Nirmala Parajuli
Associate Professor
faculty
Pharmacology & Toxicology, College of Medicine
Research Areas
Links
Biography and Research Information
OverviewAI-generated summary
Nirmala Parajuli's research focuses on understanding and improving kidney viability during cold storage for transplantation. Her laboratory investigates how cold storage affects renal function post-transplantation, with the goal of identifying therapeutic targets for enhanced outcomes. Current investigations utilize rat models to examine the roles of the proteasome, heat shock proteins, and the complement pathway in cold-stored kidneys.
Parajuli has received federal funding for her work, including a $429,560 grant from the NIH/National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases to target heat shock protein 72 for improved renal function after transplantation. Her recent publications explore topics such as the aberrant activation of the complement system in renal grafts, the induction of interferon-gamma and STAT-1, and the effects of cold storage on the kidney's proteome and phosphoproteome landscape. She also investigates the role of complement 5 in mitochondria during ischemia-reperfusion injury and compares hypothermic machine perfusion with static cold storage for mitigating oxidative stress and tubular injury in rat kidneys.
Her scholarship metrics include an h-index of 16 with over 6,700 total citations across 60 publications. Parajuli collaborates with several researchers at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, including Dinesh Bhattarai, Seongok Lee, Madison McGraw, and Se-Ran Jun, with whom she has multiple shared publications.
Research Overview
My primary research priority is to identify strategies to enhance the viability of kidneys during prolonged cold storage in order to ensure the long-term survival of renal transplants. My research focuses on exploring novel mechanisms by which cold storage alters protein quality and renal function after transplantation, and importantly, to identify a possible therapeutic target that could lead to improved renal outcomes after transplantation. Specifically, my laboratory investigates the roles of the proteasome, heat shock proteins, and the complement pathway during cold storage followed by transplantation using rat models.
Metrics
- h-index: 16
- Publications: 60
- Citations: 6,788
Selected Publications
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Metformin Attenuates Oxidative Stress and Inflammatory Responses in Obesity-Associated Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) (2025)
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Complement 5's Role in Mitochondria During Kidney Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury in Rats (2025)
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Compared with Static Cold Storage, Hypothermic Machine Perfusion Mitigates Oxidative Stress and Tubular Injury in Rat Kidneys (2025)
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Post‐ischemia and reperfusion kidney injury is mitigated in a novel complement 5 knockout rat (2025)
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Obesity-Associated NAFLD Coexists with a Chronic Inflammatory Kidney Condition That Is Partially Mitigated by Short-Term Oral Metformin (2025)
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Cold Storage-Induced Proteasome Dysfunction in Rat Kidney Transplants: A Plausible Role of p38MAPK Signaling (Abstract ID: 161861) (2025)
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Mechanism of Impaired Protein Homeostasis in Kidney Grafts Following Cold Storage and Transplantation (Abstract ID: 162640) (2025)
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Ischemia and Reperfusion (IRI)-Induced Kidney Injury Is Attenuated by Complement 5 Gene Deletion (Abstract ID: 161749) (2025)
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Unrecognized Effects of Metformin to Reduce Proteasomal Stress and Macrophage Infiltration in Kidneys of Obese Rats with NAFLD (Abstract ID: 166383) (2025)
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Cold Storage Disrupts the Proteome and Phosphoproteome Landscape in Rat Kidney Transplants (2024)
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Cold Storage-Mediated Activation of P38MAPK-MK2 Axis Induces Kidney Injury after Transplantation (2024)
