Dr. Sharada Mokkapati, The UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, United States
Dr. Sharada Mokkapati is an Assistant Professor of Urology (Research) at UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, specializing in oncology, molecular biology, and gene therapy. With a PhD in Genetics from the University of Cologne, Germany (2007), Dr. Mokkapati has contributed significantly to bladder cancer research. She was a key team member in the first FDA-approved gene therapy for bladder cancer and has extensive experience with gene therapy vector development, RNA/DNA molecular techniques, and NextGen sequencing. Her research also includes the identification of miRNA biomarkers and the study of tumor metabolism in gene therapy responses. Dr. Mokkapati has received multiple awards, including the Dodie P. Hawn Fellowship and the Lennox K. Black International prize for excellence in medicine. She is also an adhoc reviewer for journals like BMC Cancer and has co-authored numerous influential publications on bladder cancer and cancer therapy.
Publication Profile
Scopus
Education
Dr. Sharada Mokkapati earned her PhD in Genetics from the University of Cologne, Germany, in February 2007. Her academic journey has focused on genetic research, exploring complex biological systems to understand various genetic disorders. With a robust foundation in genetic principles, she has contributed significantly to the scientific community through research, publications, and collaborations. Dr. Mokkapati’s work has emphasized advancing knowledge in molecular genetics, genetic markers, and hereditary diseases, making a lasting impact on the field. Her dedication continues to inspire the next generation of genetic researchers. π±π
Professional Experience π
Dr. Sharada Mokkapati has an extensive career in academia and research. Since 2020, she has served as an Assistant Professor in Urology (Research) at the UT MD Anderson Cancer Center. Previously, she was an Instructor in Urology (Research) at the same institution from 2015 to 2020. Dr. Mokkapati’s academic journey began with a postdoctoral fellowship in the Department of Genetics at UT MD Anderson Cancer Center (2008-2015). Her early career includes graduate studies in Dermatology at the University of Cologne (2002-2007), and research roles at SPIC Science Foundation and Malladi Drugs & Pharmaceuticals in India. π§¬π¬
Research Achievements π§¬π¬
Dr. Sharada Mokkapati has made significant contributions to the field of oncology and gene therapy. She was a key team member in the development of the first FDA-approved gene therapy for bladder cancer. With extensive experience in oncology, molecular biology, biochemistry, biotechnology, and biomedical research, Dr. Mokkapati has developed and validated vectors for gene therapy. She is highly proficient in RNA, DNA, protein molecular techniques, biochemical assays, and NextGen sequencing. Additionally, Dr. Mokkapati excels in using both xenograft and genetically engineered mouse models for translational biology studies and managing research-related compliance and clinical trial databases. π§ͺπ‘
Awards and Honors π
π
Dr. Sharada Mokkapati has been recognized with several prestigious awards throughout her career. She was honored with the “Dodie P. Hawn Fellowship in Genetics” at UT MD Anderson Cancer Center. Dr. Mokkapati also received the “Travel Award-Lennox K. Black International Prize for Excellence in Medicine” for her contribution to the 12th International Symposium on Basement Membranes in Philadelphia. As a team member, she contributed to the technology transfer for amylase and tannase at SPIC Science Foundation, India. Additionally, she qualified the “National Eligibility Test for Lectureship (NET)” and received the “Dr. T. Ramachandra Rao Memorial Gold Medal” for academic excellence in her Master’s studies. ππ§¬
Research Focus π¬π‘
Dr. Sharada Mokkapati’s research primarily focuses on oncology, molecular biology, and gene therapy in the context of bladder cancer. She has contributed extensively to the molecular profiling of bladder cancer, identifying relevant subtypes for biomarker discovery. Her work also includes the development and validation of gene therapy vectors, particularly in non-muscle invasive bladder cancer. Dr. Mokkapati is proficient in RNA/DNA/protein molecular techniques, biochemical analysis, and NextGen sequencing, using mouse models to address both basic biological and translational studies. Her efforts aim to integrate gene therapies into bladder cancer treatment paradigms. π§¬π§«π―
Publication Top Notes
- Molecular profiling of bladder cancer xenografts defines relevant molecular subtypes and provides a resource for biomarker discovery (2025) – Cited by 0 π¬π
- Integrating gene therapy into the treatment paradigm for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (2025) – Cited by 0 π§¬π‘
- Concomitant antihistamine administration improves survival outcomes in urothelial carcinoma treated with atezolizumab (2025) – Cited by 0 ππ
- Single-cell RNA sequencing analysis identifies acute changes in the tumor microenvironment induced by interferon Ξ± gene therapy in a murine bladder cancer model (2024) – Cited by 0 π§ͺπ§¬
- Interferon gene therapy with nadofaragene firadenovec for bladder cancer: from bench to approval (2023) – Cited by 7 π₯π¬
- The current status of gene therapy in bladder cancer (2023) – Cited by 8 ππ
- Lentiviral interferon: A novel method for gene therapy in bladder cancer (2022) – Cited by 8 π§¬π§ͺ
- Antiadenovirus Antibodies Predict Response Durability to Nadofaragene Firadenovec Therapy in BCG-unresponsive Non-muscle-invasive Bladder Cancer (2022) – Cited by 16 π§ͺπ¬
- TCF21 promotes luminal-like differentiation and suppresses metastasis in bladder cancer (2020) – Cited by 7 π§¬π₯
- Generation of a novel mouse strain with conditional, cell-type specific, expression of DND1 (2019) – Cited by 2 ππ¬