Dr Amiya Patra
Profiles

Dr Amiya Patra

Lecturer in Biomedical Sciences

Peninsula Medical School (Faculty of Health)

Biography

Biography

Research

Teaching
Supervision

Qualifications

Ph.D. in Immunology


PGCAP (Academic Teaching)

Fellow, Higher Education Academy (HEA)

Professional membership

International Society for Interferon and Cytokine Research (ISICR)

International Cytokine Society (ICS)
German Society for Immunology (DGFI)
European Association for Cancer Research (EACR)

Roles on external bodies

Review Editor (Frontiers in Immunology)

Teaching

Teaching

Teaching interests

  • Academic Teaching (Plenaries as well as small group sessions)
  • Academic Tutor (Yr. 1 & 2 BMBS students)
  • Facilitator: Student Selected Component (SSC 1) Yr. 1 BMBS students
  • Facilitator: Student Selected Component (SSC 2), Doctors as Educators (DAE) module, Yr. 2 BMBS students
  • Facilitator: Enquiry Based Learning (EBL) Yr. 1 BMBS students
  • Plenary sessions on Evidence Based Practice (EBP) Yr. 1 BMBS students
  • Evaluation, assessment and feedback to students
  • Academic Teaching: Immunology to BSc Diagnostic Radiography Programme
  • Programme Lead: MSc Clinical Sciences (2021- ) (mostly international students)
  • Module Lead (CST710): MSc Clinical Sciences programme (mostly international students)
  • Academic Supervisor (CST711 Project Development Module)
  • Dissertation Supervisor (Final Year undergraduate students from SoBS)
  • Expert Commentator for PhD research project (PMS)
  • Evaluation, assessment and feedback to students
  • Academic Teaching (Plenary sessions): Anatomy and Physiology to BSc Paramedic students (School of Health Profession)
  • Practical Sessions: Anatomy and Physiology to BSc Paramedic students (School of Health Profession)
  • Setting up questions for Anatomy and Physiology examination: BSc Paramedic students (School of Health Profession)
  • Student Recruitment Interview for BMBS and BDS programmes
  • Exam Invigilation/Remote Proctoring (online exams for students at various levels in the Medical and Dental schools)

Research

Research

Research interests

Research Interests

  • Molecular and epigenetic mechanisms of lymphocyte and erythrocyte development.
  • Transcriptional regulation of Hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) maintenance and pathogenesis of lymphoid and myeloid leukemia.
  • Signalling in the hematopoietic system (cytokines and growth factors).
  • Foxp3+ Treg cells in bone homeostasis and osteoporosis.
  • Cellular and molecular basis of Anemia, Immunodeficiency, autoimmunity and tumorigenesis.
  • NFAT signalling in immunoaging (thymic stroma development and T cell function).
  • Developing cellular therapy against hematological and non-hematological tumors with specific emphasis on Lymphokine Activated Killer (LAK) cells.

Other research



Research degrees awarded to supervised students

Research Supervision/Mentoring

Sabrina Giampaolo (PhD student)

Dissertation Projects (SoBS Final Year Undergraduate students)

Ellie Jones

Bartosz Samojluk

Research Technician

Debra Lennox (Research Technician)

Gabriela Wojcik (Research Technician)

Placement Students

William Smedley (Placement Student, University of Bath, UK)

Carlotta Barahona de Brito (Placement Student, University of Bath, UK)

Laura Latkova (Placement Student, University of Bath, UK)

Justin Ngai Ho Lun (Placement Student, University of Bath, UK)

Summer Research Students

Harry Dunlop (Summer Research Student, Imperial College London, UK)

Vinay Bakshi (Summer Research Trainee, University of Plymouth, UK)

Grants & contracts

  • Vandervell Fellowship (2015–2020). 
  • Jose Carreras Leukemia Foundation, Germany (DJCLS), 2015.
  • PostDocPlus Funding, 2014, University of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany.  
  • European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO) Short-Term Fellowship, 2006.

Publications

Publications

Key publications

Key publications are highlighted

Journals

New aspects of HSC mobilization for better therapeutic outcomes.
Patra AK.Cell Mol Immunol. 2021 Dec;18(12):2583-2585. doi: 10.1038/s41423-021-00723-7. Epub 2021 Jun 22.PMID: 34158632 No abstract available.
 
