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Radha Gopal, PhD

  • Research Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
  • Senior Research Scientist

Radha Gopal, PhD, is a research assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine in the Division of Pulmonology. Gopal earned her Bachelor and Master of Veterinary Science degree from Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, India, and her PhD from Northern Arizona University. She then completed her post-doctoral training at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. Gopal’s research focuses on understanding the immune mechanisms of influenza-associated cardiovascular diseases.

Studies have shown the influenza infection triggering acute myocardial infarction. Atherosclerosis is a common cause of coronary artery disease. Gopal’s research is to investigate the impact of influenza on vascular endothelial cells, macrophages, and vascular smooth muscle cells on atherosclerotic plaque formation and rupture. Ultimately, this research improves understanding of the mechanisms involved in influenza-induced cardiovascular events and helps to identify potential therapeutic targets. Gopal is also interested in understanding the role of type III interferons in atherosclerosis. Interferon lambda (IFNL) has been shown to be a potential therapeutic agent for treating influenza infection. Identifying the effect of IFNL in atherosclerosis will extend the information on the therapeutic potential of IFNL in influenza infection.

Professional and Scientific Society Memberships

  • American Association of Immunologists, 2011-Present
  • American Thoracic Society, 2016-Present
  • American Heart Association, 2016-Present
  • International Cytokine & Interferon Society, 2022-Present

Education & Training

  • BVSc, Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, 1997
  • MVSc, Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, 2001
  • PhD, Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, 2009
  • Postdoctoral Associate, Pulmonology, University of Pittsburgh, 2017

Selected Publications

 

Constantinesco NJ, Chinnappan B, DeVito LJ, Moras C, Srikanth S, Garcia-Hernandez MG, Rangel-Moreno J and Gopal R. Sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 (SGLT-2) inhibitor, empagliflozin, suppresses the inflammatory immune response to influenza infection. ImmunoHorizons. 2023.

Rich HE, Antos D, McCourt CC, Zheng WQ, Devito LJ, McHugh KJ, Gopal R, Wang J, Alcorn JF. Murine Type III interferons are functionally redundant and correlate with bacterial burden during influenza/bacterial super-infection. PLoS One. 2021;16(10): e0255309. PubMed PMID: 34618816.

Gopal R, Marinelli MA, Alcorn JF. Immune mechanisms in cardiovascular diseases associated with viral infection.  Front Immunol. 2020;11: 570681. doi:10.3389/fimmu.2020.570681.  eCollection Review. PubMed PMID: 33193350. 

Gopal R, Mendy A, Marinelli MA, Richwalls LJ, Seger PJ, Patel S, McHugh KJ, Rich HE, Grousd JA, Forno E, Alcorn JF. Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Gamma (PPARg) Suppresses Inflammation and Bacterial Clearance during Influenza-Bacterial Super-Infection. Viruses. 2019 Jun 1;11(6). PubMed PMID: 31159430.

Gopal R, Lee B, McHugh KJ, Rich HE, Ramanan K, Mandalapu S, Clay ME, Seger PJ, Enelow RI, Manni ML, Robinson KM, Rangel-Moreno J, Alcorn JF. STAT2 Signaling Regulates Macrophage Phenotype During Influenza and Bacterial Super-Infection. Front Immunol. 2018; 9:2151. eCollection 2018. PubMed PMID: 30337919.

Gopal R, Rapaka RR, Kolls JK. Immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome associated with pulmonary pathogens. Eur Respir Rev. 2017 Jan;26(143). doi: 10.1183/16000617.0042-2016. Print 2017 Jan. Review. PubMed PMID: 28049128. 

Lee B, Gopal R, Manni ML, McHugh KJ, Mandalapu S, Robinson KM, Alcorn JF. STAT1 Is Required for Suppression of Type 17 Immunity during Influenza and Bacterial Superinfection. Immunohorizons. 2017 Aug 1;1(6):81-91. PubMed PMID: 29577113.

Gopal R, Monin L, Slight S, Uche U, Blanchard E, Fallert Junecko BA, Ramos-Payan R, Stallings CL, Reinhart TA, Kolls JK, Kaushal D, Nagarajan U, Rangel-Moreno J, Khader SA. Unexpected role for IL-17 in protective immunity against hypervirulent Mycobacterium tuberculosis HN878 infection. PLoS Pathog. 2014 May;10(5):e1004099. PubMed PMID: 24831696.

Gopal R, Monin L, Torres D, Slight S, Mehra S, McKenna KC, Fallert Junecko BA, Reinhart TA, Kolls J, Báez-Saldaña R, Cruz-Lagunas A, Rodríguez-Reyna TS, Kumar NP, Tessier P, Roth J, Selman M, Becerril-Villanueva E, Baquera-Heredia J, Cumming B, Kasprowicz VO, Steyn AJ, Babu S, Kaushal D, Zúñiga J, Vogl T, Rangel-Moreno J, Khader SA. S100A8/A9 proteins mediate neutrophilic inflammation and lung pathology during tuberculosis. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2013 Nov 1;188(9):1137-46. PubMed PMID: 24047412.

Gopal R, Rangel-Moreno J, Slight S, Lin Y, Nawar HF, Fallert Junecko BA, Reinhart TA, Kolls J, Randall TD, Connell TD, Khader SA. Interleukin-17-dependent CXCL13 mediates mucosal vaccine-induced immunity against tuberculosis. Mucosal Immunol. 2013 Sep;6(5):972-84. PubMed PMID: 23299616.

View MyNCBI Bibliography » 

Academic and Research Interests

  • Influenza
  • Cardiovascular diseases
  • Atherosclerosis

Research Grants

NIH 1R01HL146479-01, Immune mechanisms of influenza-induced exacerbation of atherosclerosis (PI, 50% effort), 2020-2025, $1,947,775.