Source: http://www.mimsrf.org/people/scientists/
Timestamp: 2019-04-24 00:31:23+00:00

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Sixteen years of research experience in the field of biological sciences. During the tenure he has qualified various fellowships from ICFRE, CSIR, KFD and KSCSTE. Did his Ph. D in Rajiv Gandhi Center for Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram and was awarded Ph.D in Biotechnology in the year 2006 by the University of Kerala. After that, he worked as a freelance researcher and started lepidopterism studies. Then he joined the School of Biosciences, Mahatma Gandhi University and conducted studies on population dynamics of tiger moths. In 2011, he joined as Scientist at MIMS Research Foundation, Kozhikode. During his tenure at the MIMS RF, he was awarded SERB Young Scientist Fast track programme from Department of Science and Technology, New Delhi. He has completed preclinical and clinical research on tiger moth disease in MIMS RF laboratory. His team is also active in anticancer molecules search from endemic medicinal plants as well as from marine molluscs.
Lepidopterism is a human disease caused by the inhalation of toxic fluids secreted by moths, butterflies or its caterpillars. Monsoon related epidemics have created nightmare in Kerala since 2006 and is correlated with the cycling of large populations of tiger moths. Infectious fevers are reported from all the districts of Kerala and only a small percentage is diagnosed as confirmed cases of infectious fevers. However, suspected (negative in clinical diagnosis) cases mimicked the classical symptoms are also treated as infectious diseases like chikungunya, dengue, malaria and leptospirosis. In this context, Dr. Wills put forward evidence for a new disease in the region, lepidopterism by tiger moths which cause toxic-allergic complications in human.
Department of Science and Technology, New Delhi under Fast Track Young Scientists Programme funds a project on identification of anticancer molecules from two endemic medicinal plants in the Western Ghats of Kerala. Based on ethnobotanical leads, two plants which are used by tribes of Kerala against cancer afflictions were selected. Isolated fractions from these plants when applied on the cancer cells show promising results and we are moving further to purify the fractions into active molecules.
Drug discovery from marine natural products has enjoyed a renaissance in the past few years. The vast diversity of molluscs in the marine environment provides an enormous resource for natural product research. Natural products derived mainly from marine sponges and molluscs exhibit potent antitumor properties. So it is very important to streamline research in this area leading to the discovery of novel anticancer agents.
1. P.N. Ansil, P.J. Wills, R. Varun and M.S. Latha. Cytotoxic and apoptotic activities of Amorphophallus campanulatus (Roxb.) Bl. tuber extracts against human colon carcinoma cell line HCT-15. Saudi Journal of Biological Sciences 2014 (In Press).
2. P.N. Ansil, P.J. Wills, R. Varun and M.S. Latha. Cytotoxic and apoptotic activities of Amorphophallus campanulatus tuber extracts against human hepatoma cell line. Research in Pharmaceutical Sciences 2014, 9: 269-277.
3. A. Linza, P.J. Wills, P.N. Ansil, S.P. Prabha, A. Nitha, B. Latha, K.O. Sheeba, M.S. Latha. Dose-response effects of Elephantopus scaber methanolic extract on N-nitrosodiethylamine induced hepatotoxicity in rats. Chinese Journal of Natural Medicines 2013, 11:362-370.
4. S.P. Prabha, P.N. Ansil, A. Nitha, P.J. Wills, M.S. Latha. Anti-atherogenic activity of methanolic extract of Gardenia gummifera Linn.f. on high fat diet induced atherosclerosis in rats. International Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences 2013, 5; 388-393.
5. K.O. Sheeba, P.J. Wills, B. Latha, R. Rajalekshmy, M.S. Latha. Antioxidant and antihepatotoxic efficacy of methanolic extract of Elephantopus scaberLinn in Wistar rats. Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Disease 2012, S904-908.
6. A. Nitha, P.N. Ansil, S.P. Prabha, P.J. Wills, M.S. Latha. Preventive and curative effect of Woodfordia fruticosaKurz flowers on thioacetamide induced oxidative stress in rats. Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine 2012, S2; 757-764.
7. P.N. Ansil, S.P. Prabha, A. Nitha, P.J. Wills, V. Jazaira, M.S. Latha. Curative effect of Amorphophallus campanulatus (Roxb.) Blume. Tuber methanolic extract against thioacetamide induced oxidative stress in experimental rats. Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine 2012, S1; 83-89.
8. P.J. Wills, V.V. Asha. Acute and subacute toxicity studies of Lygodium flexuosum extracts in rats. Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine 2012, S1; 200-202.
9. P.J. Wills, V.V. Asha. Lygodium flexuosum extract down regulates the expression of proinflammatory cytokinesin CCl4 -induced hepatotoxicity. Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Medicine 2012, 5: 421-426.
10. S.P. Prabha, A. Nitha, P.N. Ansil, P.J. Wills, M.S. Latha. Preventive and curative effect of methanolic extract of Gardenia gummifera Linn. f. on thioacetamide induced oxidative stress in rats. Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Disease 2012, 4: 90-98.
