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                Alok Dhawan, PhD, FST
                Scientist E-I
                Developmental Toxicology Division
                Industrial Toxicology Research Centre
                P.O Box 80, M.G. Marg
                Lucknow - 226 001, UP, India
Phone: +91-522-2613786; 2627586 Extn 320
FAX    :  +91-522-2628227; 2611547 

E-mail:     alokdhawan@yahoo.com
                  dhawanalok@hotmail.com

Area of Specialization: Predictive Toxicology

Post human genome era has attracted scientists to identify DNA and protein based early biomarkers for exposure, effect and susceptibility. Surrogate tissues for exposure and effect are also being identified. One such cell type is the peripheral blood lymphocyte. Our studies using lymphocytes to study the exposure and effect biomarkers in exposed and normal human population has led to establishment of basal levels of DNA damage in human population in India [2, 6, 18, 20, 26]. In vitro studies have also been done using these cell types to identify antioxidant and antigenotoxic properties of dietary substances [1, 5]. Studies on the usefulness of lymphocyte cytochrome P450s as a peripheral marker for susceptibility showed that genotypic and phenotypic expression of P450s in lymphocytes closely parallels that in brain and liver and can be used as a surrogate tissue for human biomonitoring studies [3, 4, 7, 23, 36,]. Our studies on comet assay have led to the establishment of reference values for DNA damage in healthy Indian population.

In vivo studies in mouse [17, 19, 24, 31, 32] and transgenic drosophila and in vitro studies in primary cells and cell lines of animal and human origin have helped delineate the mechanism of genotoxicity of different compounds. Multiple mouse organ genotoxicity assessment is also done using comet assay [30].

To minimize the use of animals in toxicology, our group uses cell lines for assessing the effects of chemicals and understanding their mechanism of action [11, 37]. An alternate animal model in transgenic Drosophila Melanogaster for in vivo genotoxicity assessment has been developed and validated and is currently being used to assess and understand the mechanism of action of genotoxic potential of chemicals using different drosophila mutants [12,13,22,25,37]. A plant based model has also been developed to assess the ecogenotoxicity potential [33].

Our group has now initiated research in niche areas such as:

Nanomaterial Toxicity (carbon fullerenes, metals and metal oxides)

Metabolomics (Cellular and metabolic pathways)

Aparajita Dey, Devendra Parmar, Monika Dayal, Alok Dhawan and Prahlad K. Seth Cytochrome P450 1A1 (CYP 1A1) in blood lymphocytes: Evidence for expression of catalytic activity.
Life Sciences 69: 383-393, 2001.

Monika Dayal, Devendra Parmar, M. Ali, Alok Dhawan, Upendra N. Dwivedi and P.K. Seth
Induction of rat brain cytochrome P450s (P450s) by Deltamethrin: regional specificity and correlation with neurobehavioural toxicity.
Neurotoxicity Research 3 (4): 351-357, 2001.

Alok Dhawan, Diana Anderson, Sonia de Pascual-Teresa, Celentino Santos-Buelga, Michael N Clifford and Costas Ioannides
Evaluation of the antigenotoxic potential of monomeric, dimeric and black tea polyphenolics against heterocyclic amine-induced DNA damage in human lymphocytes using the comet assay.
Mutation Research, Genetic Toxicology and Environmental Mutagenesis, 515: 39-56, 2002

Mahima Bajpayee, Alok Dhawan, Devendra Parmar, Alok Kumar Pandey, Neeraj Mathur and Prahlad Kishore Seth
Gender related differences in basal DNA damage in lymphocytes of healthy Indian population as revealed by the alkaline Comet assay.
Mutation Research, Genetic Toxicology and Environmental Mutagenesis, 520 (1-2): 83-91, 2002.

Aparajita Dey, Devendra Parmar, Alok Dhawan, D. Dash and Prahlad K. Seth Cytochrome P450 2E1 dependent catalytic activity and lipid peroxidation in rat blood lymphocytes
Life Sciences, 71(21): 2509-2519, 2002.

