Sen Laboratory>

Sabyasachi Sen, M.D., M.R.C.P., Ph.D.

Telephone: 413.794.0522
Fax: 413.794.0857 or 7133
Email
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Physician, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Baystate
Medical Center
Assistant Professor of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, Tufts University
School of Medicine
Visiting Scholar, Veterinary and Animal Sciences,
UMass Amherst

Education

M.D., R.G. Kar Medical College, Calcutta University, India

Membership of The Royal College of Physicians in London

Postdoctoral Experience

Doctorate of Medicine, Department of Medicine, National University of Ireland

St. Elizabeth's Medical Center, Tufts University, 2003-2005, Internal Medicine Residency

NIDDK, NIH, Clinical and Research Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism 2005-2008 Fellowship

ABIM CERTIFIED - Internal Medicine

Research Interests

My laboratory studies adult stem cell survival and differentiation. Adult mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are the building blocks of our body. These cells act as repair and regenerative cells to replace old and dying cells. During the course of repair and regeneration, MSCs develop in ways that can maintain health or lead to clinical problems such as osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease, both of which are more likely to occur in people with diabetes. In certain environments within the body these cells can be induced to differentiate into fat, bone, cartilage or muscle, and the goal of my research program is to modify these cell environments so that MSCs differentiate into beneficial cell types like bone or muscle rather than fat. As part of this research, we are learning how to harness the potent growth factors secreted by endothelial progenitor stem cells (EPCs), another adult stem cell type, to help coax MSCs to grow, survive and differentiate to maintain health and prevent diseases by secreting growth factors. We are using human mesenchymal stem cells from different sources such as bone marrow, adipose tissue and pancreatic islets and modifying the environment to address patho-physilogy of disease states such as diabetes and obesity.

The other principal focus of our lab is translational. As a clinical endocrinologist, I am interested in how substances secreted from fat and endothelial cells in hyperglycemic pre-diabetic and diabetes patients influence gene expression and the general health of vascular endothelium. This is particularly relevant because patients with diabetes may have a five times greater risk of a vascular disease than non-diabetic patients and this is a major cause of mortality and health costs. Both vascular endothelium and fat cells are endocrine organs, and our mission is to identify the cross talk between these two systems.  These chemical interactions are important at all stages of life from embryogenesis to the adult, to help regulate endothelium function. We are also interested in identifying novel vascular biomarkers, such as EPCs and utilizing EPCs for regeneration and repair.

Working Groups:
Diabetes & Metabolism Working Group
Center of Excellence in Apoptosis Research

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Selected papers:

Sen S, Conroy S, Hynes S, McMahon J, O’Doherty A, Bartlett J, Akhtar Y, Adegbola T, Connolly C, Sultan S, Barry F, Katusic Z, O’Brien T: Gene delivery to the vasculature mediated by low-titre adeno-associated virus serotypes 1 and 5. 2008 Fed; 10(2):143-51. J Gene Med.

Sen S, Strappe P, O’Brien T: Gene transfer in endothelial dysfunction and hypertension. Methods Mol Med. 2005; 108:299-314. Review

Sumner A, Sen S, Ricks M, Frempong B, Sebring N, Kushner H: Determining the waist circumference in African Americans which best predicts insulin resistance. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2008; 16(4):841-845.

Sen, S; Dean, J; Silver, M, et al: Adeno-associated virus mediated transduction of endothelial progenitor cells, Circulation 2005, Vol.: 112 Issue: 17 Pages: U94-U94

Dobrucki L, Tsutsumi Y., Sen S, Aikawa R et al: Analysis of angiogenesis induced by local IGF-1 gene delivery after myocardial infarction: Application and Validation of integrin targeted imaging by SPECT-CT: Accepted by American Journal of Physiology - Heart and Circulatory Physiology- June 2009

Sen S, Yadava N, Gershengorn MC: Human Endothelial Progenitor Cell-Conditioned Media Improves Survival and Differentiation of Human Bone Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells (hMSCs) ATVB, July 2009, Vol.29 Issue: 7: E53-E53

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