Background

• B. Sc.: Lucknow University, India. Biology/Chemistry
• M. Sc.: Lucknow University, India. Organic Chemistry
• Ph. D.: Lucknow University, India. Medicinal Chemistry
• Postdoctoral Training: Case University, Cleveland, Ohio (1993-1995), Cole Eye Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio (1995-1998) and University of Washington, Seattle, Washington (1998-2001)

Awards & Honors

• Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) Nanotechnology and Nanomedicine Organizing and Program Planning Committee (2008-present)
• ARVO Nanotechnology and Nanomedicine Abstract and Travel Grant Review Committee (2008-present)
• Best poster award, Cole Eye Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio (2005)
• Best show award, American Academy of Ophthalmology, San Francisco, California (2002)
• ARVO travel grant by the National Eye Institute, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland (2000)
• SDRC travel award by the Skin Diseases Research Center, Cleveland, Ohio (1995)
• IDMA Research award by the Indian Drug Manufacturers Association, Bombay, India (1985)
• Merit Research Associate Scholarship, University Grants Commission, India (1987-1990)
• Merit Junior/Senior Research Scholarship, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, India (1982-1987)

Research

Corneal gene therapy, wound healing and nanomedicine

Dr. Mohan’s laboratory performs research in corneal gene therapy, nanomedicine and wound healing. A major focus of his laboratory is to define tissue-specific targeted gene therapy approaches for the cornea utilizing virus- and nanotechnology-based delivery systems. The central hypothesis of Dr. Mohan’s gene transfer research is that selective delivery of therapeutic genes into corneal keratocytes can cure corneal disorders without causing significant side effects. His laboratory has identified several vectors (adeno-associated virus, lentivirus or plasmid), developed minimally-invasive vector delivery techniques (topical application, microinjection) and defined many combinations of vectors and vector-delivery techniques to introduce therapeutic genes selectively into the stroma of normal and diseased rabbit and rodent corneas in vivo. His laboratory is also attempting to develop nanotechnology-based nonviral gene transfer approaches to treat corneal diseases, and evaluating the potential of gold and polymeric nanoparticles for delivering drugs/genes in the cornea.

Another major focus Dr. Mohan’s laboratory is to study the role of cytokines, growth factors and their receptors on keratocyte proliferation and apoptosis associated with corneal wound healing. He and his colleagues have shown that unregulated wound healing in the cornea following injury or infection to the eye is known to cause corneal opacity and blindness due to corneal fibrosis and/or angiogenesis. Corneal fibrosis (haze) is also a common complication of refractive laser surgery, which is frequently used in the United States and other parts of the world to treat refractive errors, corneal scars and dystrophies. His laboratory is investigating cellular and molecular mechanisms and pathways involved in corneal apoptosis, proliferation and wound healing.

Lab Members

• Ajay Sharma, Ph.D.: Postdoctoral fellow
• Allison J. Zanaboni: Laboratory Assistant
• Chetan Soni, M.D.: Resident
• Chidananda Siddapa, Ph.D.: Postdoctoral fellow
• Dylan Buss, D.V.M.: Resident
• Eric Hansen: Medical student
• Jason Newman: Medical student
• Sunilima Sinha: Research Specialist

Media

Interview with Walter Bethke, Managing Editor, for Review of Ophthalmology (Vol. 13:11, Nov. 2006).

Photos

Publications

Journal articles (peer-reviewed)

