Lectins: Innate immune defense and Therapeutics

This book reviews the relationship between receptors, carbohydrate moieties, and pathogenic surfaces and lectins’ pathophysiology of immune responses and examines the mechanisms of action of the molecules for the treatment potentials. Increasing evidence has suggested that lectin-carbohydrate interactions perform important roles in various regulations of immune responses, but much remains to be learned about these crucial properties and their interplay with other molecules. In addition, a better understanding of the structural and functional properties of lectin and the activated immune response will be of critical importance for the development of new diagnostic tools and therapeutic strategies. These key areas are the focus of this book, which documents the latest research findings in the field. Evidence is provided for the various lectin types from animal and plant as well as microbial or marine lectins, and this wide range of molecular knowledge directs us to variousdiseases, including infectious diseases and cancer. In presenting state-of-the-art knowledge on the interactions between lectin and its interactions,the book will help to pave the way for the development of novel targets for the prevention and treatment of many disorders. 

Dr.Preetham Elumalai, Assistant Professor (Biochemistry), Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (KUFOS), Kochi, completed his Masters from University of Madras, Tamilnadu. He has qualified National Eligibility Test for Lecturership conducted by ASRB/ICAR/UGC.  He took his PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular immunology from the Institute for Immunology, University of Regensburg, Germany.  He did his Post-doctoral research in the same University and worked on lectin Glycomics.

Dr. Preetham has worked at various Universities and has quite a good experience in teaching and demonstrating concepts in Biochemistry and Immunology. His current research practice includes Proteomics and Functional genomic approach for the analysis of pathomechanisms of different aquatic diseases, application of nanotechnology for the regulation of nutrient uptake in fish using nutrigenomic approaches, Genetic regulation of gene expression across tissues, time and environments.

He holds editorial positions in National and International Journals and is a member of many prestigious societies, including Asian Fisheries Society, European association of Fish pathology, International Veterinary Vaccinology Network, International Complement Society and Society of Neurochemistry. He has widely travelled to more than 20 countries on various teaching and research assignments. He was awarded the prestigious INSA (2017), MASTS (2019) UK visiting fellowship.

Dr. Sreeja Lakshmi hold a Master degree in Biochemistry from University of Calicut, Kerala. She persued her PhD in Biochemistry from Molecular Cell Biology, University of Regensburg, Germany. She did her Post-doctoral Research in Institute of  Tropical Medicine, University of Tuebingen, Germany. Dr. Sreeja is an awardee of HRD Fellowship for Women Scientist by Department of Health Research and  MASTS (Marine Alliance Science & Technology, Scotland) Award for Post doctoral and Early Career Research Exchanges (PECRE). Currently she is persuing her Post-doctoral Research in collaboration with Moredun Research Institute (MRI), UK, with International VeterinaryVaccinology Network (IVVN) Fellowship Grant, UK. Her Research interests extends through functional attributes of bioactive compounds for therapeutic applications, development of nano and glycovaccines against aquatic diseases, novel treatment strategies against neurodegenerative disorders and protein biochemistry.

Dr. Sreeja has published her work in many peer reviewed journals and presented her works at national and international conferences. She holds memberships in International Veterinary Vaccinology Network (IVVN), Society of Biological Chemists, International Complement Society and Indian Academy of Neurosciences. She is an editorial board member for few online journals.