Architecture and expression of the nfatc1 gene in lymphocytes.
Rudolf R, Busch R, Patra AK, Muhammad K, Avots A, Andrau JC, Klein-Hessling S, Serfling E.Front Immunol. 2014 Feb 3;5:21. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2014.00021. eCollection 2014.PMID: 24550910 Free PMC article. Review.

NFAT-mediated defects in erythropoiesis cause anemia in Il2-/- mice.
Giampaolo S, Wójcik G, Klein-Hessling S, Serfling E, Patra AK.Oncotarget. 2017 Dec 28;9(11):9632-9644. doi: 10.18632/oncotarget.23745. eCollection 2018 Feb 9.PMID: 29515759 Free PMC article.
 
B cell development is critically dependent on NFATc1 activity.
Giampaolo S, Wójcik G, Klein-Hessling S, Serfling E, Patra AK.Cell Mol Immunol. 2019 May;16(5):508-520. doi: 10.1038/s41423-018-0052-9. Epub 2018 Jun 15.PMID: 29907883 Free PMC article.
 
NFATc1 controls the cytotoxicity of CD8+ T cells.
Klein-Hessling S, Muhammad K, Klein M, Pusch T, Rudolf R, Flöter J, Qureischi M, Beilhack A, Vaeth M, Kummerow C, Backes C, Schoppmeyer R, Hahn U, Hoth M, Bopp T, Berberich-Siebelt F, Patra A, Avots A, Müller N, Schulze A, Serfling E.Nat Commun. 2017 Sep 11;8(1):511. doi: 10.1038/s41467-017-00612-6.PMID: 28894104 Free PMC article.
 
Interleukin-2-regulatory T cell axis critically regulates maintenance of hematopoietic stem cells.
Giampaolo S, Wójcik G, Serfling E, Patra AK.Oncotarget. 2017 May 2;8(18):29625-29642. doi: 10.18632/oncotarget.16377.PMID: 28415569 Free PMC article.
 
NFATc1 induction in peripheral T and B lymphocytes.
Hock M, Vaeth M, Rudolf R, Patra AK, Pham DA, Muhammad K, Pusch T, Bopp T, Schmitt E, Rost R, Berberich-Siebelt F, Tyrsin D, Chuvpilo S, Avots A, Serfling E, Klein-Hessling S.J Immunol. 2013 Mar 1;190(5):2345-53. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.1201591. Epub 2013 Jan 30.PMID: 23365084 Free article.
 
NFATc1 supports imiquimod-induced skin inflammation by suppressing IL-10 synthesis in B cells.
Alrefai H, Muhammad K, Rudolf R, Pham DA, Klein-Hessling S, Patra AK, Avots A, Bukur V, Sahin U, Tenzer S, Goebeler M, Kerstan A, Serfling E.Nat Commun. 2016 May 25;7:11724. doi: 10.1038/ncomms11724.PMID: 27222343 Free PMC article.
 
A threshold level of NFATc1 activity facilitates thymocyte differentiation and opposes notch-driven leukaemia development.
Klein-Hessling S, Rudolf R, Muhammad K, Knobeloch KP, Maqbool MA, Cauchy P, Andrau JC, Avots A, Talora C, Ellenrieder V, Screpanti I, Serfling E, Patra AK.Nat Commun. 2016 Jun 17;7:11841. doi: 10.1038/ncomms11841.PMID: 27312418 Free PMC article.
 
Interleukin-2 critically regulates bone marrow erythropoiesis and prevents anemia development.
Chopra M, Langenhorst D, Beilhack A, Serfling E, Patra AK.Eur J Immunol. 2015 Dec;45(12):3362-74. doi: 10.1002/eji.201545596. Epub 2015 Oct 15.PMID: 26404745 Free article.
 
An alternative NFAT-activation pathway mediated by IL-7 is critical for early thymocyte development.
Patra AK, Avots A, Zahedi RP, Schüler T, Sickmann A, Bommhardt U, Serfling E.Nat Immunol. 2013 Feb;14(2):127-35. doi: 10.1038/ni.2507. Epub 2012 Dec 23.PMID: 23263556
 
NF-κB factors control the induction of NFATc1 in B lymphocytes.
Muhammad K, Alrefai H, Marienfeld R, Pham DA, Murti K, Patra AK, Avots A, Bukur V, Sahin U, Kondo E, Klein-Hessling S, Serfling E.Eur J Immunol. 2014 Nov;44(11):3392-402. doi: 10.1002/eji.201444756. Epub 2014 Sep 26.PMID: 25179582 Free article.
 