11. P.N. Ansil, A. Nitha, S.P. Prabha, P.J. Wills, V. Jazaira, M.S. Latha. Protective effect of Amorphophallus campanulatus(Roxb.) Blume. tuber against thioacetamide induced oxidative stress in rats. Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Medicine 2011, 4: 870-877.
12. P.J. Wills, V.V. Asha. Chemopreventive action of Lygodium flexuosum extract in human hepatoma PLC/PRF/5 and Hep 3B cells. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 2009, 122: 294-303.
13. P.J. Wills, V.V. Asha. Protective mechanism of Lygodium flexuosum extract in treating and preventing carbon tetrachloride induced hepatic fibrosis in rats. Chemico-Biological Interactions 2007, 165: 76–85.
14. V.V. Asha, M.S. Sheeba, V. Suresh, P.J. Wills. Hepatoprotection of Phyllanthus maderaspatensis L. against experimentally induced liver injury in rats. Fitoterapia 2007, 78: 134–141.
15. P.J. Wills, V. Suresh, M. Arun, V.V. Asha. Antiangiogenic effect of Lygodium flexuosum against N-nitrosodiethylamine-induced hepatotoxicity in rats. Chemico-Biological Interactions 2006, 164: 25–38.
16. P.J. Wills, V.V. Asha. Protective effect of Lygodium flexuosum (L.) Sw. extract against carbon tetrachloride induced acute liver injury in rats. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 2006, 108: 320–326.
17. P.J. Wills, V.V. Asha. Protective effect of Lygodium flexuosum(L.) Sw. (Lygodiaceae) against D-galactosamine induced liver injury in rats. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 2006, 108: 116–123.
18. P.J. Wills, V.V. Asha. Preventive and curative effect of Lygodium flexuosum(L.) Sw. on carbon tetrachloride induced hepatic fibrosis in rats. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2006, 107: 7–11.
19. V.V. Asha, S. Akhila, P.J. Wills, A. Subramoniam. Further studies on the antihepatotoxic activity of Phyllanthus maderaspatensis Linn. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2004, 92: 67–70.
Dr. Lilly is presently the Chief Pathologist of the MIMS Hospital. She chairs the Scientific Research Committee of the MIMS RF. Prof. Lilly has been the Vice-Principal for Calicut Medical College & the Principal for the Govt. Medical College, Thrissur. Her knowledge in the field is commendable and is a guide and mentor in various research projects of the MIMS RF wherever pathology is involved. Current research areas are Stem Cell biology & Cancer Biology.
Dr. Raghava Varma Thampan, a Molecular Endocrinologist with more than four decades of research experience is currently associated with the MIMS RF as it’s senior scientist. Dr. Thampan completed his PhD from the University of Delhi and moved to the Department of Cell Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA as a Research Training Grant Awardee of the World Health Organization. He returned back to India as a Re-Entry Grant Awardee of the World Health Organization to join the Biophysics Unit, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore. Completing his tenure, he moved to the Department of Biochemistry, Central University of Hyderabad and continued his research. In 2001, he joined the Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram as Scientist F and then became its Director in 2005. Completing his tenure there, he became the Director of SAFI Institute of Advanced Study, Malappuram and finally joine the MIMS RF in 2008.
During his career, Dr. Thampan received several accolades like Swaran Kanta Dingley Oration Award for contributions in Reproductive Biology (Indian Council of Medical Research), Elected Fellow: National Academy of Sciences, INDIA and Maharani Sethu Parvathi bai Memorial Oration Awardee, University of Kerala. Dr. Thampan is a research guide for the central university of Hyderabad & for the University of Kerala and has produced 17 PhDs so far.
At MIMS RF Dr. Thampan has been involved in identifying the molecular mechanisms that underline insulin resistance in diabetes type II. Dr. Thampan has several publications in international journals to his credit. Dr. Thampan is an elected Fellow of the National Academy of Science, India.
His major focus has been on the molecular basis of estrogen action with emphasis on a non estrogen binding protein, the estrogen receptor activation factor (E-RAF) and a non DNA binding estrogen receptor (nuclear estrogen receptor II or nER II) that has a specific role to play in post transcriptional regulatory mechanisms.
There are currently, three funded projects under him, supported by the CSIR, ICMR and the DST.
2. Bhaskar, L., Krishnan, V. S. and Thampan R.V., (2007): Cytoskeletal elements and intracellular transport. J. Cell. Biochem. 101: 1097-1108.
3. Sebastian, K. S and Thampan, R. V., (2007): Differential effects of soyabean and fenugreek on the growth of MCF-7 cells. Chemico-Biological Interactions. 170: 135-143.
4. Kavitha, O. and Thampan, R. V., (2008): Factors influencing collagen biosynthesis. J. Cell. Biochem. 104: 1150-1160.
5. Praseetha, S., and Thampan, R. V., (2009): Regulatory factors in steroid hormone biosynthesis. Critical Reviews in Eukaryotic Gene Expression. 19: 253-265.
6. Anilkumar4, P., Krishnan, V. S. and Thampan, R. V., (2009): Goat endometrial Heat shock protein -90 (Hsp-90): Devolopment of an expedient method for it’s purification and observation on it’s intracellular movement. Protein expression purific.

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