Dorcas Deborah Sugirtharaj, Ph.D.

, (Permanent Resident)
253 West 24th street, #111
New York, New York-10011
E-mail : ds53ccf0@westpost.net
Tel. (Cell.) : 917-280-3606
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06/01/2010
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am Ms. Dorcas Deborah Sugirtharaj Ph.D. and I have been working as a Clinical
Research Technician in the "Center for Interventional Vascular Therapy"- Divisio
n of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center fr
om 12/01/06 to 8/31/09. I am also a Part-time student in the Post-baccalaureate
Pre-medical program at the School of General Studies at Columbia University. I
have extensive basic science research and four years of post-doctoral experience
in bio-medical research projects here at the Columbia Presbyterian Medical Cent
er. I also have three years of clinical research experience in cardiology at the
Department of Medicine here at the Medical Center. I request you to kindly cons
ider my application for a Clinical Research Position.
Thanking you,
Sincerely Yours,
Deborah

Dorcas Deborah Sugirtharaj, Ph.D., (Permanent Resident)

253 West 24th street, #111
New York, New York-10011
E-mail : ds53ccf0@westpost.net
Tel. (Cell ) : 917-280-3606

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Curriculum Vitae
Clinical Research experience and Academic Background
12/15/06 to 8/31/09 -working in multiple projects in the Outcomes Database Regis
try in the Department of Medicine (Cardiology )at Columbia University to obtain
procedural and follow-up data, for patients who underwent interventional cardiac
catheterization, completing case report forms , making follow-up telephone ca
lls , analyze data for significant cardiovascular outcomes.
4/7/05 to 9/29/06- worked in the Eye Institute (Department of Ophthalmology) at
Columbia University as Lab Manager and Technician. My work involved studying non
-enzymatic nitration mechanisms as a result of smoking, ageing and inflammation
leading to retinal pigment epithelial cell dysfunction and vision impairment (Ag
e -related macular degeneration).

Continuing Education
Post-baccalaureate Pre- Medical Education Program at the School of General Studi
es, Columbia University (In Progress).
Post-Doctoral Research (2002-2006)
- Post-Doctoral Research Scientist in the department of Pathology at Columbia U
niversity. My work involved studying the role of ephs and ephrins (receptor tyro
sine kinases) in glioma migration and infiltration.
- Post-Doctoral Research Scientist in the department of Pathology at Columbia Un
iversity. The project involved studying promoter hypermethylation status of vari
ous tumor suppressor genes in germ cell tumors and cervical cancer.
- Post-Doctoral Research Scientist in the department of Neurology at Columbia Un
iversity. The project involved studying nuclear gene involvement in COX deficien
cy.
- Post-Doctoral Research Scientist in the department of Microbiology at Columbi
a University. The project involved studying the PhoP-PhoQ two-component signal t
ransduction system in E. coli, to characterize the functional importance of indi
vidual amino acid residues in the nucleotide binding site of the E. coli PhoQ h
istidine kinase protein. The research activity involved site-directed mutagenesi
s of the amino acid residues, purification of the mutant protein and determinati
on of their kinetic parameters.
08/1997-03/01- Tamil Nadu Agricultural University-South India - (Ph.D research w
ork supported by Rockefeller foundation Senior Research Fellowship) - worked as
a senior research fellow in a Rockefeller Foundation funded project entitled, "S
earch for Elicitor Inducible Non-host Defense Genes for the Management of Rice S
heath Blight".

09/1996-06/1997-Indian Agricultural Research Institute(PUSA Institute) New Delhi

- worked as Research Associate in a project on rubber entitled, "Investigation
on Etiology of Brown Bast of Rubber" suspected of viroid etiology.
Technical Expertise :
Molecular Biology - Site Directed Mutagenesis, RFLP analysis, Cloning, RT-PCR, M
S-PCR, Southern, Northern & Western blotting, working with radioactive isotopes
.
Protein Chemistry - SDS-PAGE, Protein Purification (FPLC), HPLC and Autokinase A
ssay.
Virology and cell culture - Working in BL-2 and BL-3 labs, handling rSV40 vecto
rs, and HIV-1(HIVNL43 and HIV-Bal . Cell culture - adherent cells (COS-7, TC-7
and HOS cells), non - adherent cells (SUPT 1, PM-1 and CEMX cells), transductio
n, transfection, ELISA (p24 assay) and flow cytometry.
Cell Biology: Immunocytochemistry, Immunohistochemistry (on cryostat and paraffi
n embedded sections) and Immunofluorescence microscopy.

