Dr.

Radhashree Maitra,
1580 Pelham Parkway S
Apt # 1H
Bronx, NY-10461

The Chairman,
Department of Natural Sciences,
Fordham University,
441 E. Fordham Road,
Larkin Hall 160, Bronx, NY 10458.
12th December 2009

Ref: Application for the position of Assistant Professor – Organic/ Bio-organic Chemistry

Dear Sir,
Please find complied in pdf format my application for the position of Assistant
Professor in the field of organic/ bio-organic chemistry. I have my bachelor’s degree with
chemistry (honors), physics and mathematics and a masters degree in Biochemistry. My Ph.D
.degree is in Biophysics, Molecular Biology and I have several years of research experience
with publications as indicated in my Curriculum Vitae. At Present I am an Assistant Professor at
Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University where I perform only hardcore
scientific research and I am in search of a position which would give me the opportunity to teach
undergraduate and graduate students along with the scope of scientific research. The
multidisciplinary experience that I have gathered over the years gives me confidence that if given
a chance I would become a valuable member of the department of Natural sciences. My list of
three references is attached as an adjoining page to this cover letter.
Although I had no formal teaching experience except for my curriculum bound
Teaching assistantship during my graduate studies I have started teaching as adjunct Assistant
Professor at Lehman College CUNY to gather experience and develop expertise.
If my application gathers a favorable consideration I shall be happy to deliver a
talk and discuss my research potentials.
Kindly feel free to contact me for any additional information.
Thank you for your kind consideration.
Sincerely Yours
Radhashree Maitra

.
LIST OF REFERENCES:

1. Dr. Rachel Hazan,

Associate Professor
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
1300 Morris Park Avenue
Forchheimer Building, Room 529S
Bronx, NY 10461
Tel: (718) 430-3349
Fax: (718) 430-8541
Email: rachel.hazan@einstein.yu.edu

2. Dr. M.J. Sadofsky,

Associate Professor
Department of Pathology,
Albert Einstein College of Medicine,
1300, Morris Park Avenue
Bronx, NY 10461
Tel: (718) 430-2222
Email: sadofsky@aecom.yu.edu

3. Prof. Ashoke Ranjan Thakur

Vice Chancellor
West Bengal State University Barasat
Berunantukuria, Mallikapur, pin-700126
Tel: 011913325241977 (Off)
011919831179909 (Cell)
011913325241977 (Fax)
Email: thakur.ashoke@gmail.com and ashoke.thakur@gmail.com
 RADHASHREE MAITRA

1580 Pelham Parkway South, # 1H, Bronx, New York 10461. : (718) 801-1359
e-mail: radhashree@hotmail.com

Career Objective

To secure a position with potential of advancement where I can effectively utilize my expertise as
a scientist and educator to work through positive interaction with students to attain global
standards in performance.

Summary of Education

Yea Institution level Subject Grade

r
1996 Calcutta University Ph.D Biophysics, Molecular Biology & Genetics
1989 Calcutta University MS Biochemistry I
1987 Calcutta University BS Chemistry honors Physics & Mathematics I

Professional Experience

Assistant Professor, Department of Surgery and

Department of Pathology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine,
Bronx, NY
2006-2008 NIH training Research Fellow Department of Pathology,
Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY
2002- 2006 Research Associate, Department of Pathology, Albert Einstein College
of Medicine, Bronx NY
2001-2002 Research Associate in Department of Biotechnology, Jadavpur
University, Calcutta, India
1999-2001 Research Scientist in Bioinformatics Calcutta University, Calcutta,
India.
1996.1999 Research Associate Department of Biology Washington University,
St.Louis MO.

Teaching Experience

1990-1996 Graduate Student Department of Biophysics and Molecular

Biology, University of Calcutta, India.
• Teaching three courses of Biochemistry and three courses of Molecular
Biology per semester to undergraduate classes as Teaching Assistant as a stipulated part of the
Ph.D. curriculum of Calcutta University.
Research support NIH training grant NS 07098

Publications

1.Maitra R, Clement CC, Scharf B, Crisi GM, Chitta S, Paget D, Purdue PE, Cobelli N,
Santambrogio L. Endosomal damage and TLR2 mediated inflammasome activation by alkane
particles in the generation of aseptic osteolysis. Mol Immunol. 2009 Oct 3. [Epub ahead of
print]

2. Maitra R, Sadofsky M.J. "A WW-like module in the RAG1 N-terminal domain contributes to
previously unidentified protein-protein interactions. "Nucleic Acids Res.2009 Jun; 37 (10):3301-
9.

3. Maitra, R., Clement, C.C., Crisi, G.M., Cobelli, N., Santambrogio L. Immunogenecity of
modified alkane polymers is mediated through TLR1/2 activation. PLoS ONE. 2008 Jun 18;3
(6):e2438

4.. Bunbury, A., Potolicchio, I., Maitra, R., Santambrogio L. Functional analysis of monocyte
MHC class II compartments. FASEB J. 2009 Jan;23(1):164-71

5..Zak, E.A.., Norling, B., Maitra, R., Huang F., Anderson, B., and Pakrasi, H.B. (2001) The
initial steps of biogenesis of cyanobacterial photosystems occur in plasma membranes. Proc Natl
Acad Sci U S A. 98, 13443-8.