Corrigendum: NFATc1 supports imiquimod-induced skin inflammation by suppressing IL-10 synthesis in B cells.
Alrefai H, Muhammad K, Rudolf R, Pham DAT, Klein-Hessling S, Patra AK, Avots A, Bukur V, Sahin U, Tenzer S, Goebeler M, Kerstan A, Serfling E.Nat Commun. 2016 Aug 2;7:12421. doi: 10.1038/ncomms12421.PMID: 27480447 Free PMC article. No abstract available.
 
Hematopoietic Stem and Progenitor Cell Maintenance and Multiple Lineage Differentiation Is an Integral Function of NFATc1.
Barahona de Brito C, Klein-Hessling S, Serfling E, Patra AK.Cells. 2022 Jun 23;11(13):2012. doi: 10.3390/cells11132012.PMID: 35805096 Free PMC article.
 
NFATc1 releases BCL6-dependent repression of CCR2 agonist expression in peritoneal macrophages from Saccharomyces cerevisiae infected mice.
Busch R, Murti K, Liu J, Patra AK, Muhammad K, Knobeloch KP, Lichtinger M, Bonifer C, Wörtge S, Waisman A, Reifenberg K, Ellenrieder V, Serfling E, Avots A.Eur J Immunol. 2016 Mar;46(3):634-46. doi: 10.1002/eji.201545925. Epub 2016 Jan 8.PMID: 26631626 Free article.
 
NFAT Factors Are Dispensable for the Development but Are Critical for the Maintenance of Foxp3+ Regulatory T Cells.
Barahona de Brito C, Patra AK.Cells. 2022 Apr 20;11(9):1397. doi: 10.3390/cells11091397.PMID: 35563702 Free PMC article.
 
NFATc1 affects mouse splenic B cell function by controlling the calcineurin--NFAT signaling network.
Bhattacharyya S, Deb J, Patra AK, Thuy Pham DA, Chen W, Vaeth M, Berberich-Siebelt F, Klein-Hessling S, Lamperti ED, Reifenberg K, Jellusova J, Schweizer A, Nitschke L, Leich E, Rosenwald A, Brunner C, Engelmann S, Bommhardt U, Avots A, Müller MR, Kondo E, Serfling E.J Exp Med. 2011 Apr 11;208(4):823-39. doi: 10.1084/jem.20100945. Epub 2011 Apr 4.PMID: 21464221 Free PMC article.
 
PKB rescues calcineurin/NFAT-induced arrest of Rag expression and pre-T cell differentiation.
Patra AK, Drewes T, Engelmann S, Chuvpilo S, Kishi H, Hünig T, Serfling E, Bommhardt UH.J Immunol. 2006 Oct 1;177(7):4567-76. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.177.7.4567.PMID: 16982894 Free article.
 
Constitutively active protein kinase B enhances Lck and Erk activities and influences thymocyte selection and activation.
Na SY, Patra A, Scheuring Y, Marx A, Tolaini M, Kioussis D, Hemmings BA, Hünig T, Bommhardt U.J Immunol. 2003 Aug 1;171(3):1285-96. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.171.3.1285.PMID: 12874217 Free article.
 
Active protein kinase B regulates TCR responsiveness by modulating cytoplasmic-nuclear localization of NFAT and NF-kappa B proteins.
Patra AK, Na SY, Bommhardt U.J Immunol. 2004 Apr 15;172(8):4812-20. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.172.8.4812.PMID: 15067058 Free article.