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Cold Storage Exacerbates Complement Pathway Activation in Kidneys following Transplantation (2024)
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Mechanism of Impaired Protein Homeostasis in Kidney Grafts following Cold Storage and Transplant (2024)
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Novel compounds that target epoxyeicosanoids protect rat kidney epithelial cells in organ transplant solution during cold storage (2024)
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Normal Proteasome Function Is Needed to Prevent Kidney Graft Injury during Cold Storage Followed by Transplantation (2024)
Federal Grants 1 $429,560 total
Targeting heat shock protein 72 to improve renal function after transplantation
Research Interests
Long-term interest of my laboratory is to understand molecular mechanisms responsible for cold storage (CS)-induced renal damage. My research focuses on exploring novel mechanisms by which CS alters protein quality and renal function after transplantation, and importantly, to identify a possible therapeutic target that could lead to improved renal outcome after transplantation. Specifically, I plan to investigate the roles of proteasome, heat shock proteins and complement pathway during CS plus transplantation. We have established a rat kidney transplantation model, which will be fundamental in studying my independent research project on CS mediated renal damage. In addition, I’m also collaborating with Dr. MacMillan-Crow to study the molecular mechanisms that disrupt mitochondrial dynamics during renal CS and transplantation using our rat kidney transplant model. https://www.archildrens.org/research/researchers-at-acri/nirmala-parajuli-phd https://pharmtox.uams.edu/faculty/primary-faculty/nirmala-parajuli-ph-d/
Grants & Funding
- No FP attached UAMS ACHRI Flow Through Principal Investigator
- No FP attached UAMS ACHRI Flow Through Principal Investigator
- No FP attached UAMS ACHRI Flow Through Principal Investigator
- No FP attached UAMS ACHRI Flow Through Principal Investigator
- Ubiquitin Proteasome System, Mitochondria, and Renal Cold Storage - Continuation American Heart Association Principal Investigator
- Targeting heat shock protein 72 to improve renal function after transplantation NIH/NIDDK Select
- No FP attached UAMS ACHRI Flow Through Principal Investigator
- No FP attached UAMS ACHRI Flow Through Principal Investigator
Collaboration Network
Top Collaborators
- Cold Storage Followed by Transplantation Induces Immunoproteasome in Rat Kidney Allografts: Inhibition of Immunoproteasome Does Not Improve Function
- Normal Proteasome Function Is Needed to Prevent Kidney Graft Injury during Cold Storage Followed by Transplantation
- Cold Storage Disrupts the Proteome and Phosphoproteome Landscape in Rat Kidney Transplants
- Cold Storage-Mediated p38MAPK Activation: A Potential Contributor of Proteasome Dysfunction and Kidney Damage After Transplantation
- Ischemia-Reperfusion-Mediated Kidney Injury Is Attenuated in a New Complement 5 Knockout Model
Showing 5 of 12 shared publications
- Mechanism of Cold Storage-Mediated Regulation of Heat Shock Proteins in Renal Grafts After Transplantation
- Cold Storage-Mediated p38MAPK Activation: A Potential Contributor of Proteasome Dysfunction and Kidney Damage After Transplantation
- Ischemia-Reperfusion-Mediated Kidney Injury Is Attenuated in a New Complement 5 Knockout Model
- Mechanism of Impaired Protein Homeostasis in Kidney Grafts following Cold Storage and Transplant
- Ischemia and Reperfusion (IRI)-Induced Kidney Injury Is Attenuated by Complement 5 Gene Deletion (Abstract ID: 161749)
Showing 5 of 8 shared publications
- Cold Storage Followed by Transplantation Induces Interferon-Gamma and STAT-1 in Kidney Grafts
- Ischemia-Reperfusion-Mediated Kidney Injury Is Attenuated in a New Complement 5 Knockout Model
- Cold Storage Exacerbates Complement Pathway Activation in Kidneys following Transplantation
- Ischemia and Reperfusion (IRI)-Induced Kidney Injury Is Attenuated by Complement 5 Gene Deletion (Abstract ID: 161749)
- Post‐ischemia and reperfusion kidney injury is mitigated in a novel complement 5 knockout rat
Showing 5 of 7 shared publications
