Rheumatology Research

Dilip Rao, SR Research Support Specialist
In 2022, Dilip became a member of Dr. Perl's laboratory. He holds an MS degree in genetics from the University of Rochester, having graduated in 2009. Prior to joining the lab, Dilip gained valuable research experience through his work at both the University of Rochester and the Rochester General Hospital Research Institute.

Thomas Winans, Post-Doctoral Associate
Having recently completed his Ph.D. in biochemistry under the guidance of the Perl laboratory, Thomas has emerged as a promising researcher. His primary research area delves into the intricate realm of systemic lupus erythematosus, with a specific focus on studying the impacts of oxidative stress induced by Rab4A overactivation.

Joshua Lewis, Senior Research Support Specialist
In 2018, Josh embarked on his journey as a Research Technician, joining Dr. Perl's esteemed laboratory. His academic background includes a Bachelor of Science degree in Neuroscience from Binghamton University, which he earned in 2014. Prior to his current position, Josh served as a Laboratory Assistant at the Hunter James Kelly Research Institute in downtown Buffalo from 2015 to 2018, honing his skills and expertise in the field of research.

Akshay Patel, MD/PhD Student
A driven MD/PhD student, Akshay Patel holds both a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology, earned in 2015 from Villanova, and a Master of Science degree in Biology, completed in 2017. His current research focuses on exploring the intricate interplay of hepatic dysfunction and inflammation within the context of autoimmunity and oxidative stress. With a strong dedication to advancing medical knowledge, Akshay is poised to make significant contributions to the field of research.

Joy (Seonghee) Park, PhD student
A dedicated PhD student, Joy Park obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biochemistry from Hunter College in 2017. Following her academic pursuits, she served as a Research Associate at the renowned Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City from 2015 to 2019. With a wealth of research experience and an unwavering commitment to academic excellence, Joy Park is poised to make valuable contributions to their field of expertise.

Bryan Blaker, Clinical Research Associate
Bryan's academic journey led him to Binghamton University, where he earned both a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology and Genetics, as well as a Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Sciences, Environment, and Evolution. Additionally, Bryan is a Nationally Registered Emergency Medical Technician. Now, he joins Dr. Perl's laboratory, fueled by a desire to delve into the medical realm from a clinical research perspective. Bryan's dedication promises to bring a unique and valuable perspective to the pursuit of medical advancements.

Aparna Godavarthy, Research Associate
Aparna Godavarthy is actively involved in a NAC clinical trial study examining immune cells of Control and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) patients. Her primary research focus centers on understanding the impact of elevated levels of HRES-1/Rab4 on gene expression studies.

Additionally, she is dedicated to exploring the molecular basis behind the increased levels of HRES-1/Rab4 observed in SLE patients. Aparna seeks to shed light on the underlying mechanisms of SLE and contribute to advancements in our understanding and potential treatments for this complex autoimmune condition.

Xiaojing Wang, Senior Research Support Specialist
Xiaojing became an esteemed member of Dr. Perl's laboratory in 2022, bringing a wealth of experience and expertise. With an M.D. degree from Tianjin Medical University earned in 1988, she initially practiced as an Oral Maxillofacial surgeon until 2000. Subsequently, her passion for biomedical research led her to spend over two decades contributing to significant advancements in the field.

Her prior research delved into the intricate metabolism and function of polyamines in cancer progression, as well as the application of nanotechnology in anti-inflammation. Presently, Xiaojing's research focus centers on gaining deep insights into the developments of systemic lupus erythematosus using diverse animal models. Additionally, she actively collaborates as a valuable member of the Rheumatology Clinical Trials team. With her vast experience and dedication, Xiaojing continues to make meaningful contributions to the medical community's understanding of complex diseases.

Jessica Nolan, Senior Research Support Specialist
In 2022, Jessica became a member of Dr. Perl's Laboratory. Graduating with a B.S./M.S. in Chemistry with a Biology concentration from the University at Albany, SUNY in 2021, she gained experience as a Research Assistant in an Analytical Chemistry laboratory. Within Dr. Perl's laboratory, Jessica's primary focus lies in metabolomics, where she leverages Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS) techniques for her research.