Articles
Giampaolo S, Chiarolla CM, Knöpper K, Vaeth M, Klein M, Muhammad A, Bopp T, Berberich-Siebelt F, Patra AK & Serfling E (2023) 'NFATc1 induction by an intronic enhancer restricts NKT γδ cell formation' iScience 106234-106234 , DOI
Barahona de Brito C, Klein-Hessling S, Serfling E & Patra AK (2022) 'Hematopoietic Stem and Progenitor Cell Maintenance and Multiple Lineage Differentiation Is an Integral Function of NFATc1' Cells 11, (13) , DOI Open access
Barahona de Brito C & Patra AK (2022) 'NFAT Factors Are Dispensable for the Development but Are Critical for the Maintenance of Foxp3+ Regulatory T Cells' Cells 11, (9) , DOI Open access
Patra AK (2021) 'New aspects of HSC mobilization for better therapeutic outcomes' Cellular & Molecular Immunology 18, (12) 2583-2585 , DOI
Giampaolo S, Wójcik G, Klein-Hessling S, Serfling E & Patra AK (2018) 'B cell development is critically dependent on NFATc1 activity' Cellular and Molecular Immunology , DOI Open access
Giampaolo S, Wójcik G, Klein-Hessling S, Serfling E & Patra AK (2017) 'NFAT-mediated defects in erythropoiesis cause anemia in Il2-/- mice' Oncotarget 9, (11) 9632-9644 Author Site , DOI Open access
Klein-Hessling S, Muhammad K, Klein M, Pusch T, Rudolf R, Flöter J, Qureischi M, Beilhack A, Vaeth M & Kummerow C (2017) 'NFATc1 controls the cytotoxicity of CD8+ T cells' Nature Communications 8, (1) 0-0 , DOI Open access
Giampaolo S, Wójcik G, Serfling E & Patra AK (2017) 'Interleukin-2-regulatory T cell axis critically regulates maintenance of hematopoietic stem cells' Oncotarget , DOI Open access
Alrefai H, Muhammad K, Rudolf R, Pham DAT, Klein-Hessling S, Patra AK, Avots A, Bukur V, Sahin U & Tenzer S (2016) 'Correction: Corrigendum: NFATc1 supports imiquimod-induced skin inflammation by suppressing IL-10 synthesis in B cells' Nature Communications 7, (1) , DOI Open access
Patra AK (2016) 'A threshold level of NFATc1 activity facilitates thymocyte differentiation and opposes notch-driven leukaemia development' Nature Communications , DOI Open access
Alrefai H, Muhammad K, Rudolf R, Pham DAT, Klein-Hessling S, Patra AK, Avots A, Bukur V, Sahin U & Tenzer S (2016) 'NFATc1 supports imiquimod-induced skin inflammation by suppressing IL-10 synthesis in B cells' Nature Communications 7, (1) 0-0 , DOI Open access
Busch R, Murti K, Liu J, Patra AK, Muhammad K, Knobeloch K-P, Lichtinger M, Bonifer C, Wörtge S & Waisman A (2016) 'NFATc1 releases BCL6-dependent repression of CCR2 agonist expression in peritoneal macrophages from<i>Saccharomyces cerevisiae</i>infected mice' European Journal of Immunology 46, (3) 634-646 , DOI
Chopra M, Langenhorst D, Beilhack A, Serfling E & Patra AK (2015) 'Interleukin-2 critically regulates bone marrow erythropoiesis and prevents anemia development' European Journal of Immunology 45, (12) 3362-3374 , DOI
Muhammad K, Alrefai H, Marienfeld R, Pham DAT, Murti K, Patra AK, Avots A, Bukur V, Sahin U & Kondo E (2014) 'NF-κB factors control the induction of NFATc1 in B lymphocytes' European Journal of Immunology 44, (11) 3392-3402 , DOI
Rudolf R, Busch R, Patra AK, Muhammad K, Avots A, Andrau J-C, Klein-Hessling S & Serfling E (2014) 'Architecture and Expression of the Nfatc1 Gene in Lymphocytes' Frontiers in Immunology 5, , DOI Open access
Hock M, Vaeth M, Rudolf R, Patra AK, Pham DAT, Muhammad K, Pusch T, Bopp T, Schmitt E & Rost R (2013) 'NFATc1 Induction in Peripheral T and B Lymphocytes' The Journal of Immunology 190, (5) 2345-2353 , DOI
Patra AK, Avots A, Zahedi RP, Schüler T, Sickmann A, Bommhardt U & Serfling E (2012) 'An alternative NFAT-activation pathway mediated by IL-7 is critical for early thymocyte development' Nature Immunology 14, (2) 127-135 , DOI
Bhattacharyya S, Deb J, Patra AK, Thuy Pham DA, Chen W, Vaeth M, Berberich-Siebelt F, Klein-Hessling S, Lamperti ED & Reifenberg K (2011) 'NFATc1 affects mouse splenic B cell function by controlling the calcineurin–NFAT signaling network' Journal of Experimental Medicine 208, (4) 823-839 , DOI Open access
Patra AK, Drewes T, Engelmann S, Chuvpilo S, Kishi H, Hu¨nig T, Serfling E & Bommhardt UH (2006) 'PKB Rescues Calcineurin/NFAT-Induced Arrest of Rag Expression and Pre-T Cell Differentiation' The Journal of Immunology 177, (7) 4567-4576 , DOI
Na SY, Patra A, Scheuring Y, Marx A, Tolaini M, Kioussis D, Hemmings BA, Hünig T & Bommhardt U (2006) 'Erratum: Constitutively active protein kinase B enhances Lck and Erk activities and influences thymocyte selection and activation (Journal of Immunology (2003) 171 (1285-1296))' Journal of Immunology 176, (4)
Na S-Y, Patra A, Scheuring Y, Marx A, Tolaini M, Kioussis D, Hemmings B, Hu¨nig T & Bommhardt U (2006) 'Constitutively active protein kinase B enhances Lck and Erk activities and influences thymocyte selection and activation' The Journal of Immunology 176, (4) 2669-2669 , DOI
Patra AK, Na S-Y & Bommhardt U (2004) 'Active Protein Kinase B Regulates TCR Responsiveness by Modulating Cytoplasmic-Nuclear Localization of NFAT and NF-κB Proteins' The Journal of Immunology 172, (8) 4812-4820 , DOI
Patra AK (2003) 'Constitutively active protein kinase B enhances Lck and Erk activities and influences thymocyte selection and activation' Journal of Immunology Open access
Conference Papers
Kerstan A, Alrefai H, Muhammad K, Rudolf R, Pham DA, Klein-Hessling S, Patra AK, Avots A, Bukur V & Sahin U (2016) 'NFATc1 promotes imiquimod-induced skin inflammation by negatively controlling IL-10 production in B cells' E26-E26
Patra AK, Avots A, Zahedi RP, Schüler T, Sickmann A, Bommhardt U & Serfling E (2013) '196' Elsevier BV 289-289 , DOI
Presentations and posters
Patra A, Klein-Hessling S, Knobeloch KP, Andrau JC, Ellenrieder V, Screpanti I & Serfling E Patra A, Klein-Hessling S, Knobeloch KP, Andrau JC, Ellenrieder V, Screpanti I & Serfling E 'Altered NFATc1 activity blocks T cell development and facilitates the pathogenesis of T-acute lymphoblastic leukemia' , DOI
Personal