- Unrecognized Effects of Metformin to Reduce Proteasomal Stress and Macrophage Infiltration in Kidneys of Obese Rats with NAFLD (Abstract ID: 166383)
- Obesity-Associated NAFLD Coexists with a Chronic Inflammatory Kidney Condition That Is Partially Mitigated by Short-Term Oral Metformin
- Post‐ischemia and reperfusion kidney injury is mitigated in a novel complement 5 knockout rat
- Complement 5's Role in Mitochondria During Kidney Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury in Rats
- Metformin Attenuates Oxidative Stress and Inflammatory Responses in Obesity-Associated Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD)
- Cold Storage Disrupts the Proteome and Phosphoproteome Landscape in Rat Kidney Transplants
- Post‐ischemia and reperfusion kidney injury is mitigated in a novel complement 5 knockout rat
- Complement 5's Role in Mitochondria During Kidney Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury in Rats
- Metformin Attenuates Oxidative Stress and Inflammatory Responses in Obesity-Associated Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD)
- Cold Storage Followed by Transplantation Induces Immunoproteasome in Rat Kidney Allografts: Inhibition of Immunoproteasome Does Not Improve Function
- Obesity-Associated NAFLD Coexists with a Chronic Inflammatory Kidney Condition That Is Partially Mitigated by Short-Term Oral Metformin
- Post‐ischemia and reperfusion kidney injury is mitigated in a novel complement 5 knockout rat
- Cold Storage Followed by Transplantation Induces Immunoproteasome in Rat Kidney Allografts: Inhibition of Immunoproteasome Does Not Improve Function
- Cold Storage Disrupts the Proteome and Phosphoproteome Landscape in Rat Kidney Transplants
- Mechanism of Impaired Protein Homeostasis in Kidney Grafts Following Cold Storage and Transplantation (Abstract ID: 162640)
- Normal Proteasome Function Is Needed to Prevent Kidney Graft Injury during Cold Storage Followed by Transplantation
- Cold Storage Disrupts the Proteome and Phosphoproteome Landscape in Rat Kidney Transplants
- Compared with Static Cold Storage, Hypothermic Machine Perfusion Mitigates Oxidative Stress and Tubular Injury in Rat Kidneys
- Cold Storage Disrupts the Proteome and Phosphoproteome Landscape in Rat Kidney Transplants
- Mechanism of Impaired Protein Homeostasis in Kidney Grafts Following Cold Storage and Transplantation (Abstract ID: 162640)
- Post‐ischemia and reperfusion kidney injury is mitigated in a novel complement 5 knockout rat
- Unrecognized Effects of Metformin to Reduce Proteasomal Stress and Macrophage Infiltration in Kidneys of Obese Rats with NAFLD (Abstract ID: 166383)
- Obesity-Associated NAFLD Coexists with a Chronic Inflammatory Kidney Condition That Is Partially Mitigated by Short-Term Oral Metformin
- Compared with Static Cold Storage, Hypothermic Machine Perfusion Mitigates Oxidative Stress and Tubular Injury in Rat Kidneys
- Unrecognized Effects of Metformin to Reduce Proteasomal Stress and Macrophage Infiltration in Kidneys of Obese Rats with NAFLD (Abstract ID: 166383)
- Obesity-Associated NAFLD Coexists with a Chronic Inflammatory Kidney Condition That Is Partially Mitigated by Short-Term Oral Metformin
- Metformin Attenuates Oxidative Stress and Inflammatory Responses in Obesity-Associated Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD)
- Aberrant activation of the complement system in renal grafts is mediated by cold storage
- Cold Storage Followed by Transplantation Induces Interferon-Gamma and STAT-1 in Kidney Grafts
- Aberrant activation of the complement system in renal grafts is mediated by cold storage
- Cold Storage Followed by Transplantation Induces Immunoproteasome in Rat Kidney Allografts: Inhibition of Immunoproteasome Does Not Improve Function
- Cold Storage Followed by Transplantation Induces Immunoproteasome in Rat Kidney Allografts: Inhibition of Immunoproteasome Does Not Improve Function
- Compared with Static Cold Storage, Hypothermic Machine Perfusion Mitigates Oxidative Stress and Tubular Injury in Rat Kidneys
- Cold Storage Disrupts the Proteome and Phosphoproteome Landscape in Rat Kidney Transplants
- Mechanism of Impaired Protein Homeostasis in Kidney Grafts Following Cold Storage and Transplantation (Abstract ID: 162640)
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