• Mohan RR, Agarwal R and Misra VS: Synthesis and pharmacological screening of 2-thio-3-arylaminomethyl-4-oxo-5-(3,4-disubstituted-benzylidene) thiazolidines. Indian Drugs. 1983; 21:90-95.
• Mohan RR, Agarwal C, Agarwal R and Misra VS: CNS, anthelmintic and anti-inflammatory activities of some 1-[2/3-(2-phenyl benzimidazole]-2-methyl/phenyl-4-(3,4-disubstituted benzylidene) 5-oxo-imidazoles. Pharm Res Comm, 1984; 16:321-338.
• Mohan RR, Agarwal C and Misra VS: Synthesis and anthelmintic activity of 4-methyl-7-(substituted phenyl aminocarbonyl/disubstituted amino carbonyl) methoxy coumarins. Indian Drugs, 21, 389-392, 1984.
• Mohan RR, Agarwal R and Misra VS: Synthesis of some newer quinazolinyl-oxadiazoles, thiosemicarbazides and thiadiazoles as pharmacologically active agents. Ind J Chem. 1985: 24B:78-82.
• Singh A, Mohan RR and Misra VS: Synthesis of1-aryl-3-[1-a-benzylidene-thiobarbituric acids (III) as CNS active agents. Indian Drugs. 1985; 22:418-422.
• Mohan RR, Agarwal C and Misra VS: Synthesis of some newer-4-(3-methyl-5-oxo-4-pyrazolidenemethyl) phenoxy acetic acid hydrazides and methyl benzylidene hydrazides as CNS active and anti-inflammatory agents. Ind J Chem. 1986; 25B:339-341.
• Mohan RR, Agarwal R and Misra VS: Synthesis of 2/9-substituted indophenazin-6-acetic acid aryl/methyl benzylidene hydrazides, 4-aryl-1-(indophenazin-6-methylcarbonyl)-3-thiosemicarbazides and 6-(4-aryl-5-mercapto-4H-1,2,4-triazol-3yl-methyl indophenazines as CNS active and anti-inflammatory agents. Ind J Chem. 1986; 25B:1234-1237.
• Mohan RR and Misra VS: Synthesis and anthelmintic activity of 1-(substituted piperazino ethyl carbonyl phenyl-4-yl)-2-methyl /phenyl-4-(3,4-disustituted-benzylidene)-5-oxo-imidazoles. Indian Drugs. 1986; 23:418-422.
• Agarwal R, Agarwal C, Singh C and Mohan RR, Misra VS: Synthesis of 6-substituted indophenazines as possible psychotropic and anti inflammmatory agents. Acta Pharm Jugosl. 1998; 38:11-21.
• Sinha S, Saxena A and Mohan RR: Synthesis of 1-(2/9-substituted indophenazine-6-methyl carbonyl) 3-methyl-4-(substituted benzylidene/methyl benzylidene)-pyrazolin-5-ones as potent CNS and anti-inflammatory agents. Indian Drugs. 1988; 26:77-80.
• Srivastava M and Mohan RR: Synthesis of 2-thio-3-aryl amino methyl-4-oxo-5-[4-{2-substituted-4-(3,4-disubstituted benzylidene)-5-oxo-imidazolyl}-a-methyl benzylidene] thiazolidenes as CNS active and anti-inflammatory agents. Indian Drugs. 1989; 26:342-347.
• Mohan RR: Synthesis of thiazolidinyl-benzylidene/methyl benzylidene-hydrazides and their Mannich bases as CNS active and anti-inflammatory agents. Indian Drugs. 1991; 29:120-122.
• Mohan RR: Synthesis of quinazolinyl-benzylidene hydrazides and methyl benzylidene-hydrazides as CNS active and anti-inflammatory agents. J Ind Council Chem. 1992; 9:58-61.
• Khan SG, Mohan RR, Katiyar SK, Wood, GS, Bikers DR, Mukhtar H and Agarwal R: Mutations in ras oncogenes are rare event in ultraviolet B radiation induced mouse skin tumorigenesis. Mol Carcinogenesis. 1996; 15:96-103.
• Agarwal R, Korman NJ, Mohan RR, Jawed S, Zaim MT and Mukhtar H: Apoptosis is an early event during phthalocyanine-photodynamic therapy-induced ablation of murine skin tumors. Photochem Photobiol. 1996; 63:547-552.
