Juhi Arora Email & Phone Number

Maryland, United States

State College, Pennsylvania Area

My ongoing doctoral research work focusses on investigating the impact of vitamin D on regulating immunity at barrier surfaces, particularly the lung. Previously, I have studied the effect of vitamin D on innate lymphoid cell (ILC) populations, specifically ILC3 in the colon of mice. These cells help in maintaining tolerance to gut microbiome and maintain a balance between pro- and anti-inflammatory immune reactions at the surface of the intestine. Any time such a balance is disrupted, it can lead to inflammation, which manifests as a symptom of colitis. Since ILCs form the first line of defense, these have become attractive targets to control inflammation during the initial stages. Our work with mice that were fed a vitamin D deficient diet, showed a decrease in IL-22 producing ILC3 cells in the colon and these mice were more susceptible to infection by the intestinal pathogen, Citrobacter rodentium. IL-22 is an important cytokine that helps in maintaining integrity of mucosal barrier. This finding is relevant, particularly for patients suffering from inflammatory bowel disorder (IBD) who have deficiency in vitamin D and dysregulated immune responses. Use of vitamin D as a treatment supplement might prove beneficial. We have now focused our attention to understanding how vitamin D affects immunity at the mucosal surface of the lung, especially during influenza and COVID19 infections.

Master's program: 2 years (total). Two years of biochemistry coureswork with practical training and 1 year of thesis project.Highlights of Thesis Project:- Supervised by Prof. Vijay Kumar Chaudhary and Dr. Vaishali Verma at University of Delhi, South Campus.- Single chain fragment variable (scFv) antibodies obtained against Tuberculosis antigens were studied. - Conditions were optimized for efficient expression and immobilization of scFvs in the periplasm of E. coli. Different peptide tags were tested.

Pune, Maharashtra

- Summer internship program at IISER, Pune. - Guided by Prof. Sanjeev Galande. Highlights of work done:- Catalogued morphological changes in Hydra vulgaris when exposed to two different inhibitors of lysine demethylases. - Studied the feeding response of Hydra vulgaris when treated with lysine demethylase inhibitors.

New Delhi Area, India

Updating products related to healthcare, biotechnology and medical industry, maintaining product database and content writing

Jaipur Area, India

Writing and updating blogs on travel and tourism in India

New Delhi, Delhi

I worked as an Undergraduate Research Assistant for the project titled ‘Immunohistochemical Evaluation of Candidate Markers for Sebaceous Gland Differentiation and their Correlation with Aggressive Eyelid Carcinoma.’ The work for this project was carried out under the guidance of Dr. Perumal Jayaraj (University of Delhi) and Dr. Seem Sen (All India Institue of Medical Sciences) as a part of Delhi University Innovation Project Scheme. We evaluated 31 samples of cancerous tissues obtained from patients admitted at AIIMS hospital, New Delhi. We performed immunohistochemistry to evaluate the expression of Cyclo-oxygenase-2 (COX-2) and Peroxisomal Proliferator Activated Receptor (PPAR) and correlated the expression levels with clinicopathological features using statistical tests. It has been difficult to distinguish between the different subtypes of eyelid carcinoma which further delays to diagnosis causing the cancer to metastasize. Sebaceous gland carcinoma can also present in the form of stye or conjunctivitis, further delaying the correct diagnosis. Our work provides a biomarker for distinguishing and identifying sebaceous gland carcinoma at an early stage as well as a candidate for therapeutic intervention.

Doctor Of Philosophy - Phd, Pathobiology

Master Of Science (Msc), Biochemistry, Gold Medal Awardee

Bsc, Biochemistry

Education record

Activities and Societies: Music Team, Dance Team, Literati club