Personal

Reports & invited lectures

  • NFATc1-mediated transcriptional regulation of thymocyte development. 2016. School of Biological and Health Sciences, University of Plymouth, UK.
  • Role of the transcription factor NFATc1 in thymocyte development. 2014. Max Delbruck Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC), Berlin, Germany.
  • Interleukin-7-mediated NFAT activation is critical for early thymocyte development. 2013. National Institute of Immunology (NII), New Delhi, India.

Other academic activities

Editorial Responsibility

Frontiers in Immunology (Review Editor)

Referee Activity for Journals and Grant Applications

Journals

Blood

Biomolecules

Biomedicines

Cells

Cell Death & Disease

Cellular Immunology

Clinical and Translational Medicine

European Journal of Immunology

Frontiers in Immunology

International Journal of Molecular Sciences

Journal of Clinical Medicine

Metabolites

Molecules

Oncotarget

Scientific Reports

Theranostics

 

Grant Applications

Medical Research Council (MRC), UK (2018, 2019 & 2020)

Czech Science Foundation, Czech Republic (2017)

French National Research Agency (ANR), France (2020)

Administrative and Management Roles

Programme Lead; MSc Clinical Sciences

Member FEDIC

Fire Marshal, ITSMED, University of Plymouth (2016-2020)

Schools Science Event (2016-2020)

Examiner in PhD Transfer Committee