Doctor Srinivas Nammi

• Qualifications
• Biography
• Research
• Selected Publications 
• Grants/Current Projects
• Awards/Honours
• Teaching Activities  
• Professional Activities

Qualifications

 B.Pharm, M.Pharm, PhD 

Biography

Dr Srinivas Nammi has a doctorate in Pharmaceutical Sciences, specialising in Pharmacology. Before joining the University of Western Sydney as a lecturer in Pharmacology, Dr Nammi worked at the University of Sydney for three years and at the University of Canberra for one year.

Dr Nammi has completed all his academic degrees at Andhra University, in the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, India. Since completing his PhD in 2003, he has gained extensive postdoctoral experience at the University of Tubingen, Germany and at the University of Manitoba, Canada.

Dr Nammi has worked as an Industrial Pharmacologist for a year where he was closely associated with the establishment of a Pharmacology research laboratory. He has an excellent track record in herbal medicines research and made significant contribution to both basic and applied research related to drug discovery, biological evaluation and mechanistic studies with special focus on metabolic disorders. He has published 38 scientific papers with more than 240 research citations and contributed to over 25 conference abstracts.

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Research

Dr Srinivas Nammi has over 13 years of experience in pharmacological research in the areas of endocrine and cardiovascular pharmacology through working on various projects in academic and industrial setting with special focus on the cause and treatment of metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes. He has a distinguished track record in herbal medicines research and made significant contribution to both basic and applied research related to drug discovery, biological evaluation and mechanistic studies using various pharmacological and molecular biology methods. So far, Dr Nammi has supervised three master student projects, four honours student projects and three summer student projects.

He is also interested in the following reseach areas:

• Pathophysiological mechanisms and therapeutic interventions involved in: Insulin resistance, obesity and type-2 diabetes. Beta-cell dysfunction and Diabetes mellitus. Glucocorticoid excess and metabolic syndrome with special focus on 11β-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 1 (11β-HSD1).
• Evaluation and identification of mechanism(s) of action of traditional herbal medicines in the treatment/prevention of: Obesity, Type 2 diabetes and its complications, Lipid disorders, Cardiovascular diseases and Oxidative stress
• Mechanisms involved in low, moderate and heavy alcohol consumption (prenatal and postnatal) on the development of: Fatty Liver Disease, Metabolic syndome and Type 2 diabetes
• Pharmacokinetics and drug interactions - Pharmacokinetic evaluation of traditional herbal medicines to discover biologically active compounds for the treatment of metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes: drug-drug interactions and Herb-drug interactions

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Selected Publications

Omar, E.A., Kam, A., Alqahtani, A., Li, K.M., Razmovski-Naumovski, V., Nammi, S., Chan, K., Roufogalis, B.D., & Li, G.Q. (2010). Herbal medicines and nutraceuticals for diabetic vascular complications: Mechanisms of action and bioactive phytochemicals. Current Pharmaceutical Design, 16, 3776-3807.

Nammi, S., Kim, M.S., Gavande, N.S., Li, G.Q., & Roufogalis, B.D. (2010). Regulation of low-density lipoprotein receptor and 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme-A reductase expression by Zingiber officinale in the liver of high-fat diet-fed rats. Basic & Clinical Pharmacology & Toxicology, 106, 389-395.

Nammi, S., Sreemantula, S., & Roufogalis, B.D. (2009). Protective effects of ethanolic extract of Zingiber officinale rhizome on the development of metabolic syndrome in high fat diet-fed rats. Basic & Clinical Pharmacology & Toxicology, 104, 366-373.

Boini, K.M., Nammi, S., Grahammer, F., Osswald, H., Kuhl, D., & Lang, F. (2008). Role of serum & glucocorticoid inducible kinase sgk1 in glucocorticoid regulation of renal electrolyte excretion and blood pressure. Kidney and Blood Pressure Research, 31, 280-289.

Nammi, S., Dembele, K., & Nyomba, B.L. (2007). Increased 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type-1 and hexose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase in liver and adipose tissue of rat offspring exposed to alcohol in utero. American Journal of Physiology: Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology, 292, R1101-R1109.

Rexhepaj, F., Grahammer, F., Völkl, H., Remy, C., Wagner, C.A., Sandulache, D., Artunc, F., Henke, G., Nammi, S., Capasso, G., Alessi, D.R., & Lang, F. (2006). Reduced intestinal and renal amino acid transport in PDK1 hypomorphic mice. FASEB Journal, 20, 2214-2222.

Sushruta, K., Satyanarayana, S., Srinivas, N., & Rajasekhar, J. (2006). Evaluation of the Blood glucose regulating effects of aqueous extracts of the selected Umbelliferous fruits used in culinary practices. Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research, 5, 613-617.