Monika Dayal, Devendra Parmar, Alok Dhawan, Mohd. Ali, Upendra N. Dwivedi and Prahlad K. Seth
Effect of pretreatment of cytochrome P450 (P450) modifiers on neurobehavioral toxicity induced by deltamethrin.
Food and Chemical Toxicology 41 (3): 431-437, 2003.

Devendra Parmar, Sanjay Yadav, Monika Dayal, Ashu Johri, Alok Dhawan and Prahlad K. Seth
Effect of lindane on hepatic and brain cytochrome P450s and influence of P450 modulation in lindane induced neurotoxicity.
Food and Chemical Toxicology 41 (8): 1077-1087, 2003.

Alok Dhawan, Mahmood A. Kayani, James M. Parry, Elizabeth Parry, and Diana Anderson
Aneugenic and clastogenic effects of doxorubicin in human lymphocytes
Mutagenesis 18: 487-490, 2003.

Elizabeth D. Wagner, Diana Anderson, Alok Dhawan, A. Lane Rayburn and Michael J. Plewa
Evaluation of EMS-induced DNA damage in the single cell gel electrophoresis (Comet) assay and with flow cytometric analysis of micronuclei.
Teratogenesis, Carcinogenesis and Mutagenesis; 23 (S 2): 1-11, 2003.

Hifzur R. Siddique, Alok Dhawan, D. Kar Chowdhuri, and D.K. Saxena
Drosophila melanogaster as an in vivo model for somatic cell genotoxicity of chemicals by Comet assay. (Technique Notes)
Drosophila Information Service 86:149-151, 2003.

Indranil Mukhopadhyay, D. Kar Chowdhuri, Mahima Bajpayee and Alok Dhawan Evaluation of in vivo genotoxicity of cypermethrin in Drosophila melanogaster using alkaline Comet assay.
Mutagenesis 19(2): 85-90, 2004.

Devendra Parmar, Sanjay Yadav, Ashu Johri, Nidhi Kapoor, Aditya B. Pant, Alok Dhawan and Prahlad K. Seth (2004)
Toxicological consequences of modulation of brain cytochrome P450s by environmental chemicals. In: Pharmacological Prospective of Soma Toxic Chemicals and Their Antidotes. Narosa Publishing House, New Delhi, Eds. S.J.S Flora, James A. Romano, Steven I. Baskin and K. Sekhar, pp 331-355. [BOOK CHAPTER]

Kauser M Ansari, L.K.S. Chauhan, Alok Dhawan, Subhash K. Khanna and Mukul Das Unequivocal evidence of genotoxicity of argemone oil in mouse
International Journal of Cancer 112 (5): 890-895, 2004.

Mahima Bajpayee, Alok Kumar Pandey, Devendra Parmar, Neeraj Mathur, Prahlad K. Seth and Alok Dhawan
Comet assay responses in human lymphocytes are not influenced by the menstrual cycle: a study in healthy Indian females.
Mutation Research, Genetic Toxicology and Environmental Mutagenesis 565 (2): 163-172, 2005.

Kausar M. Ansari, Alok Dhawan, Subhash K. Khanna and Mukul Das
In vivo DNA damaging potential of sanguinarine alkaloid, isolated from argemone oil, using alkaline comet assay.
Food and Chemical Toxicology 43(1):147-153, 2005.

Alok K. Pandey, Mahima Bajpayee, Devendra Parmar, Subodh K. Rastogi, Neeraj Mathur, Prahlad K. Seth and Alok Dhawan
DNA damage in lymphocytes of rural Indian women exposed to biomass fuels as assessed by the comet assay.
Environmental and Molecular Mutagenesis 45 (5) 435-441, 2005.

Mahima Bajpayee, Alok K. Pandey, Devendra Parmar and Alok Dhawan
Current Status of Short Term Tests for Evaluation of Genotoxicity, Mutagenicity and Carcinogenicity of Environmental Chemicals and NCEs. [REVIEW]
Toxicology Mechanisms and Methods 15: 1-26, 2005.

Hifzur R. Siddique, D. Kar Chowdhuri, D.K. Saxena and Alok Dhawan
Validation of Drosophila melanogaster as an in vivo model for genotoxicity assessment using modified alkaline Comet assay
Mutagenesis 20 (4) 285-290, 2005.

