Profile
I am a reproductive biologist by training. I completed my doctoral research at the National Institute of Immunology, New Delhi. During my PhD I worked on deciphering the role of Yes-Kinase Associated protein (YAP) in regulation of testicular Sertoli cell function and spermatogenesis. At NIAB, my research group is trying to understand the molecular mechanisms involved in pesticide induced reproductive dysfunction in livestock. Farm animals may be inadvertently exposed to such pesticides (most of which are endocrine disruptors) through contaminated feed or fodder and this in turn may adversely affect gametogenesis thereby leading to subfertility/infertility and as a consequent decline in livestock productivity. In our laboratory, we are using both in vitro (cell and tissue culture models) and in vivo (rodents and small ruminants ) approaches to decipher underlying mechanisms of pesticide induced reproductive toxicity in animals.
Current Focus Areas
The current research focus is to decipher the molecular mechanisms underlying pesticide induced reproductive dysfunction in livestock. To this end, we are using in vitro and in vivo approaches to evaluate the effect of the widely used organophosphate pesticide Chlorpyrifos on Sertoli cell function and spermatogenesis.
Selected Publications
1. Sen Sharma, S., Majumdar, S.S., 2017. Transcriptional co-activator YAP regulates cAMP signaling in Sertoli cells. Molecular and Cellular Endocrinol. 450, 64–73.
2. Sen Sharma, S., Vats, A., Majumdar, S.S., 2019. Regulation of Hippo Pathway components by FSH in testis. Reproductive Biology. 19, 61-66.
3. Sarkar, RK*., Sen Sharma, S*., Mandal, K., Wadhwa, N., Kunj, N., Gupta, A., Pal, R., Rai, U., Majumdar, S.S., 2021. Homeobox transcription factor Meis1 is crucial to Sertoli cell mediated regulation of male fertility. Andrology ;9(2):689-699. doi: 10.1111/andr.12941. Epub 2020 Nov 23. (*Equal Contribution)
4. Bhattacharya, I*, Sen Sharma, S.*, Sarkar, H *, Gupta, A*, Pradhan, B.S., Majumdar, S. 2021. FSH mediated cAMP signaling upregulates the expression of Gα subunits in pubertal rat Sertoli cells. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications; 569:100-105. doi: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2021.06.094. Epub 2021 Jul 5. (* Equal contribution)
5. Shukla, M., Ganguli, N., Sen Sharma, S., Majumdar, S.S., 2018. Sertoli cell specific decline in NOR-1 leads to germ cell apoptosis and reduced fertility. Journal of Cellular Biochemistry, 119, 6514- 6526.