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Faculty

Warren N. Ratna, Ph.D. (Ratneswaran Ratnasabapathy, Ph.D.)

Professor of Pharmacology

B.Sc. Special (Honors), University of Sri Lanka, Colombo, Sri LankaM.S., University of South CarolinaPh.D., SUNY at Stonybrook

Description

Dr. Warren Ratna is a tenured Full Professor of Pharmacology.  He joined the Arnold & Marie Schwartz College of Pharmacy in September 1991 after having completed his Post-doctoral fellowship at the prestigious Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, then headed by the Nobel Laureate Dr. James Watson.  He received his Ph.D. in Cellular & Molecular Pharmacology from Stony Brook School of Medicine, where he pioneered research on interaction of mRNA-binding proteins with the mRNA encoding the apolipoprtein II protein.  His M.S. degree in Molecular Biology & Marine Sciences was from University of South Carolina, and his B.Sc. Special (Honors) in Chemistry and Zoology with specialization in Marine Sciences from University of Sri Lanka. He served as an Assistant Lecturer of Zoology for four years at the University of Sri Lanka, after his graduation.

Dr. Ratna is widely published and has made numerous presentations at national and international meetings.  He has made several cardinal discoveries, seminal to understanding the molecular mechanism responsible for the Tat-mediated stimulation of transcription that follows the latency in the Human Immunodeficiency Virus-I, the causative agent of AIDS (Ratnasabapathy, R. et al. 1990, Genes & Dev., 4: 2061-2074), the molecular basis of estrogen-mediated stabilization of the apolipoprotein II mRNA (Ratna & Chiomalu, 2002. J. Steroid Biochem. Molec. Biol., 80 (4-5): 383-398, the effects of Estrogen-mimicking phytochemical and environmental xenobiotics on the expression of estrogen-responsive genes (Ratnasabapathy et al., Biochemical. Pharmacology, 1997, 53: 1425-1434), etc.  His current research is on molecular steroidal endocrinology, and the molecular basis of breast cancers, Alzheimer’s disease, and hyperlipidemic diseases.

He was the first faculty to obtain grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the 126-year history of the college. He obtained the first two of the three NIH grants ever obtained by the Pharmacy faculty, for about half a million US dollars and a grant from a biotechnology company.  The Long Island University-wide, he is the only three-time recipient of the Newton Award for teaching excellence.    

Publications

Ratna, W., Bhatt, V., Kawshik, C., Bin Ariff, A., Bavadekar, S. and Ratna, H., 2016. Estrogen-responsive genes encoding egg yolk proteins vitellogenin and apolipoprotein II are differentially regulated by selective estrogen receptor modulators. 2015. Theriogenology, 85:376-383.
Tamakuwala, M., Ratna, W., Joshi, A. and Stagni, G., 2016. Fingolimod hydrochloride gel shows promising therapeutic effects in a mouse model of atopic dermatitis. Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, 68:10, 1268-1277.
Ratna W. and Oyemalu C., 2002. “The Upstream Stem-Loop Domain of the 3’ Untranslated Region of Apolipoprotein II mRNA Binds the Estrogen-Regulated mRNA Stabilizing Factor,” J. Steroid Biochem. Molec. Biol. 80 (4-5): 383-398.   
Ratna, W. and Simonelli, J. 2002. “The Action of Dietary Phytochemicals, Quercetin, Catechin, Resveratrol and Naringenin on Estrogen-Mediated Gene Expression”, Life Sci. 70(13):1577-1589.
Ratna, W., 2002. “Inhibition of Estrogenic Stimulation of Gene Expression by Genistein” Life Sci. 71 (8):865-877.
Ratnasabapathy R., Meldon. T. and Post C., 1995. Modulation of the Hepatic Expression of the Estrogen-Regulated mRNA Stabilizing Factor by Estrogenic and Antiestrogenic Xenobiotics,” Biochem. Pharmacol. 53: 1425-1434. 
Ratnasabapathy, R. 1995. “In Vitro Characterization of an Estrogen-Regulated mRNA Stabilizing Activity in the Avian Liver,” Cell. Molec. Biol. Res. 41: 1425-1434.

Lectures and Presentations

Bhatt, V. and Ratna, W. 2014. “Effects of Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators on the Expression of Ubiquitin Protein Ligase mdm2 and Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor and Apoptosis in SNB-19 Glioma Cells,” FASEB J. 2014, 28: .
Bhatt, V. and Ratna, W. 2013 “Selective estrogen Receptor Modulators Tamoxifen, Pterostilbene and Clomiphene Fail to Stimulate the Hepatic Expression of Estrogen-Responsive Genes encoding the Avian Apolipoprotein II and Vitellogenin,” FASEB J. 2013, 27: 1105.17.
Bhatt, V. and Ratna, W. 2013 “Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators Resveratrol, Genistein, Tamoxifen and Pterostilbene Down-Regulate the Expression of Estrogen-Regulated Trefoil Factor I Gene in MCF-7 Breast Cancer Cells,” FASEB J. 2013, 27: 1180.2.
Boggeti, R., Bhatt, V. and Ratna, W. 2012, “β-Endorphin Inhibits the Expression of Amyloid Precursor Protein in SK-N-SH Neuroblastoma Cells Expressing High Levels of Amyloid Mutant Precursor Protein,” FASEB J. 2012, 26: 673.10.