Aparajita Dey, Alok Dhawan, Prahlad Kishore Seth and Devendra Parmar
Evidence for cytochrome P450 2E1 catalytic activity and expression in rat blood lymphocytes.
Life Sciences 77: 1082-1093, 2005.

Mukul Das, Kausar M. Ansari, Alok Dhawan, Yogeshwer Shukla and Subhash K. Khanna
Correlation of DNA damage in epidemic dropsy patients to carcinogenic potential of argemone oil and isolated alkaloid in mice.
International Journal of Cancer 117: 709-717, 2005.

Hifzur R. Siddique, Subash C. Gupta, Alok Dhawan, Ramesh C. Murthy, Daya K. Saxena and D. Kar Chowdhuri
Genotoxicity of industrial solid waste leachates in Drosophila melanogaster using a modified alkaline comet assay
Environmental and Molecular Mutagenesis 46: 189-197, 2005.

Sanjay Yadav, Alok Dhawan, Prahlad K Seth, Ram L Singh and Devendra Parmar Cytochrome P4503A: Evidence for mRNA expression and catalytic activity in rat brain.
Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry 287 (1-2): 91-99, 2006.

Ashu Johri, Alok Dhawan, Ram Lakhan Singh and Devendra Parmar
Effect of prenatal exposure of deltamethrin on the ontogeny of xenobiotic metabolizing cytochrome P450s in the brain and liver of offsprings.
Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology 214: 279–289, 2006.

Sushila Patel, Alok K Pandey, Mahima Bajpayee, Devendra Parmar, and
Alok Dhawan
Cypermethrin induced DNA damage in organs and tissues of mouse: Evidence by Comet Assay
Mutation Research, Genetic Toxicology and Environmental Mutagenesis 607 (2) 176- 183, 2006.

Shahina B. Maqbool, Anwaar Ahmad, Alok Dhawan, Stephen J. Callister, Tamara Tsoi, Mariam B. Sticklen, Syed A. Hashsham
Response of selected genes of Burkholderia xenovorans strain LB400 to onion extract using a DNA:RNA hybrid capture detection system.
Research Journal of Microbiology 1(5): 378-391, 2006.

Manoj Pandey, Alok Dhawan and Mukul Das
Induction of p53, p21^waf1, orinithine decorboxylase activity and DNA damage leading to cell cycle arrest and apoptosis following topical application of repeated fish fried oil extract to mice.
Molecular Carcinogenesis 45 (11): 805-813, 2006.

Kausar M. Ansari, Alok Dhawan, Subhash K. Khanna and Mukul Das
Protective effect of bioantioxidants on argemone oil/sanguinarine alkaloid induced genotoxicity in mice.
Cancer Letters 244: 109-118, 2006.

Poornima Vajpayee, Alok Dhawan and Rishi Shanker
Evaluation of the alkaline comet assay conducted with the wetlands plant Bacopa monnieri L. as a model for ecogenotoxicity assessment.
Environmental and Molecular Mutagenesis 47: 483-489, 2006.

Nidhi Kapoor, Aditya B. Pant, Alok Dhawan, Uppendra N. Dwievedi, Yogendra K. Gupta, Prahlad K. Seth, Devendra Parmar
Differences in sensitivity of cultured rat brain neuronal and glial cytochrome P450 2E1 to ethanol.
Life Sciences  79(16):1514-1522,  2006.

Ashu Johri, Sanjay Yadav, Ram L. Singh, Alok Dhawan, Mohd. Ali and Devendra Parmar.
Long lasting effects of prenatal exposure to deltamethrin on cerebral and hepatic cytochrome P450s and behavioral activity in rat offspring.
European Journal of Pharmacology 544(1-3):58-68, 2006.

Aparajita Dey, Sanjay Yadav, Alok Dhawan, Prahlad K. Seth and Devendra Parmar
Evidence for cytochrome P450 3A expression and catalytic activity in rat blood lymphocytes.
Life Sciences 79(18):1729-1735, 2006.