• Mohan RR, Katiyar SK, Khan S. G. Mukhtar H and Agarwal R: Protective effects of all trans retinoic acid against tumor promotion and progression in low- and high-risk protocols of mouse skin chemical carcinogenesis. International J. Oncology. 1996; 8:1079-1088.
• Li Q, Weng J, Mohan RR, Bennett GL, Schwall R, Wang Z, Tabor K, Kim J, Hargrave S Cuevas KH and Wilson SE: Hepatocyte growth Factor (HGF) and HGF receptor protein in lacrimal gland, tears and cornea. Investigative Ophthalmol. and Vis Sci. 1996; 37 (5):727-739.
• Agarwal R, Mohan RR, Ahmed N and Mukhtar H :Protection against malignant conversion in SENCAR mouse skin by all trans retinoic acid: inhibition of ras p21 processing enzyme farnesyltransferase and Ha-ras p21 membrane localization. Mol Carcinogenesis. 1996; 17:13-22.
• Singh SV, Mohan RR, Agarwal R, Benson PJ, Hu X, Rudy MA, Xia H, Katoh A, Srivastava SK, Mukhtar H, Gupta V and Zaren HA: A novel anti-carcinogenic activity of an organosulfide from garlic: inhibition of H-ras oncogene transformed tumor growth in vivo by diallyl disulfide is associated with inhibition of p21 H-ras processing. Biochem. Biophy Res Comm. 1996; 225:660-665.
• Katiyar SK, Mohan RR, Agarwal R and Mukhtar H: Protection against induction of mouse skin papillomas with low- and high- risk for conversion to malignancy by green tea polyphenols. Carcinogenesis. 1996; 18: 497-502.
• Mohan RR, Liang Q, Kim WJ, Helena MC, Baerveldt F and Wilson SE: Apoptosis in the cornea: Further characterization of Fas/Fas ligand system. Exp Eye Res. 1997; 65:575-589.
• Weng J, Mohan RR, Li, Q and Wilson SE: IL-1 Upregulates keratinocyte growth factor and hepatocyt growth factor mRNA and protein production by cultured stromal fibroblast cells: interleukin-1beta expression in the cornea. Cornea. 1997; 16(4):465-471.
• Weng J, Liang Q, Mohan RR, Li Q and Wilson SE: Hepatocyte growth factor, keratinocyte growth factor-receptor systems in the lens. Investigative Ophthalmol. and Vis Sci. 1997; 38(8):1543-1554.
• Liang Q, Mohan RR, Chen L and Wilson SE: Signaling by HGF and KGF in corneal epithelial cells: Ras/MAP Kinase and Jak-STAT pathways. Investigative Ophthalmol. and Vis Sci. 1998; 39(8):1329-1338.
• Wilson SE, Li Q, Mohan RR, Tervo T, Vesaluoma M, Bennett GL, Schwall R, Tabor K, Kim J, Hargrave S and Cuevas KH: Lacrimal gland growth factors and receptors: lacrimal fibroblastic cells are a source of tear HGF. Adv Exp Med Biol. 1998; 438:625-628.
• Mohan RR, Kim W-J, Mohan RR, Chen L and Wilson SE: Bone morphogenic proteins 2 and 4 and their receptors in the adult human cornea. Investigative Ophthalmol. and Vis Sci. 1998; 39(13):2626-2636.
• Mohan RR, Challa A, Gupta S, Bostwick DG, Ahmed N, Agarwal R, Marengo SR, Amini SB, Paras F, Maclennan GT, Resnick MI and Mukhtar H: Overexpression of ornitheine decarboxylase in prostate cancer and prostatic fluid in humans. Clin Cancer Res. 1999; 5(1):143-147.
• Lahiri-Chatterjee, M, Katiyar SK, Mohan RR and Agarwal R: A flavonoid antioxidant, silymarin, affords exceptionally high protection against tumor promotion in the SENCAR mouse skin tumorigenesis model. Cancer Res. 1999; 59(3):622-632.
• Mohan RR and Wilson SE: Ex vivo human corneal epithelial cells express membrane-bound precursor and mature soluble epidermal growth factor (EGF) and transforming growth factor alpha (TGF alpha) proteins. Exp Eye Res. 1999; 68(1):129-131.
• Wilson SE, Chen L, Mohan RR, Liang Q, Liu J: Expression of HGF, KGF, EGF and receptor messenger RNAs following corneal epithelial wounding. Exp Eye Res. 1999; 68(4):377-397.