Fatme Allam, MD, Clinical Associate Professor

Hom Neupane, MD, Associate Professor

Andras Perl, MD, PhD, Distinguished Professor

Research Interests: Genes and Viruses Predisposing to Autoimmunity, Genetics, Apoptosis, Endogenous Retroviruses, Transaldolase

Jianghong Yu, MD, Assistant Professor

Bryan Blaker, CRA
Bryan graduated from Binghamton University with a B.S. in Biology, Genetics, and a B.A. in Social Sciences, Environment and Evolution. He is a Nationally Registered Emergency Medical Technician joining Dr. Perl’s laboratory to further explore his passion in the medical field from a clinical research perspective.

Lucero Blaker, CRA
Lucero graduated with a B.S. in Integrative Neuroscience from Binghamton University in 2021 and is a nationally certified medical assistant. With extensive experience in ENT and urgent care treatment, she is dedicated to providing high-quality healthcare, combining her academic expertise with practical skills to enhance patient well-being. She also received her Mental Health First Aid certification at SUNY Downstate Medical University in 2018.

Jorge Cabezas, Senior Research Support Specialist
Jorge graduated from RIT in 2017 with a B.S. in Biotechnology and Molecular Science. He has been with Upstate for 2 the past two year and fully joined the Dr. Perl’s lab in 2022.

Aparna Godavarthy, Research Associate
Working in NAC clinical trial study of Immune cells of Control and SLE patients, mainly focusing on the influence of increased levels of HRES-1/Rab4 on gene expression studies and this also includes studying the Molecular basis of increased levels of HRES-1/Rab4 in SLE patients.

Joshua Lewis, Senior Research Support Specialist
Josh joined Dr. Perl’s laboratory as a Research Technician in 2018. He graduated with a B.S. in Neuroscience from Binghamton University in 2014 and subsequently worked as a Laboratory Assistant at the Hunter James Kelly Research Institute in downtown Buffalo from 2015 to 2018.

Jessica Nolan, Senior Research Support Specialist
Jessica joined Dr. Perl’s Laboratory in 2022. She graduated with a B.S./M.S. in Chemistry with a concentration in Biology from the University at Albany, SUNY in 2021. There she worked as a Research Assistant in an Analytical Chemistry laboratory. In Dr. Perl’s laboratory, Jessica focuses on metabolomics utilizing Liquid Chromatography – Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS).

Joy Park, PhD, Student
Joy graduated from Hunter with a BA in Biochemistry in 2017, worked as a Research Associate at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in NYC from 2015 to 2019.

Dilip Rao, Senior Research Support Specialist
Dilip joined Dr. Perl's laboratory in 2022. He graduated with an MS in genetics from the University of Rochester in 2009 and worked at the University of Rochester and Rochester General Hospital Research Institute previously.

FNU Ruchi, Project Manager
Dr. Ruchi graduated with an M.D. degree from Stavropol State Medical University and completed her internship training in India. During her five-year tenure in the intensive care unit working as intensive care physician, she recognized the pivotal role of evidence-based medicine. To further augment her expertise, she pursued a clinical research fellowship at the University of Virginia, delving into the foundations of evidence-based medicine. In 2023, she joined Dr. Perl's lab as a project manager with her extensive research and clinical experience to explore advanced treatment approaches for individuals with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.

Xiaojing Wang, Senior Research Support Specialist
Xiaojing joined Dr. Perl’s laboratory in 2022. She graduated with a M.D. from Tianjin Medical University in 1988, then immediately she practiced as an Oral Maxillofacial surgeon from 1988 to 2000. Thereafter, she has more than 20 years of experience in biomedical research, including working in Penn State College of Medicine and Upstate Medical University.   Her past research focused on metabolism and function of poly amine in cancer progression and application of nanotechnology in anti-inflammation . Currently her research focus is to deep understanding the developments of systemic lupus erythematosus using various animal models. She is also a part of the Rheumatology Clinical Trials team.

