischemic angiogenesis. The Sharma lab is also exploring human tear protein biomarkers and conducting in-vitro studies using osmoprotectants to identify new therapeutic targets for dry eye disease (DED), with the overarching goal of developing therapies that preserve retinal and ocular surface health. 

Projects

IL-6 signaling in DR:

IL-6 is a pleiotropic cytokine that possess both anti- and pro-inflammatory properties. Our lab found that inhibiting pro-inflammatory, IL-6 trans-signaling, attenuates inflammation, and helps prevent the vascular dysfunction in the retina that can lead to vision loss.

IL-6 signaling in DR

 

Therapeutic targets in DED:

Our lab investigates the role of inflammation in DED, to find alternative therapeutic interventions. We center our work on understanding the mechanisms behind tear film instability and increased tear osmolarity, which are the major characteristics of DED.

Nile red staining

Nile red staining in hTCEpi cells

Translational research using ocular fluids:

Our large collection of human tear samples allow us to identify DED tear biomarkers to further advance our search for potential therapeutic DED targets.

Proteins detected in human tear samples.

 

Proteins detected in human tear samples


 

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

  1. 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)
  2. 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)
  3. Role of Serine Protease Inhibitors A1 and A3 in Ocular Pathologies.
    Kontoh-Twumasi R, Budkin S, Edupuganti N, Vashishtha A, Sharma S. Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science(2024)
  4. 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)
  5. 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)
  6. 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)
  7. Interleukin-6 trans-signaling: a pathway with therapeutic potential for diabetic retinopathy.
    Sharma S; Frontiers in Physiology (2021)
  8. RNA-Seq analysis reveals gene expression changes induced by IL-6 trans-signaling activation in retinal endothelial cells.
    Robinson R, Brown D, Churchwell L, Lee TJ, Kodeboyina SK, Bloom J, Sharma A, Sharma S; Cytokine(2021)
  9. 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)
  10. 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)

 

More from PubMed

Media Articles

Diabetic Retinopathy
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MCG scientists secure $1.5 million grant to treat diabetic retinopathy

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Diabetic Retinopathy
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Noninvasive technique collects sufficient tear fluid to look for biomarkers of health and disease

Link
Shruti Sharma
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Powerful anti-inflammatory molecule may block vision loss in diabetic retinopathy

Link
Shruti Sharma
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$3 million National Eye Institute grant supports growth of vision research at MCG, AU

Link

Graduate Students & Lab Staff

Current Students

photo of Stepan Budkin

Stepan Budkin

  • Graduate Research Assistant,
  • Class of 2021

706-721-3404

photo of Richard Kontoh-Twumasi

Richard Kontoh-Twumasi

  • Graduate Research Assistant,
  • Class of 2022

706-721-3404

photo of Antonella Aliste

Antonella Aliste

  • Graduate Research Assistant,
  • Class of 2025

706-721-3404


Graduated Students

photo of Rebekah Robinson

Rebekah Robinson

  • MD/PhD Student
Undergraduate: Armstrong State University, Savannah, GA
Project: IL-6/gp130 signaling in diabetic retinopathy
photo of Arthur Miller, MD

Arthur Miller, MD

  • MD Student
  • Medical College of Georgia (MCG)

 

Medical Residents & Students

photo of Grace Koh

Grace Koh

  • Medical Student (M4)
  • Medical College of Georgia (MCG)

706-721-3404

photo of Neel Edupuganti

Neel Edupuganti

  • Medical Student (M4)
  • Medical College of Georgia (MCG)

706-731-3404

 

Laboratory Staff

photo of Joshua Glass

Joshua Glass

  • Senior Research Assistant

706-721-3404

photo of Karina Lax

Karina Lax

  • Research Assistant

706-721-3404

 

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