• Wilson SE, Liu J and Mohan RR: Stromal-epithelial interactions in the cornea. Prog Retin Eye Res. 1999; 18(3):293-309.
• Gupta S, Ahmed N, Mohan RR, Husain MM and Mukhtar H: Prostate cancer chemoprevention by green tea: in vitro and in vivo inhibition of testosterone-mediated induction of ornithine decarboxylase: Cancer Res. 1999; 59:2115-2130.
• Kim W-J, Mohan RR, Mohan RR and Wilson SE: Effect of PDGF, IL-1 alpha and BMP2/4 on corneal fibroblasts chemotaxis: Expression of platelet-derived growth factor system. Invest.Ophthalmol Vis.Sci. 1999; 40:1364-1372.
• Kim WJ, Helena MC, Mohan RR, Wilson SE. Changes in corneal morphology associated with chronic epithelial injury. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 1999; 40(1):35-42.
• Mohan RR, Mohan RR, Kim W-J, Stark GR and Wilson SE: Defective keratocyte apoptosis in response to epithelial injury in Stat-1 Null mice. Exp Eye Res. 2000; 70:485-491.
• Mohan RR, Mohan RR, Kim W-J, and Wilson SE: Modulation of TNF alpha-induced apoptosis in corneal fibroblasts by transcription factor NF-kB. Invest.Ophthalmol.and Vis.Sci. 2000; 41:1327-1336.
• Kim WJ, Mohan RR, Mohan RR, Wilson SE. Caspase inhibitor z-VAD-FMK inhibits keratocyte apoptosis, but promotes keratocyte necrosis, after corneal epithelial scrape. Exp Eye Res. 2000; 71:225-232.
• Mohan RR, Mohan RR, Wilson SE. Discoidin domain receptor (DDR) 1 and 2: collagen-activated tyrosine kinase receptors in the cornea. Exp Eye Res. 2001; 72:87-92.
• Wilson SE, Mohan RR, Hong JW, Lee JS, Choi R, Mohan RR. The wound healing response after laser in situ keratomileusis and photorefractive keratectomy: elusive control of biological variability and effect on custom laser vision correction. Arch Ophthalmol. 2001; 119:889-896.
• Wilson SE, Mohan RR, Mohan RR, Ambrosio R, Hong J, Lee J. The Corneal Wound Healing Response: Cytokine-mediated Interaction of the Epithelium, Stroma, and Inflammatory Cells. Prog Retin Eye Res. 2001; 20:625-637.
• Hong J-W, Liu JJ, Mohan RR, Mohan RR, Woods DJ, He YG, Wilson SE. Proinflammatory chemokine induction in keratocytes and inflammatory cell infiltration into the cornea. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2001; 42:2795-2803.
• Wilson SE, Mohan RR, Hong J, Lee J, Choi R, Liu JJ, Mohan RR. Apoptosis in the cornea in response to epithelial injury: significance to wound healing and dry eye. Adv Exp Med Biol. 2002, 506:821-826.
• Mohan RR, Hutcheon AEK, Choi R, Hong J-W, Lee J-S, Mohan RR, Ambrósio R, Zieske JD, Wilson SE: Apoptosis, necrosis, proliferation, and myofibroblast generation in the stroma following LASIK and PRK. Exp Eye Res 2003;76:71-87.
• Wilson SE, Mohan RR, Hutcheon AEK, Mohan RR, Ambrósio R, Zieske JD, Hong JW, Lee J-S. Effect of ectopic epithelial tissue within the stroma on keratocyte apoptosis, mitosis, and myofibroblast transformation. Exp Eye Res 2003;76 :193-201.
• Mohan RR, Possin DE, Mohan RR, Sinha S, Wilson SE: Development of Genetically Engineered tet HPV16-E6/E7 Transduced Human Corneal Epithelial Clones Having Tight Regulation of Proliferation and Normal Differentiation. Exp Eye Res 2003; 77:395-407.
• Mohan RR, Schultz GS, Hong J-W, Mohan RR, Wilson SE: Gene transfer into rabbit kerato-cytes using AAV and lipid-mediated plasmid DNA vectors with a lamellar flap for stromal access Exp Eye Res. 2003, 76:373-383.