6.Inagaki, N.,Maitra, R.,Satoh, K. and Pakrasi, H.B. (2001) Amino acid residues that are
critical for in vivo catalytic activity of CtpA, the carboxyl-terminal processing protease for
the D1 protein of photosystem II. J Biol Chem, 276, 30099-105.

7.Maitra, R. and Thakur, A.R. (1993) Multiple fragment ligation on glass surface: A
novel approach. Indian Journal of Biochemistry and Biophysics, 31, 97-99.

8. Maitra, R. and Thakur, A.R .(1993) Hydroxyl radical induced DNA damage: choice of
an in vitro model. International Journal of Toxicology, Occupational and Environmental
Health. 56, 6-7.

9. Maitra, R. and Thakur, A.R. (1992) Silanisation of glass bound baked DNA permits
enhanced polymerization by DNA polymerase. Current Science 62, 586-588.
Scientific meetings

•Endosomal damage and TLR2 mediated inflammasome activation by alkane particles in

the generation of aseptic osteolysis Radhashree Maitra, Cristina C. Clement, Brian Scharf,
Giovanna M, Crisi, Sriram Chitta Daniel Paget, P. Edward Purdue, Neil Cobelli, Laura
Santambrogio. Albert Einstein College of Medicine (AECOM), Bronx, NY, USA. Oral
Presentation. 4th International Meeting on UHMWPE for arthroplasty from powder to debris,
16th -18th September 2009 . Turin, Italy.

• Self-Peptidomic Repertoire of the human pre-nodal lymph.

Clement, Cristina C.; Maitra, Radhashree, Sahu, Ranjit, Santambrogio, Laura. Pathology,
Albert Einstein College of Medicine (AECOM), Bronx, NY, USA. Young Investigator Award
talk, 21st American Peptide Symposium, Bloomington, Indiana-July 2009.

• Binding of modified alkane polymers to human recombinant TLR-2 receptor monitored

by intrinsic Tyr fluorescence. Clement, Cristina C.; Maitra, Radhashree Santambrogio,
Laura. Pathology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine (AECOM), Bronx, NY, USA.
Abstracts of Papers, 236th ACS National Meeting, Philadelphia, PA, United States, August 17-
21, 2008 (2008), BIOL-178.

• Binding of Modified Alkane Polymers to Human Recombinant TLR-2 Receptor

Monitored by Intrinsic Tyr Fluorescence. Clement, Cristina C., Maitra, Radhashree
Pathology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine (AECOM), Bronx, NY, USA. Abstracts,
40th Middle Atlantic Regional Meeting of the American Chemical Society, Queens, NY, United
States, May 17-21 (2008), MRM-259. Publisher: American Chemical Society, Washington,
D. C

• Immunogenecity of modified alkane polymers is mediated through TLR1/2 activation.

Clement, Cristina C.; Maitra, Radhashree; Crisi, Giovanna M.; Cobelli, Neil; Santambrogio,
Laura. Pathology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine (AECOM), Bronx, NY, USA.
Abstracts. 48th American Cell Biology (ACB) National Meeting, San Francisco, December 13-
17, 2008.

• Carboxyl terminal protease of synechocystis 6803 and their role in photosynthesis.

Maitra, R., Ivleva, N.B., Inagaki, N., Satoh, K., Shestakov, S.V. and Pakrasi H.B.
The plant retreat meeting of the Department of Biology Washington University, St.Louis,
Missouri on 2nd May 1998 at trout lodge, Missouri, USA.

• Ctpa a c-terminal processing protease inviolved in the biogenesis of photosystem II

complex.
Maitra, R., Inagaki, N.,Anbudurai, P.R. and Pakrasi H.B.
The plant retreat meeting of the Department of Biology Washington University,
St.Louis,Missouri on 17th April 1997 at Meramec, Missouri, USA.

• Biochemical activities of glass bound DNA.

Maitra, R. and Thakur, A.R.
Diamond Jubilee Meeting of the SOCIETY OF BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTS (SBC) INDIA on
28th December 1991 at Calcutta.

Honors

•Winner of "SHANTI BHAKTA MEMORIAL AWARD" for the best speaker at the student
seminar held between 15th-21st January 1990 in the Department of Biochemistry ,Calcutta
University.

•Qualified at the "ALL INDIA NATIONAL ELIGIBILITY TEST (NET)"of 1989 in LIFE
SCIENCES and was awarded scholarship and eligibility to carry out research for the
attainment of doctorate degree from any Indian University or Institute. The scholarship was
valid for five years.

•Qualified for Senior Research Fellowship at all India level in the examinations conducted by
"COUNCIL FOR SCIENTIFIC AND INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH (CSIR) of 1993. The
fellowship was valid for three years.

Membership

•.Member of the "SOCIETY OF BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTS (INDIA)".

