Siddhita D. Mhatre

Phone: 650-604-8098
Email: siddhita.d.mhatre@nasa.gov
Affiliation: KBR/Wyle, Fully Integrated Lifecycle Mission Support Services (FILMSS), Space Biosciences Research Branch

Biography

• Senior Scientist, NASA Ames Research Center (2018-present). Research focus: Spaceflight and ground-based studies to investigate changes induced by spaceflight stressors using Drosophila melanogaster and Mus musculus.
• Postdoctoral Fellow, Stanford University (2014-2018). Research Focus: Understanding cellular metabolic pathways, such as EP2 signaling, Kynurenine Pathway, and de novo NAD+ generation in immune cells in aging and AD pathology paradigm in the murine and human cell models.
• Graduate Research Assistant, Drexel University (2009-2014). Research focus: Modeling Alzheimer’s Disease in Drosophila melanogaster for testing pharmacological interventions

Education

Ph.D., Biological Sciences, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA

M.S., Cell Biology and Biotechnology, University of Sciences, Philadelphia, PA

B. Pharmaceutical Sciences, Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai, India

Research Interests

Dr. Mhatre’s research focuses on the impact of various space stressors on the immune and nervous system responses and identifying potential countermeasures using the Drosophila melanogaster and murine model systems. She was a project scientist for the MVP-FLY-01 mission. She serves as a science-PI on a spaceflight invertebrate gravity continuum experiment (iGCE). She is a co-investigator on a ground-based fly study that evaluates the CNS responses to the combined effect of altered gravity and elevated carbon dioxide. She is also a co-investigator on a NASA HRP-funded ground-based project investigating the neuro-consequences of spaceflight environment using a murine model.

Publications

1. Mhatre SD*, Iyer J*, Petereit J, Dolling-Boreham RM, Tyryshkina A, Paul AM, Gilbert R, Jensen M, Woolsey RJ, Anand S, Sowa MB, Quilici DR, Costes SV, Girirajan S, Bhattacharya S. Artificial gravity partially protects space-induced neurological deficits in Drosophila melanogaster. Sep 2022. Cell Reports. 40(10):111279.* equal contributors.
2. Iyer J*, Mhatre SD*, Gilbert R, Bhattacharya S. Multi-system responses of altered gravity and spaceflight: Insights from Drosophila melanogaster. Sep 2022. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 142:104880. * equal contributors.
3. Mhatre SD*, Iyer J*, Puukila S, Paul AM, Tahimic CGT, Rubenstein L, Lowe M, Alwood J, Sowa M, Bhattacharya S, Globus R, Ronca A. Neuroconsequences of the Spaceflight Environment. Jan 2022. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 132: 908-935.* equal contributors.
4. Paul AM, Mhatre SD, Schreurs AS, Tahimic CG, Cekanaviciute E, Globus RK, Crucian B, Bhattacharya S. Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio: A Biomarker to Monitor the Immune Status of Astronauts. November 2020. Front. Immunol. 11:564950.
5. Wilson, E.N., Swarovski, M.S., Linortner, P., Shahid., M., Zuckerman, A.J., Wang, Q., Channappa, D., Minhas, P.S., Mhatre, S.D., Plowey, E.D., Quinn, J.F., Zabetian, C.P., Tian, L., Longo, F.M., Cholerton, B., Montine, T.J., Poston, K.L., Andreasson, K.I. Soluble TREM2 is elevated in Parkinson’s disease subgroups with elevated CSF tau. March 2020. Brain. 143 (3); 932–943.
6. Minhas PS, Liu L, Moon PK, Joshi AU, Dove C, Mhatre SD, Contreopois K, Wang Q, Lee BA, Coronado M, Bernstein D, Synder MP, Miguad M, Majeti R, Mochly-Rosen D, Rabinowitz JD, Andreasson KI. Macrophage de novo NAD+ synthesis specifies immune function in aging and inflammation. Jan 2019. Nature immunology. 20(1); 50-63.
7. Woodling NS, Colas D, Wang Q, Panchal M, Minhas P, Liang X, Mhatre SD, Brown HD, Ko N, Zagol-Ikapitte I, Van der Hart M, Khroyan T, Chuluun B, Priyam PG, Milne GL, Rassoulpour A, Boutaud O, Manning-Bog AB, Heller CH, Andreasson KI. Cyclooxygenase inhibition targets neurons to prevent early behavioral decline in Alzheimer’s disease model mice. July 2016. Brain. 139(Pt7):2063-81.
8. Mhatre SD, Tsai CA, Rubin AJ, James ML, Andreasson KI. Microglial malfunction: the third rail in development of Alzheimer’s disease. October 2015. Trends in Neuroscience. 38(10):621-36.
9. Johansson JU, Woodling NS, Wang Q, Panchal M, Liang X, Trueba-Saiz A, Brown HD, Mhatre SD, Loui T, Andreasson KI. Prostaglandin signaling suppresses beneficial microglial function in Alzheimer’s disease models. December 2014. Journal of Clinical Investigation. 125(1):350-364.
10. Mhatre SD, Michelson S, Saunders AJ, Marenda DR. Development and Validation of an aged onset model of Alzheimer’s disease in Drosophila melanogaster. August 2014. Experimental Neurology. 261:772-81.
11. Mhatre SD, Satyasi V, Saunders AJ, Marenda DR. Altered synapse in a Drosophila model of Alzheimer’s disease. March 2014. Disease models and mechanisms. 7(3):373-85.
12. Mhatre SD*, Reza AM*, Saunders AJ, Marenda DR. Automated analysis of courtship suppression learning and memory in Drosophila melanogaster. April 2013. Fly. 7(2):105-111. * equal contributors.
13. Mhatre SD, Paddock B, Saunders AJ, Marenda DR. Invertebrate Models of Alzheimer’s disease. Jan 2013. Journal of Alzheimer’s disease. 33(1):3-16.
14. Chakraborty R*, Vepuri V*, Mhatre SD, Goldstein LE, Moir RD, Lee JC, Tabb LP, Saunders AJ, Marenda DR. Characterization of a Drosophila Alzheimer’s disease model: Pharmacological rescue of cognitive defects. June 2011. PLoS ONE 6(6), e20799. * equal contributors.