Ashok K. Shetty
· Professor, Director, Institute for Regenerative MedicineTexas A&M University · Molecular and Cellular Biology
Active 1989–2026
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About
Dr. Ashok K. Shetty is a University Distinguished Professor in the Department of Cell Biology and Genetics at Texas A&M University, where he also serves as Associate Director of the Institute for Regenerative Medicine. He earned his Ph.D. in Neuroscience from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi and completed postdoctoral research at Duke University. His research focuses on developing innovative therapies for neurodegenerative and brain injury conditions, including Alzheimer's Disease, Traumatic Brain Injury, and Gulf War Illness. His laboratory is dedicated to creating treatments such as nasal spray formulations of human neural stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles that contain anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective molecules, aiming to reduce neuroinflammation, amyloid plaques, and neurofibrillary tangles in Alzheimer's models, and to promote recovery in TBI and Gulf War Illness models. Dr. Shetty has received continuous extramural research funding for over 28 years from agencies like NIH, DOD, and VA, and has authored over 214 peer-reviewed publications. His work has significantly contributed to understanding brain dysfunction mechanisms and developing novel therapeutic strategies for these devastating conditions.
Research topics
- Neuroscience
- Biology
- Cell biology
- Medicine
- Biochemistry
- Pharmacology
- Internal medicine
- Chemistry
- Immunology
- Endocrinology
Selected publications
Journal of Controlled Release · 2020 · 276 citations
Senior authorCorrespondingJournal of Extracellular Vesicles · 2020 · 191 citations
Senior authorCorrespondingmacrophage assay and a mouse model of status epilepticus confirmed the anti-inflammatory activity of EVs. Furthermore, the intranasal administration of EVs resulted in the incorporation of EVs by neurons, microglia and astrocytes in virtually all adult rat and mouse brain regions, and enhancement of hippocampal neurogenesis. Thus, biologically active EVs containing miRNAs and proteins relevant to brain repair could be isolated from hiPSC-NSC cultures, making them a suitable biologic for treating…
Aging Cell · 2021 · 154 citations
Senior authorCorrespondingMetformin, a drug widely used for treating diabetes, can prolong the lifespan in several species. Metformin also has the promise to slow down age-related cognitive impairment. However, metformin's therapeutic use as an anti-aging drug is yet to be accepted because of conflicting animal and human studies results. We examined the effects of metformin treatment in late middle age on cognitive function in old age. Eighteen-month-old male C57BL6/J mice received metformin or no treatment for 10 weeks.…
Journal of Extracellular Vesicles · 2024-11-01 · 41 citations
articleOpen accessSenior authorCorrespondingAs current treatments for Alzheimer's disease (AD) lack disease-modifying interventions, novel therapies capable of restraining AD progression and maintaining better brain function have great significance. Anti-inflammatory extracellular vesicles (EVs) derived from human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived neural stem cells (NSCs) hold promise as a disease-modifying biologic for AD. This study directly addressed this issue by examining the effects of intranasal (IN) administrations of…
Stem Cells Translational Medicine · 2024-07-19 · 36 citations
articleOpen accessSenior authorCorrespondingThe recently published "Minimal information for studies of extracellular vesicles - 2023 (MISEV2023)" in the Journal of Extracellular Vesicles has provided practical solutions to the numerous challenges extracellular vesicles (EVs) researchers face. These guidelines are imperative for novice and experienced researchers and promote unity within the EV community. It is strongly recommended that laboratories working with EVs make MISEV2023 an essential handbook and that researchers actively promote…
Recent grants
Memory and Mood Enhancing Therapies for Gulf War Illness
NIH · 2011–2015
NIH · $352k · 2014
NIH · $1.3M · 2008
Frequent coauthors
- 464 shared
Bharathi Hattiangady
Texas A&M Health Science Center
- 265 shared
Bing Shuai
Texas A&M University
- 248 shared
Maheedhar Kodali
- 170 shared
Dennis A. Turner
Duke University
- 154 shared
Dinesh Upadhya
Manipal Academy of Higher Education
- 121 shared
Sahithi Attaluri
- 103 shared
Raghavendra Upadhya
Manipal Academy of Higher Education
- 85 shared
Olagide Wagner de Castro
Universidade Federal de Alagoas
Awards & honors
- Texas A&M University Distinguished Professor Award- 2024
- AAAS Fellow conferred by American Association For The Advanc…
- Research Career Scientist Award conferred by United States D…
- Honoree of Fast Company's World Changing Ideas- 2025
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