Education
Ph.D. in Plant Pathology - Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, India (2001)
M.Sc. (Agri.) in Plant Pathology- Dr. Punjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidhyapeeth. Ako
la, Maharashtra, India (1996)
B.Sc. (Agri.) Dr. Punjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidhyapeeth. Akola, Maharashtra, Ind
ia (1994)

Publication :

1.S.D.Deborah, A.Palaniswami, P.Vidhyasekaran and R.Velazhahan:Time-course study

of the induction of defense enzymes,phenolics and lignin in rice in response to
infection by pathogen and non-pathogen. Journal of Plant Diseases and Protectio
n (Germany): 108(2), 204-216,2001.
2. S.D.Deborah, A.Palaniswami, P.Vidhyasekaran and R.Velazhahan : Differential i
nduction of chitinase and -1,3-glucanase in rice in response to inoculation wit
h pathogen(Rhizoctonia solani) and non-pathogen (Pestalotia palmarum). Acta Phyt
opathologica et Entomologica Hungarica (Hungary): 36 (1-2),67-74,2001.
3.S.D.Deborah, A.Palaniswami, P.Vidhyasekaran and R.Velazhahan .The role of lipi
d peroxidation and lipoxygenase in the non-host disease resistance of rice. Cere
al Research Communication (Hungary):30(1-2),149-155,2002.
4. R.Radhajeyalakshmi, B.Meena, R.Thangavelu, S.D.Deborah, P.Vidhyasekaran, and
R.Velazhahan: A 45-kDa chitinase purified from pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum
(L.)R.B.) shows anti-fungal activity. Journal of Plant Diseases and protection (
Germany):107(6),605-616,2000.
5. Narayan G, Arias-Pulido H, Nandula SV,Sugirtharaj DD,Vargas H, Mansukhani M,
Villella J, Meyer L, Schneider A, Gissmann L, Durst M, Pothuri B, Murty VVVS. Pr
omoter Hypermethylation of FANCF: Disruption of Fanconi Anemia-BRCA Pathway in C
ervical Cancer. Cancer Research (USA) 2004 (64) : 2994-2997.
6. Paik D, Saito L, Sugirtharaj DD, and Holmes J. Nitrite induced cross-linking
alters remodeling and mechanical properties of collagenous engineered tissues. C
onnective Tissue Research (USA) 2006 Connective Tissue Research May-Jun.; 47 (3)
163-76.
7.Tsujita K, Maehara A, Mintz GS , Doi H, Kubo T, Castellanos C, Liu J, Yang J,
Oviedo C, Bond, TF Sugirtharaj DD, Dangas GD, Lansky AJ , Stone GW, Moses JW,
Leon MB, Mehran R . Impact of Myocardial Bridge on Clinical Outcome after Corona
ry Stent Placement. The American Journal of Cardiology :103(10),1344-1348, 2009

Volunteering
1. Worked as a volunteer tutor in the Harlem Tutorial Program at the Internation
al House, New York City and mentored a seven year old female child as a tutor 20
05-2006.
2. Volunteered as a Program Assistant (in Summer 2008) with High School Girls in
Christian Cultural Arts Center, Hunts Point, South Bronx , New York City.
3. Volunteered 02/01/09 to 09/02/09 one afternoon per week in Dr.Nancy F.Kahn's
Office in the Herbert Irving Cancer Center of Columbia Presbyterian Medical Cent
er.
4. Volunteered from 09/01/2009 to 04/30/2010 taping surgeries once a week for 4-
6 hrs at the Department of Surgery, Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center.
5. Completed a Pre-Med Internship at a Refractive Surgeon's Office on the Lower
East side of Manhattan from 09/01/2009 to 04/30/2010.
6. Tutored GED students English, Mathematics and Biology through Community Impac
t at the Main Campus, Columbia University from 09/01/2010 and in Spring 2010.
7. Helped a 90 year old woman (Emphysema patient) for 4-5 hours per week with b
anking, grocery shopping and talking her out for a walk .
8. Doing patient follow up calls in the evenings and week ends in the Division o
f Cardiology , Department of Medicine obtaining follow up information from patie
nts who are enrolled in Clinical Research trials .