Dr. Anil D. Kulkarni

Associate Member

The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
Medical School
Department of Surgery

Research Interests:

• Nutritional nucleotides
• AHCC
• Oligonol and functional foods
• Immune system

The focus of my research is the role of nutritional nucleotides and AHCC, Oligonol and Functional Foods  in immune function. My current project studies dietary substrates in immunologic rescue and recovery in various experimental models including microgravity research models. These studies involve in vivo and in vitro models of anti-orthostatic tail suspension of mice and in vitro studies using a Bioreactor, 3-D cultures where lymphocytes are cultured under constant free fall state. We will examine the mechanisms involved in nutritional supplementation as a countermeasure to obviate immune dysfunction in many clinical situation by looking at the molecular level for expression of various cytokines and intracellular messages.  Other projects study the role of nutrition and immune response in wound healing using various animal models.  These wound models include normal and experimental diabetic animals.  We measure several parameters of wound healing such as collagen deposition, collagenase levels, histology, and other markers of wound healing and quantitative image analysis measurements of wound closure.

We are also interested in clinical applications of such substrates to be developed as functional foods and currently developing a protocol for human studies.  Recent activities are in role of food/nutrition with ethnic and cultural nutrition in Global Health era.  Opportunities for participation in international exchange programs in Japan, Mongolia, China, Brazil, Sikkim, and New Zealand for clinical or research experience for electives or rotations.

A tutorial in my laboratory would provide opportunities in various immunological methodology in general and especially in relation to the above referred projects. You will also learn the importance and relevance of the translational nutritional immunology discipline in the medical field.

Selected Publications

Program Affiliation:

Program in Immunology