• Wilson SE, Mohan RR, Ambrosio R, Mohan RR. Corneal injury. A relatively pure model of stromal-epithelial interactions in wound healing. Methods Mol Med. 2003, 78:67-81.
• Wilson SE, Mohan RR, Netto M, Perez V, Possin D, Huang J, Kwon R, Alekseev A, Rodriguez-Perez JP. RANK, RANKL, OPG, and M-CSF expression in stromal cells during corneal wound healing. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2004, 45:2201-2211.
• Netto MV, Mohan RR, Ambrosio R, Wilson SE. Biological insights into refractive surgery complications and new prospects for molecular therapy. Cornea. 2005, 24: 509-522.
• Mohan RR, Sharma A, Netto MV, Sinha S, Wilson SE. Gene therapy in the cornea. Prog Retin Eye Res. 2005, 24, 537-559.
• Netto MV, Mohan RR, Sinha S, Sharma A, Dupps W Jr, Wilson SE. Stromal haze, myofibroblasts, and surface irregularity after PRK. Exp Eye Res. 2006, 82:788-797.
• Netto MV, Mohan RR, Sinha S, Sharma A, Gupta PC, Wilson SE. Effect of prophylactic and therapeutic Mitomycin C on corneal apoptosis, cellular proliferation, haze, and long-term keratocyte density in rabbits. J. Refractive Surgery. 2006, 22: 562-574.
• Guerriero E, Chen J, Sado Y, Mohan RR, Wilson SE, Funderburgh JL, Sundarraj N. Loss of alpha3(IV) collagen expression associated with corneal keratocyte activation. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2007, 48:627-635.
• Netto MV, Mohan RR, Dupps W Jr, Sinha S, Krueger RR, Stapleton WM, Medeiros, Rayborn M, Wilson SE. Femtosecond laser and microkeratome LASIK flaps: Comparative effects on wound healing and inflammatory infiltration in the cornea. J. Refractive Surgery 2007, 23:667-676.
• Mohan RR, Stapleton WM, Sinha S, Netto NV, Wilson SE. A novel method for generating corneal haze in anterior stroma of the mouse eye with the excimer laser. Exp Eye Res 2008, 86:235-240.
• Stapleton WM, Chaurasia S, Medeiros FW, Mohan RR, Sinha S, Wilson SE. Topical interleukin-1 receptor antagonist inhibits inflammatory cell infiltration into the cornea. Exp Eye Res. 2008;86:753-757.
• Vij N, Sharma A, Thakkar MM, Sinha S, Mohan RR. PDGF-driven proliferation, migration, and IL8 chemokine secretion in human corneal fibroblasts involve JAK2-STAT3 signaling pathway. Mol Vis 2008, 14: 1020-1027.
• Medeiros FW, Mohan RR, Chaurasia S, Sinha S, Stapleton WM, Rayborn M, Wilson SE. Haze Development after Photorefractive Keratectomy: Mechanical vs. Chemical Epithelial Removal. J. Refractive Surgery 2008.


Book Chapters

• Wilson SE, Mohan R, Mohan RR, Ambrósio R, Hong J-W, Lee JS: “The corneal wound heal¬ing response: Cytokine-mediated interaction of the epithelium, stroma, and inflammatory cells,” In: DiPietro LA & Burns-Harring AL (eds.): Wound Healing Methods and Protocols. Copyright © 2001 Humana Press, Totowa, N.J.; vol. 20, pp. 625-37.
• Wilson SE, Li Q, Mohan RR, Tervo T, Vesaluoma M, Bennett GL, Schwall R, Tabor K, Kim J, Hargrave S and Cuevas KH: Lacrimal gland growth factors and receptors: lacrimal fibroblastic cells are a source of tear HGF. Adv Exp Med Biol, 438, 625-628, 1998.
• Marcelo NV, Mohan RR and Wilson SE: Corneal wound healing response in LASEK, In press
• Gupta D, Arora R, Mohan RR, Almasan A, Gudkov AV, Macklis RM. Novel Strategies for Protecting Mitochondria (the Cellular Powerhouse) Against Low-LET Radiation: A Review. Chapter 15