Rao, N.K., & Nammi, S. (2006). Antidiabetic and renoprotective effects of the chloroform extract of Terminalia chebula Retz. seeds in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 6, 17.

Sandu, C., Rexhepaj, R., Grahammer, F., McCormick, J.A., Henke, G., Palmada, M., Nammi, S., Lang, U., Metzger, M., Just, L., Skutella, T., Dawson, K., Wang, J., Pearce, D., & Lang, F. (2005). Decreased Intestinal Glucose Transport in the sgk3-knockout Mouse. Pfluger’s Archiv European Journal of Physiology, 451, 437–444.

Nammi, S. (2005). Ayurveda and Diabetes. Physician’s Digest, 14, 68-74.

Nammi, S., Boini, K.M., Koppula, S., & Sreemantula, S. (2005). Reserpine-Induced Central Effects: Pharmacological Evidence for the Lack of Central Effects of Reserpine Methiodide. Canadian Journal of Physiology & Pharmacology, 83, 509–515.

Sandulache, S., Grahammer, F., Nammi, S., Artunc, F., Mack, A., Huang, D.Y., Vallon, V., Wulff, P., Kuhl, D., & Lang, F. (2005). Renal Ca2+ handling in the sgk1 knockout mouse. Pfluger’s Archiv European Journal of Physiology, 449, S99.

Artunc, F., Grahammer, F., Sandulache, D., Bohmer, D., Palmada, M., Henke, G., Nammi, S., Mack, A., Alessi, D., & Lang, F. (2005). Impaired intestinal amino acid absorption in PDK1 deficient mice. Pfluger’s Archiv European Journal of Physiology, 449, S65.

Sreemantula, S., Boini, K.M., Koppula, S., Kilari, E.K., & Nammi, S. (2005). Indirect biochemical evidence that reserpine methiodide produces selective depletion of peripheral biogenic amines in rats. Die Pharmazie, 60, 294–297.

Satyanarayana, S., Nammi, S., Kolanukonda, R., Koppula, S., & Boini, K.M. (2005). Adaptogenic and nootropic activities of Vitis vinifera (Grape seed) extract: An experimental study in rat model. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 5, 1.

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Teaching Interests

Dr Nammi is a lecturer and coordinator of Pharmacology.

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Grants/Current Projects

Grants:

Exploring the effectiveness of Tamarindus indica fruit pulp extracts to control blood glucose and fat levels in metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes. New Research Project Development Grant (NRPDG); University of Western Sydney, Australia; 2011-Ongoing.

Investigation of selected traditional herbal medicinal plants for glucose and lipid metabolism-regulating activities. Sesquicentenary (SESQUI) Postdoctoral Fellowship Grant; University of Sydney, Australia; 2006-2009.

Functional role of SGK in the regulation of ion transport in different cell types. Deutscher Akademischer Austausch Dienst (DAAD) Germany; 2003-2004.

Synthesis of quaternary analogues of reserpine and their evaluation by pharmacological and biochemical methods. Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), India; 1999-2003.

Evaluation of herbal preparations for antidiabetic activity in animal models of diabetes. University Grants Commission (UGC), India; 1996-1998.

Current Projects:

Understanding the pathophysiology of metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, and fatty liver disease and therapeutic interventions using traditional herbal medicines and identification of molecular mechanism of actions.

Chronic HEAVY alcohol consumption and development of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and fatty liver disease: Identification of 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase-1 (11beta-HSD1) as a novel therapeutic target

Understanding the cellular mechanisms involved in the beneficial effects of chronic LIGHT to MODERATE ethanol consumption on the development of metabolic disorders.

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Awards/Honours

Sesquicentenary (SESQUI) University of Sydney Postdoctoral Fellowship, Australia (2006-2009).

Deutscher Akademischer Austausch Dienst (DAAD) Fellowship, Germany (2003-2004).

Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) – Senior Research Fellowship, India (1999-2003).

Best Presentation Award, Seminar on ‘Pharmaceutical Research in the New Millennium’, India (2002).

Best Paper Award, 52nd Indian Pharmaceutical Congress, India (2000).

Graduate Aptitute Test in Engineering (GATE) Fellowship, India (1996-1998).

University Prize for outstanding merit in Physiology & Pharmacology, Andhra University, India (1998).

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Professional Activities

Dr Nammi is a member on the Editorial board of the Journal of Diabetes & Endocrinology.

He is a Peer Reviewer for biomedical journals including Basic & Clinical Pharmacology & Toxicology, Biomed Central (BMC) Complementary & Alternative Medicine, BMC Pharmacology, Diabetes Technology & Therapeutics, Indian Journal of Pharmacology, Journal of Diabetes etc. and regularly invited to review manuscripts in the areas of interest.

Dr Nammi is also an examiner for honours, masters and PhD theses at  some domestic and international universities.

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