Thomas Winans, Post-Doctoral Associate
Thomas is a recent graduate of the Perl laboratory with a Ph.D. in biochemistry. The focus of his research is on the effects of oxidative stress caused by Rab4A overactivation in systemic lupus erythematosus.

Lupus and Autoimmune Center of Excellence

Upstate was awarded funds from New York state's Empire Clinical Research Investigator Program to establish the Lupus, Autoimmunity, Inflammation, and Immune Health Center of Excellence (LACE) at Upstate University Hospital. LACE's primary focus will be on the metabolic control of autoimmunity, inflammation, and immune health.

The center will foster clinician researchers' development and create a web-based infrastructure to support clinical research, data capture, and retrieval systems. This will facilitate quality improvement and both retrospective and prospective clinical studies.

The center builds on current NIH-supported programs for high-resolution mass spectroscopy and imaging. Led by Dr. Andras Perl, LACE benefits from his NIH grants for lupus studies. Besides training fellows, LACE fosters collaborative initiatives in autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.

“Dr. Andras Perl is one of Upstate Medical University’s top translational researchers and a world authority on lupus. Autoimmunity and inflammation are the root cause of a great many diseases plaguing the nation and the world, from psychiatric disorders to diabetes and, of course, lupus. Dr. Perl’s center idea is important, timely, and transformative.”

- David Amberg, PhD, VP of Research

Since 2003, Dr. Perl has directed the Rheumatology Fellowship Program at Upstate and will mentor two more ECRIP research fellows. He joined the Upstate faculty in 1992.

• Andras Perl, MD, Ph.D. profile

To learn more about the clinical trials offered by our Rheumatology division, click here.

