Prasun K. Datta, PhD

My research focuses on elucidating the role of metabolism in HIV-1 biogenesis and survival in latent CNS reservoirs, and the effects of HIV-1 induced neuro-inflammatory cytokines and small extracellular vesicles released from HIV-1 infected macrophage and microglia on the regulation of astrocyte glutamate transporter, EAAT2 and neurodegeneration. I am also interested in assessing the impact of substance of abuse such as opiate and cocaine on the cross-talk between cellular metabolism and epigenetics in HIV-1 biogenesis in macrophage and microglia, nd astrocyte EAAT2 and non-coding RNA regulation.

Research Programs
 

• Cross-talk between metabolism and epigenetics
• Role of extracellular vesicles in NeuroHIV
• Regulation of glutamate transporters and non-coding RNA.

Key Presentations 
 

• Role of exosomes from HIV-1 infected cells in neurodegeneration. 20th Scientific Conference of Society on Neuroimmune Pharmacology, March 26-29, 2014, New Orleans, LA.
• Macrophage OXPHOS regulation by HIV-1 Vpr and cocaine. 14th International Symposium on Neurovirology, Oct 25-28, 2016, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
• EVs released from Tat-treated microglia inhibit EAAT2 expression in astrocytes. Third Annual Extracellular Vesicles and Infections meeting" May 31- June 1, 2019, Bolger Center, Potomac, MD.