Vellareddy Anantharam

Dr. Vellareddy Anantharam is a Part-Time Professor in the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology at the University of Georgia (Athens). He concurrently serves as Chief Scientific Officer (CSO) at PK Biosciences Corporation and Probiome Therapeutics Inc., and has held academic roles including Associate Professor (Research) at Iowa State University. His research focuses on neurodegenerative diseases, particularly Parkinson’s and prion diseases, emphasizing mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, protein aggregation, and neuroinflammation. With over 30 years of experience, he has authored 190+ peer-reviewed papers and specializes in translational drug development for neuroprotection.

• Education:
  • B.S. Chemistry (Bangalore University, 1980)
  • M.S. Biochemistry (Bangalore University, 1982)
  • Ph.D. Molecular Biophysics (Indian Institute of Science, 1987)
  • Postdoc in Membrane-Cell Biology (Johns Hopkins Medical School, 1990)

His research interests include developing neuroprotective therapies using cell culture and animal models, aiming to bridge preclinical and clinical evaluations. Recent studies focus on mitochondrial dysfunction’s role in epigenetic changes (e.g., H3K27 hyperacetylation) in Parkinson’s disease and manganese-induced neurotoxicity’s impact on α-synuclein aggregation and gut-brain axis interactions. He has contributed to identifying biomarkers like α-synuclein in skin tissue for early Parkinson’s diagnosis.

His publications highlight interdisciplinary approaches, combining molecular biology, pharmacology, and toxicology to address neurodegenerative mechanisms. Current work explores potassium channel modulation (e.g., Kv1.3) to curb neuroinflammation and Fyn kinase’s role in microglial pathology. Collaborative projects include transgenic mouse models (e.g., MitoPark) to study gut-microbiome interactions in Parkinson’s.

Dr. Anantharam’s industry roles at PK Biosciences and Probiome Therapeutics reflect his commitment to advancing translational research from lab to clinic. His dual academic-industry engagement underscores a focus on practical solutions for neurodegenerative disorders.