• Perl, A, Gonzalez-Cabello, R., Lang, I. and Gergely P. (1982) Depressed natural and lectin-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity against adherent HEp-2 cells in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. Immunol. Comm. 11, 431-440.
• Perl, A., J.D. Rosenblatt, I.S.Y. Chen, J.P. DiVincenzo, R. Bever , B.J. Poiesz, and G.N. Abraham (1989) Detection and cloning of new HTLV-related sequences in man. Nucleic Acids Res., 17, 6841-6854.
• Perl, A., Isaacs, C.M., Eddy, R.L., Byers, M.G., and Shows, T.B. (1991) The human T-cell leukemia virus-related endogenous sequence (HRES-1) is located on chromosome 1 at q42. Genomics, 11, 1172-1173.
• Banki, K., J.S. Maceda, E. Hurley, E. Ablonczy, D. Mattson, L. Szegedy, C. Hung, and A. Perl (1992) HRES-1, a human endogenous retroviral sequence encodes a 28 kd protein: a possible autoantigen for HTLV gag-reactive autoantibodies. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 89, 1939-1943.
• Krieg, A.M., Gourley, M.F. and Perl, A. (1992) Endogenous retroviruses: Potential etiologic agents in autoimmunity. FASEB J.6:2537-2544.
• Srivastava, B.I.S., K. Banki & A. Perl (1992) Detection of human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I or a related retrovirus in patients with mycosis fungoides, Sezary syndrome, and Kaposi sarcoma. Cancer Res. 52, 4391-4395.
• Krieg, A.M., Gourley, M.F., Klinman, D.M., Perl, A.,and Steinberg, A.D. (1992) Heterogenous expression and induction of human endogenous retroviral sequences in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with polymyositis and controls. AIDS Res. Hum. Retrovirus. 12, 1991-1998.
• Perl, A. and Banki, K. (1993) Human endogenous retroviral elements and autoimmunity: data and concepts. Trends Microbiol. 1:153-156.
• Agarwal, R.K. and Perl, A. (1993) PCR amplification of highly GC-rich DNA template after denaturation by NaOH. Nucleic Acids Res. 21, 5283-5284.
• Banki, K., É. Ablonczy, M. Nakamura, and Perl, A. (1994) Effect of the p40/tax transactivator of human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) on expression of autoantigens. AIDS Res. Hum. Retrovirus 10:303-308.
• Banki, K., Halladay, D. and Perl, A. (1994) Cloning and Expression of the Human Gene for Transaldolase: a Novel Highly Repetitive Element Constitutes an Integral Part of the Coding Sequence. J. Biol. Chem. 269:2847-2851.
• Banki, K., E. Colombo, F. Sia, D. Halladay, D. H. Mattson, A.H. Tatum, P.T. Massa, P.E. Phillips, Perl, A. (1994) Oligodendrocyte-specific expression and autoantigenicity of transaldolase in multiple sclerosis. J. Exp. Med. 180:1649-1663.
• Perl, A., Colombo, E., Dai, H., Agarwal, R.K., Mark, K., Banki, K., Poiesz, B.J., Phillips, P.E., Hoch, S.O., Reveille, J.D. and Arnett, F.C. (1995). Antibody reactivity to the HRES-1 endogenous retroviral element identifies a subset of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and overlap syndromes: Correlation with antinuclear antibodies and HLA class II alleles. Arth. Rheum. 38: 1660-1671.
• Banki, K. and Perl, A. (1996) Inhibition of the catalytic activity of human transaldolase by antibodies and site-directed mutagenesis. FEBS Lett. 378: 161-165.
• Banki, K., Hutter, E., Colombo, E., Gonchoroff, N.J. and Perl, A. (1996) Glutathione levels and sensitivity to apoptosis are regulated by changes in transaldolase expression. J. Biol. Chem. 271: 32994-33001.
• Colombo, E., Banki, K., Tatum, A.H., Daucher, J., Ferrante, P., Murray, R.S., Phillips, P.E. and Perl, A. (1997) Comparative analysis of antibody and cell-mediated autoimmunity to transaldolase and myelin basic protein in patients with multiple sclerosis. J. Clin. Invest.99:1238-1250.
• Banki, K., Eddy, R.L., Shows, T.B., Halladay, D.L., Bullrich, F., Croce, C.M., Jurecic, V., Baldini, A. and Perl, A. (1997) The human transaldolase gene is located on chromosome 11 at p15.4-p15.5. Genomics, 45: 233-238.
• Banki, K., Hutter, E., Gonchoroff, N.J. and Perl, A. (1998) Molecular ordering in HIV-induced apoptosis: oxidative stress, activation of caspases and cell survival are regulated by transaldolase. J. Biol. Chem. 273:11944-11953.
• Perl, A. (1999) Editorial. Mechanisms of viral pathogenesis in rheumatic diseases. Ann. Rheum. Dis. 58:454-461.
• Magistrelli, C., Samoilova, E., Agarwal, R.K., Banki, K., Ferrante, P., Vladutiu, A., Phillips, P.E. and Perl, A. (1999) Polymorphic genotypes of the HRES-1 human endogenous retrovirus locus are associated with systemic lupus erythematosus and autoreactivity. Immunogenetics, 49:829-834.
• Banki, K., Hutter, E., Gonchoroff, N.J. and Perl, A. (1999) Elevation of mitochondrial transmembrane potential and ROI levels are early events and independent from activation of caspases in Fas signaling. J. Immunol. 162:1466-1479.
• Esposito, M., Venkatesh, V., Otvos, L., Weng, Z., Vajda, S., Banki, K. and Perl, A. (1999) Human transaldolase and cross-reactive viral epitopes identified by autoantibodies of multiple sclerosis patients. J. Immunol. 163:4027-4032.
• Puskas, F., Gergely, P. Jr., Banki, K. and Perl, A. (2000) Stimulation of the pentose phosphate pathway and glutathione levels by dehydroascorbate, the oxidized form of vitamin C. FASEB J.14: 1352-1361.
