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Research InterestsProfessor Rakesh Kumar | | (Position Details) | | Phone 02 9385 2535 | | Email | | Qualifications MB BS All-India IMS, PhD, MD UNSW, FRCPA (Hon) |
| | | School/Unit |
| School of Medical Sciences | |
| | Broad Research Areas | |
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Inflammation
Allergy
Pathology
Pulmonary Disease
Medical Education
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| | | | Specific Research Keywords | |
| Asthma
Immunohistochemistry
Computer Assisted Learning
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| | | | Research Interests | |
| In vivo and in vitro models of the cellular biology and immunopathology of respiratory disease. Major focus is the role of cytokines and growth factors in the pathogenesis of chronic asthma and acute exacerbations, using novel experimental models in mice. Ongoing collaborations with colleagues at the University of Newcastle/Australian National University, using gene-targeted mice and drug/antibody treatments to study the contribution of specific cytokines to inflammation, remodelling and airway hyper-reactivity; and the influence of early-life infections on the severity of chronic disease and susceptibility to acute exacerbations. Expertise in morphometry and immunohistochemistry has led to involvement in various other collaborative projects e.g. related to pancreatic disease and hepatitis.
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| | | | Teaching Interests | |
| Particular interest in valid and effective methods of assessment; in applications of computer-assisted learning, especially virtual microscopy; and in cross-disciplinary integration in teaching and assessment. Involved in teaching Medicine and Science students, as well as medical and dental postgraduate professional students. Enthusiastic proponent of active student participation in learning. Received a Vice-Chancellor's Award for Teaching Excellence in 2000 and a Carrick Citation for an Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning in 2007. Responsible for development and implementation of a graduate entry stream into the UNSW Medicine program. Also responsible for development of advanced standing pathways from the Medicine program to specialist training. | |
| | | | Society Memberships & Professional Activities | |
| Member of the Thoracic Society of Australia & New Zealand; the American Thoracic Society; the Asian Pacific Society for Respirology; the American Society for Investigative Pathology; the Mutagenesis & Experimental Pathology Society of Australasia; ANZAME: The Association for Health Professional Education; and the International Association of Medical Science Educators. | |
| | | | Funding Sources | |
| Experimental research supported by NHMRC and Asthma NSW. Educational development supported by ALTC and Commonwealth Dept of Health. | |
| | | | Key works/Publications | |
| Temelkovski J, Hogan SP, Shepherd DP, Foster PS, Kumar RK. An improved murine model of asthma: selective airway inflammation, epithelial lesions and increased methacholine responsiveness following chronic exposure to aerosolised allergen. Thorax 1998; 53:849-56.
Foster PS, Yang M, Herbert C, Kumar RK. CD4+ T lymphocytes regulate airway remodeling and hyper-reactivity in a mouse model of chronic asthma. Lab. Invest. 2002; 82:455-62.
Kumar RK, Foster PS. Modeling allergic asthma in mice: pitfalls and opportunities. Am. J. Respir. Cell Mol. Biol. 2002; 27:267-72.
Kumar RK, Herbert C, Foster PS. Expression of growth factors by airway epithelial cells in a model of chronic asthma: regulation and relationship to subepithelial fibrosis. Clin. Exp. Allergy 2004; 34:567-75.
Kumar RK, Herbert C, Webb DC, Li L, Foster PS. Effects of anti-cytokine therapy in a mouse model of chronic asthma. Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med. 2004; 170:1043-8.
Kumar RK, Velan GM, Korell SO, Kandara M, Dee FR, Wakefield D. Virtual microscopy for learning and assessment in Pathology. J. Pathol. 2004; 204:613-8.
Kumar RK, Wakefield D. Inflammation: Chronic, Article 3988. In: Encyclopedia of Life Sciences. Chichester, Wiley, 2005. http://www.els.net/ [doi:10.1038/npg.els.0003988]
Siegle JS, Hansbro N, Herbert C, Yang M, Foster PS, Kumar RK. Airway hyperreactivity in exacerbation of chronic asthma is independent of eosinophilic inflammation. Am. J. Respir. Cell Mol. Biol. 2006; 35:565-70.
Herbert C, Hettiaratchi A, Webb DC, Thomas PS, Foster PS, Kumar RK. Suppression of cytokine expression by roflumilast and dexamethasone in a mouse model of chronic asthma. Clin. Exp. Allergy 2008; 38:847-56.
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| | | | Attachments | |
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Kumar CV.pdf | |
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