Faculty & Staff Details

	Name:	Nikita Mirajkar
	Position:	Assistant Professor
	Email:	nikita.mirajkar@ttuhsc.edu
	Bio	Dr. Mirajkar is an Assistant Professor for the Department of Biomedical Sciences. She joined the Department as an Instructor in November 2008. She received a Bachelors of Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry (B.V.Sc. & A.H.) degree, a D.V.M. equivalent, from the Bombay Veterinary College (India) in 2002. She subsequently earned a Ph.D. in Toxicology under the guidance of Dr. Carey N. Pope, from the Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, Oklahoma State University, in July 2008. Her doctoral research focused on the evaluation of cholinesterase and non-cholinesterase mechanisms of cardiotoxicity and neurotoxicity produced by Organophosphorus insecticides in adult and aged rats using Radiotelemetry.

Education:

Ph.D.-Oklahoma State University, USA, 2008
B.V.Sc. & A.H. -Bombay Veterinary College, India, 2002

Awards/Honors and Accomplishments:
1. First prize for best oral presentation in the Graduate Basic Science Research category at the 12th Annual Phi Zeta Research Day, March 2008
2. First prize for a Superior Platform Presentation at the Annual Scientific Meeting of the South Central Chapter of the Society of Toxicology, University of Mississippi, Oxford, Mississippi, September, 2007
3. Overall Grand prize in the Graduate/Resident/Intern-Basic Science Research category at the 11th Annual Phi Zeta Research Day, March 2007
4. Second prize for best oral presentation in the 2006 BMBGSA Graduate Research Symposium, September, 2006
5. First prize for best paper presentation in the Biomedical Sciences category at the 17th Annual OSU Research Symposium, April 2006
6. First prize for best oral presentation in the Graduate Applied Clinical Sciences category at the 10th Annual Phi Zeta Research Day, March 2006
7. Submitted a competitive pre-doctoral fellowship application grant entitled “Cardiotoxicity of Organophosphorus insecticides: influence of aging and possible role of butyrylcholinesterase” to the American Heart Association, January 2006 (Not funded)
8. Bombay Chemical Works Merit Scholarship for PhD (2003)
9. J.N. Tata Memorial Scholarship for higher studies abroad (2003)
10. All India Cattle & Poultry Judging Competition, India: Silver medal (2001)
11. University Merit Scholarship for BVSc & AH (1999-2000)

Publications:

1. In vitro sensitivity of cholinesterases and [3H]Oxotremorine-M binding in heart and brain of adult and aging rats to Organophosphorus anticholinesterases. Mirajkar N and Pope CN. Biochemical Pharmacology, 2008 Oct (15); 76(8):1047-58.

2. Comparative effects of oral Chlorpyrifos exposure on cholinesterase activity and muscarinic receptor binding in neonatal and adult rat heart. Howard MD, Mirajkar N, Karanth S, Pope CN. Toxicology, 2007 Sep 5;238(2-3):157-65.

3. Effects of acute chlorpyrifos exposure on in vivo acetylcholine accumulation in rat striatum. Karanth S, Liu J, Mirajkar N, Pope C. Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology, 2006 Oct 1; 216(1):150-6.

4. Effects of combined, multiple stressors on pyridostigmine-induced acute toxicity in rats. Baireddy P, Mirajkar N, Nallapaneni A, Singleton N, Pope CN. Archives of Toxicology, 2007 Apr; 81(4):283-9.

5. Nikita Mirajkar & Carey Pope, Dimethoate, Page 47-49 in Encylcopedia of Toxicology Second Edition (P. Wexler ed). Elsevier Press, San Diego, CA (2005)

6. Nikita Mirajkar & Carey Pope, Dichlorvos, Page 13-15 in Encylcopedia of Toxicology Second Edition (P. Wexler ed). Elsevier Press, San Diego, CA (2005)

7. Nikita Mirajkar and Carey Pope, Invited book chapter “Evaluation of the Effects of Organophosphate Anticholinesterases on Cardiac Function in Rats Using Radiotelemetry” in Telemetry: Research, Technology and Applications, Nova Science Publishers, Hauppauge, NY (Abstract submitted; Chapter under preparation)

8. Evaluation of the possible role of Butyrylcholinesterase in the cardiotoxicity of Organophosphorus insecticides. Mirajkar N, Karanth S, Pope CN (Manuscript under preparation).

9. Comparative effects of Chlorpyrifos on heart rate, body temperature and physical activity in adult and aged rats using radiotelemetry. Nikita Mirajkar and Carey N. Pope (Manuscript under preparation).

10. Comparative effects of Parathion on heart rate, body temperature and physical activity in adult and aged rats using radiotelemetry. Nikita Mirajkar and Carey N. Pope (Manuscript under preparation).

Presentations:
Oral:
1. Comparative effects of Chlorpyrifos on heart rate in adult and aged rats using Radiotelemetry. Nikita Mirajkar and Carey N. Pope. Presented in the 12th Annual Phi Zeta Research Day, March 2008

2. Does Butyrylcholinesterase Play a Role in the Cardiotoxicity of Organophosphorus Insecticides? Nikita Mirajkar, Subramanya Karanth, Carey Pope. Presented in the 19th Annual OSU Research Symposium, February, 2008.

3. Evaluation of the possible role of Butyrylcholinesterase in the cardiotoxicity of Organophosphorus Insecticides. Nikita Mirajkar, Subramanya Karanth, Carey Pope. Presented in the Annual Scientific Meeting of the South Central Chapter of the Society of Toxicology, University of Mississippi, Oxford, Mississippi, September, 2007

4. Evaluation of the possible role of Butyrylcholinesterase in the cardiotoxicity of Organophosphorus Insecticides. Nikita Mirajkar, Subramanya Karanth, Carey Pope. Presented in the 11th Annual Phi Zeta Research Day, March 2007

5. Differential in vitro sensitivity of brain and heart cholinesterases to Organophosphorus insecticides in adult and aged rats. Nikita Mirajkar, Carey Pope. Presented in the 2006 BMBGSA Graduate Research Symposium, September, 2006

6. In vitro Sensitivity of Cardiac and Brain Cholinesterases to Organophosphorus Insecticides in Adult and Aged Rats. Nikita Mirajkar, Carey Pope. Presented in the 17th Annual OSU Research Symposium, April 2006

7. Age-Related Sensitivity of Brain and Heart Cholinesterases to Organophosphates in vitro. Nikita Mirajkar, Carey Pope. Presented in the 10th annual Phi Zeta Research Day, March 2006

8. In vitro sensitivity of Cholinesterases to Tetrachlorvinphos in Horses. Nikita Mirajkar, S. Karanth, Carey Pope. Presented in the 8th annual Phi Zeta Research day, March, 2004.

Poster:
1. Effects of Chlorpyrifos on cholinesterase activity and in vivo acetylcholine accumulation in striatum of adult rats. Karanth S., Mirajkar N., Ray A., Liu J., Pope C. Presented in the 45th annual SOT meeting, San Diego, March 2006.

2. Modulation of cholinergic toxicity by Cannabinoids. Nallapaneni A., Mirajkar N., Karanth S., Pope C. Presented in the 44th annual SOT meeting, New Orleans, March 2005.