• Perl, A., Colombo, E., Samoilova, E., Butler, M.C. and Banki. K. (2000) Human transaldolase-associated repetitive elements are transcribed by RNA polymerase III. J. Biol. Chem. 275: 7261-7272.
• Perl, A. (2001) Editorial: Endogenous Retroviruses in Pathogenesis of Autoimmunity. J. Rheumatol. 28:461-464.
• Gergely. P. Jr., Grossman, C., Niland, B., Puskas, F., Neupane, H., Allam, F., Banki, K., Phillips, P.E. and Perl, A. (2002) Mitochondrial hyperpolarization and ATP depletion in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. Arth. Rheum. 46:175-190.
• Puskas, F., Gergely, P., Niland, B., Banki, K. and Perl, A. (2002) Differential regulation of hydrogen peroxide and Fas-dependent apoptosis pathways by dehydroascorbate, the oxidized form of vitamin C. Antiox. Redox Signal. 4:357-369.
• Perl, A, Gergely, P., Puskas, F. and Banki, K. (2002) Metabolic switches of T cell activation and apoptosis. Antiox. Redox Signal. 4:427-443.
• Kammer, G.M., Perl, A., Richardson, B.C., Tsokos, G.C. (2002) Abnormal T cell signal transduction in systemic lupus erythematosus. Arth. Rheum. 46:1139-1154.
• Gergely, P. Jr., Niland, B., Gonchoroff, N., Pullmann, R. Jr., Phillips, P.E. and Perl, A.(2002) Persistent mitochondrial hyperpolarization, increased reactive oxygen intermediate production, and cytoplasmic alkalinization characterize altered IL-10 signaling in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. J. Immunol. 169:1092-1101.
• Nagy, G, Koncz, A. and Perl A (2003) T cell activation-induced mitochondrial hyperpolarization is mediated by Ca2+- and redox-dependent production of nitric oxide. J. Immunol. 171:5188-5197.
• Perl,A.; Gergely,P.,Jr. and Banki,K. (2004) Mitochondrial dysfunction in T cells of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. Int. Rev. Immunol. 23:293-313.
• Grossman, C. E., Qian, Y., Banki, K., Perl, A. (2004) ZNF143 mediates basal and tissue-specific expression of human transaldolase. J. Biol. Chem. 279: 12190-12205.
• Perl, A., Gergely, P. Jr., Nagy, G., Koncz, A., and Banki, K. (2004). Mitochondrial hyperpolarization: a checkpoint of T-cell life, death, and autoimmunity. Trends Immunol. 25:360-367.
• Grossman, C. E., Niland, B., Stancato, C, Verhoeven, N.M., van der Knaap, M.S., Jakobs, C., Brown, L.M., Vajda, S., Banki, K. and Perl, A. (2004) Deletion of serine 171 causes inactivation, proteasome-mediated degradation and complete deficiency of human transaldolase. Biochem. J. 382:725-231.
• Nagy, Gy, Barcza. M., Gonchoroff, N., Phillips, P.E. and Perl, A. (2004) Nitric oxide-dependent mitochondrial biogenesis generates Ca2+ signaling profile of lupus T cells. J. Immunol. 173:3676-3683.
• Nagy, Gy, Koncz, A, Phillips, P.E. and Perl, A. (2005) Mitochondrial signal transduction abnormalities in systemic lupus erythematosus. Curr. Immunol. Rev. 1: 61-67.
• Gergely P. Jr, Pullmann, R., Stancato, C., Otvos, L. Jr, Koncz, A., Blazsek, A., Poor, Gy, Brown, K.E., Phillips, P.E. and Andras Perl. (2005) Increased prevalence of transfusion-transmitted virus and cross-reactivity with immunodominant epitopes of the HRES-1/p28 endogenous retroviral autoantigen in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. Clin. Immunol. 116: 124-134.
• Nagy, Gy, Koncz, A, and Perl, A. (2005) T- and B-cell abnormalities in systemic lupus erythematosus.  Crit. Rev. Immunol. 25: 123-140.
• Niland, B., Banki, K., Biddison, W.E. and Perl, A. (2005) CD8+ T cell-mediated HLA-A*0201-restricted cytotoxicity to transaldolase peptide 168-176 in patients with multiple sclerosis. J. Immunol. 175:8365-8378.
• Nagy G.and Perl, A. (2006) The role of nitric oxide in abnormal T cell signal transduction in systemic lupus erythematosus. Clin. Immunol. 118: 145-151.
• Vas, Gy., Conkrite, K., Amidon, W., Qian, Y., Banki, K., and Perl, A. (2006) Study of transaldolase deficiency in urine samples by LC-MS/MS. J. Mass Spec. 41:463-469.
• Perl, A., Qian, Y, Chohan, K.R., Shirley, C.R., Amidon, W., Banerjee, S., Middleton, F.A., Conkrite, K.L., Barcza, M., Gonchoroff, N., Suarez, S.S., and Banki, K.(2006) Transaldolase is essential for maintenance of the mitochondrial transmembrane potential and fertility of spermatozoa. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci USA 103: 14813-14818.
• Fernandez, D., Bonilla, E., Mirza, N, Niland, B. and Perl, A. (2006) Rapamycin reduces disease activity and normalizes T-cell activation-induced calcium fluxing in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. Arth. Rheum. 54: 2983-2988.
• Nagy, G., Ward, J., Mosser, D.D., Koncz, A., Gergely, P.Jr., Stancato, S., Qian, Y, Fernandez, D., Niland, B., Grossman, C.E., Telarico, T, Banki, K, Perl, A. (2006) Regulation of CD4 expression via recycling by HRES-1/RAB4 controls susceptibility to HIV infection. J. Biol. Chem. 281: 34574-34591
• Fernandez, D., Bonilla, Phillips, P.E. and Perl, A. (2006) Signaling abnormalities in systemic lupus erythematosus as potential drug targets. Endocrin, Metabolic & Immune Disorders - Drug Targets. 6: 305-311.

