Chanchal Sur Chowdhury, PhD

Division

• Immunobiology

Education

• PhD, Cell Biology, University of Basel, Switzerland (February 2010 – April 2014)
• PhD, Exchange Research Personal, Boston Children’s Hospital, MA (June 2013 – November 2013)
• MSc Applied Microbiology, Periyar University, India (May 2007 – June 2009)
• BSc Microbiology, Genetics, Chemistry, Osmania University, India (June 2004 – July 2007)

Twitter Handle

• @chanchal_sur

Research Interests

• Infection
• Inflammation
• Immunology
• Translational research

Research Statement

Dr. Chowdhury, a distinguished researcher, is deeply committed to exploring the intricate facets of immune cells within a broad range of infectious and inflammatory diseases. His journey at Washington University’s Department of Molecular Microbiology began in 2019, where he collaborated closely with Professor Christina Stallings, resulting in a significant discovery. Together, they unveiled the crucial role of Neutrophil Extracellular Traps in promoting the pathogenesis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Dr. Chowdhury’s expertise also played a pivotal role in drug development projects focused on the application of NETosis inhibitors for tuberculosis treatment. As an Instructor within the Department of Pathology and Immunology, Dr. Chowdhury’s dedication is firmly directed towards unraveling the mechanisms governing immune and cancer cell death. He possesses a keen interest in investigating the role of cell death pathways in disease resolution and their profound impact on the immune landscape during both disease progression and therapeutic interventions. Dr. Chowdhury, alongside his esteemed team, embarks on in-depth investigations into the fundamental process of cell clearance within the context of immune therapy. His ultimate goal is to discover novel and supportive treatment approaches that will elevate patient care and enhance the effectiveness of existing treatments. With a passion for transformative research and a commitment to advancing medical science, Dr. Chowdhury’s work at Washington University embodies a drive to make a meaningful impact on the understanding and treatment of infectious and inflammatory diseases.

Publications

Hahn S, Giaglis S, Chowdhury CS, Hösli I, Hasler P. Modulation of neutrophil NETosis: interplay between infectious agents and underlying host physiology. Semin Immunopathol. 2013 Jul;35(4):439-53. doi: 10.1007/s00281-013-0380-x. Epub 2013 May 7. Erratum in: Semin Immunopathol. 2013 Jul;35(4):531. PMID: 23649713; PMCID: PMC3685704.

Chowdhury CS, Wareham E, Xu J, Kumar S, Kofron M, Lakshmikanthan S, Chrzanowska M, Filippi MD. Rap1b-loss increases neutrophil lactate dehydrogenase activity to enhance neutrophil migration and acute inflammation in vivo. Front Immunol. 2022 Nov 25;13:1061544. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1061544. PMID: 36505495; PMCID: PMC9733537.

Erpenbeck L, Chowdhury CS, Zsengellér ZK, Gallant M, Burke SD, Cifuni S, Hahn S, Wagner DD, Karumanchi SA. PAD4 Deficiency Decreases Inflammation and Susceptibility to Pregnancy Loss in a Mouse Model. Biol Reprod. 2016 Dec;95(6):132. doi: 10.1095/biolreprod.116.140293. Epub 2016 Nov 9. PMID: 28007693; PMCID: PMC5315429.

Giaglis S, Stoikou M, Sur Chowdhury C, Schaefer G, Grimolizzi F, Rossi SW, Hoesli IM, Lapaire O, Hasler P, Hahn S. Multimodal Regulation of NET Formation in Pregnancy: Progesterone Antagonizes the Pro-NETotic Effect of Estrogen and G-CSF. Front Immunol. 2016 Dec 5;7:565. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2016.00565. PMID: 27994595; PMCID: PMC5136684.

Giaglis S, Sur Chowdhury C, van Breda SV, Stoikou M, Tiaden AN, Daoudlarian D, Schaefer G, Buser A, Walker UA, Lapaire O, Hoesli I, Hasler P, Hahn S. Circulatory Neutrophils Exhibit Enhanced Neutrophil Extracellular Trap Formation in Early Puerperium: NETs at the Nexus of Thrombosis and Immunity. Int J Mol Sci. 2021 Dec 20;22(24):13646. doi: 10.3390/ijms222413646. PMID: 34948443; PMCID: PMC8704360.

Sur Chowdhury C, Hahn S, Hasler P, Hoesli I, Lapaire O, Giaglis S. Elevated Levels of Total Cell-Free DNA in Maternal Serum Samples Arise from the Generation of Neutrophil Extracellular Traps. Fetal Diagn Ther. 2016;40(4):263-267. doi: 10.1159/000444853. Epub 2016 Mar 22. PMID: 26998969.

Sur Chowdhury C, Giaglis S, Walker UA, Buser A, Hahn S, Hasler P. Enhanced neutrophil extracellular trap generation in rheumatoid arthritis: analysis of underlying signal transduction pathways and potential diagnostic utility. Arthritis Res Ther. 2014 Jun 13;16(3):R122. doi: 10.1186/ar4579. PMID: 24928093; PMCID: PMC4229860.

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Assistant
Elizabeth Moore
melizabeth@wustl.edu
314-362-9103