Sanjay Yadav, Ashu Johri, Alok Dhawan, Prahlad K. Seth and Devendra Parmar
Regional specificity in deltamethrin induced cytochrome P450 expression in rat brain.
Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology, 217(1):15-24, 2006.

Nidhi Kapoor, Aditya B. Pant, Alok Dhawan, Uppendra N. Dwievedi, Prahlad K. Seth, and Devendra Parmar
Cytochrome P450 1A isoenzymes in brain cells: Expression and inducibility in cultured rat brain neuronal and glial cells.
Life Sciences, 79(25):2387-2394, 2006.

Mahima Bajpayee, Alok Kumar Pandey, Sabina Zaidi_, Javed Musarrat, Devendra Parmar, Neeraj Mathur, Prahlad Kishore Seth and Alok Dhawan
DNA damage and mutagenicity induced by endosulfan and its metabolites
Environmental and Molecular Mutagenesis August 24, 2006 [Epub ahead of print].

Alok Dhawan, Julian S. Taurozzi, Alok K. Pandey, Wenqian Shan, Sarah M. Miller, Syed A. Hashsham and Volodymyr V. Tarabara
Stable colloidal dispersions of C₆₀ fullerenes in water: Evidence for genotoxicity
Environmental Science and Technology October 26, 2006 [Epub ahead of print].

Adekunle A. Bakare, Alok K. Pandey, Mahima Bajpayee, Devyani Bhargav, Debapratim Kar Chowdhuri, Kunwar P. Singh, Ramesh C. Murthy and Alok Dhawan
DNA damage induced in human peripheral blood lymphocytes by industrial solid waste and municipal sludge leachates.
Environmental and Molecular Mutagenesis (In press).

Devendra Parmar, Sanjay Yadav, Ashu Johri, Nidhi Kapoor, Aditya B. Pant, Alok Dhawan and Prahlad K. Seth (2004)
Toxicological consequences of modulation of brain cytochrome P450s by environmental chemicals. In: Pharmacological Prospective of Soma Toxic Chemicals and Their Antidotes. Narosa Publishing House, New Delhi, Eds. S.J.S Flora, James A. Romano, Steven I. Baskin and K. Sekhar, pp 331-355. [BOOK CHAPTER]

Mahima Bajpayee, Alok K. Pandey, Devendra Parmar and Alok Dhawan
Current Status of Short Term Tests for Evaluation of Genotoxicity, Mutagenicity and Carcinogenicity of Environmental Chemicals and NCEs. [REVIEW]
Toxicology Mechanisms and Methods 15: 1-26, 2005.

Associate Guest Editor of a special issue of Teratogenesis, Carcinogenesis and Mutagenesis Journal (Supplement 1, 2003) published by Wiley-Liss, Inc, U.K.

Alok Dhawan, Mahima Bajpayee, Alok K. Pandey, Kailash C. Khulbe, Devendra Parmar and Prahlad K. Seth (2004).
A process for the manufacture of twin window slides having low fluorescence and a twin window slide made thereby useful for comet assay.
Patent Appl. No. 1870/DEL/2004.

Alok Dhawan, Shailender Bakshi, Nikhil Garg, Prahlad K. Seth and Yogendra K. Gupta (2004).
Comet Assay Abstract Search Software.
Copyright No. 024/CR/2004.

A website on comet assay www.comet.itrcindia.org (now www.cometassayindia.org) was developed and hosted by me on CSIR Foundation Day, 26^th September 2003.

• Shakuntala Amir Chand Prize 2002, in the field of Biomedical Research by Indian Council of Medical Research, New Delhi, 2005.

• BOYSCAST Fellowship 2000, in the field of Molecular Epidemiology by Department of Science and Technology Government of India.

• CSIR Young Scientist Award 1999 in the field of Biological Sciences by Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi.

• INSA Medal For Young Scientist 1993 in the field of Medical Sciences by Indian National Science Academy, New Delhi.

Honours / Distinction

• Elected, Vice President – Environmental Mutagen Society of India, 2006

• Elected, Member, National Academy of Medical Sciences, India, 2005
• Fellow, Society of Toxicology (India), 2004
• Elected, Member, National Academy of Sciences, India, 1998