• Perl, A. (2000) Viruses in rheumatic diseases. In Molecular Rheumatology. Ed. Tsokos, G.C.; Humana Press, pp. 15-33.
• Inman, R.D., Perl, A., and Phillips, P.E. (2001) Infectious agents in chronic rheumatic diseases. In: Arthritis and Allied Conditions. A Textbook of Rheumatology, 14th edition. Ed. Koopman, W.J. Lea & Febiger, Philadelphia - London, pp. 635-661.
• Perl, A. (2003) Role of Endogenous Retroviruses in Autoimmune Diseases. Rheum. Dis. Clin. North Am. 29: 123-143.
• Perl, A. and Gergely, P., Jr. (2003). Mitochondrial signaling abnormalities in T cells of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. In: Frontiers in Autoimmunity: Fundamental Aspects and Clinical Perspectives.
• Ed. M. Zouali. IOS Press, Amsterdam, pp.217-241.
• Perl, A. (2004). Editor: Autoimmunity. Methods and Protocols. In Methods in Molecular Medicine series. Humana Press, Totowa, NJ.
• Perl, A. (2004) Pathogenesis and Spectrum of Autoimmunity. In: Autoimmunity. Methods and Protocols. Ed. Perl, A.Humana Press, Totowa, N.J. pp. 1-8.
• Perl, A., Nagy, G, Gergely, P.Jr., Puskas, F., Qian, Y. and Banki, K. (2004). Apoptosis and mitochondrial dysfunction in lymphocytes of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. In: Autoimmunity. Methods and Protocols. Ed. Perl, A. Humana Press, Totowa, N.J. pp. 87-114.
• Niland, B. and Perl, A. (2004) Evaluation of Autoimmunity to Transaldolase in Multiple Sclerosis. In: Autoimmunity. Methods and Protocols. Ed. Perl, A. Humana Press, Totowa, N.J. pp. 155-171.
• Inman, R.D., and Perl, A. (2005) Infectious agents in chronic rheumatic diseases. In: Arthritis and Allied Conditions. A Textbook of Rheumatology, 15th edition. Ed. Koopman, W.J. Lea & Febiger, Philadelphia - London, 647-677.
• Perl, A. (2005) Regulation of the pentose phosphate pathway and its impact on apoptosis under physiological and disease conditions. In. Clinical and Molecular Aspects of Defects in Creatine and Polyol Metabolism. Eds: C. Jakobs and S. Stockler-Ipsiroglu. SPS Publications, Heilbronn, Germany. pp: 122-138.
• Perl, A. (2006) Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Oxidative Stress in T cells of Patients with SLE. In. Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (eds. Tsokos, G.C., Gordon, and Smolen, J). In press.
• For a Complete Listing of Andras Perl's Publications, go to PubMed.