• Member of "INDIAN BIOPHYSICAL SOCIETY".

•. Member of “ NEW YORK ACADEMY OF SCIENCE”

Scientific Review

Invited reviewer of Journal of Clinical and developmental Immunology.

Technical skills

• Cell biology and Immunology: Tissue culture, tissue specific typing, isotyping, purification of
monocytes, dendritic cells and macrophages from blood, bone marrow, as well as spleen, thymus
and lymph node. Cell marker specific staining, FACS analysis, ELISA, sandwich ELISA,
immuno-histochemical staining, confocal microscopy, animal immunization, cell proliferation
assay, peptide elution.

• Molecular biology: PCR. RT-PCR, DNA cloning vector construction, site directed
mutagenesis, southern blotting, c-DNA library construction and screening, northern blotting, S1
analysis, DNA sequencing, EMSA, Chip Assay, primer extension, tissue culture, transfection,
western blotting. Immunoblotting. Yeast two hybrid assay.

• Biophysics: Spectroscopy, flourometry, circular dichroism, mass spectroscopy, electron

microscopy and HPLC.
• Protein chemistry: Over-expression of proteins, protein purification by various methods
including FPLC, electrophoresis including SDS-PAGE, native gradient and two dimensional gels,
immunoblotting and ELISA. In vitro biochemical analysis of the proteases by
extensive use of HPLC using different synthetic peptides and organic compounds.

• Computer skill: Have used Machintosh and IBM based programs such as microsoft office,
Endnote Plus, Canvas, Adobe photoshop, photo deluxe, Flash, DNA star, sigma plot, GCG blast
and Entrez software. Also have knowledge of Web page designing by HTML, DHTML, Visual
basic, Visual C++, Front Page, Java and Java script.

Legal Status: Permanent Resident.

Scientific Interest/ Research Plan

My scientific interest is focused on different aspects of molecular recognition processes

especially those that can explain, at the molecular level the pathological conditions in
certain autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and artificial implant related
osteolysis.

My primary investigations at Albert Einstein College of Medicine-Pathology Department,

conducted in the laboratory of Professor Laura Santambrogio, are focused primarily on
the role of immature dendritic cells (DCs) in the development of osteolytic necrosis post
artificial prosthesis implantation. We used the mouse model of Ultra High Molecular
weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) induced calvarial osteolysis to follow the precise role
played by DCs. We investigated even further the critical contribution of the circulating
DCs in csf-1r -/- knockout mice with severely compromised macrophages and
osteoclasts. The findings are already under journal review. The project was initiated with
in vitro analysis of the effect of modified and unmodified as well as patient retrieved
UHMWPE in DC activation. The effects were confirms by electron microscopy
,immunohistochemical staining, surface marker staining followed by flow cytometry,
genechip analysis, luciferase assay as well as by FTIR and mass spectrosopy. The
interesting observation that surface oxidized UHMWPE is by far a stronger immunogen
and that Toll like receptor 1/2 play a critical role in the recognition of the non biologic
organic polymer were published in 2008 and was the basis of the previously mentioned in
vivo studies.
I was also actively involved in the peptidomics and proteomics analysis, utilizing high
resolution mass spectroscopy ESI-LTQ and MALDI-Tof-Tof MS/MS to sequence
peptides isolated from the human lymph and determine, for the first time in the field, the
self-peptidomic carrying ability of the lymph. This investigation allowed the discovery of
a new set of peptides that may have immuno-dominant potential, and therefore might be
involved in the maintenance of peripheral self tolerance or, might stimulate autoimmune
diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis.
Previous to my work on osteo-immunology I worker with Prof. Sadofsky at the same
institution where I was involved in elucidating the precise role of recombinase proteins
RAG1 and RAG2 in V(D)J recombination. During the studies I have identified and
characterized a “WW” like domain in the N-terminal region (NTD) of RAG1 protein that
has high propensity to bind to proline rich region. This might explain the biological role
of the evolutionarily conserved NTD even when it does not directly contribute to the
recombination reaction. During Yeast-2-Hybrid analysis using NTD as bait few preys
were identified and transcription factor GMEB-1 was one of them. I have cloned purified
characterized GMEB-1 and compared its characteristics with well characterized
transcription factor Pax5. The RAG-1 NTD binds strongly to Pax5 and the interactions
have been well characterized.
During my research at Washington University I isolated cloned and characterized CtpA a
C-terminal specific protease found in Synecocystis 6803. Site directed mutagenesis was
utilized to identify the amino acids critical for the protease activity. Several temperature
sensitive mutants were generated in the process. Furthermore the membrane biogenesis of
Photosystem 1 was also elucidated.
My graduate studies were done on different structural forms of DNA. The behavior of
each structural form of DNA to processing enzymes like topoisomerase, Ligase ,
polymerases and recombinases were extensively studied. SSB or single stranded DNA
binding protein was utilized to evaluate the extent of single strand region present in DNA
which was further confirmed by fluorescence and fluorescence acrylamide quenching
studies.
The scientific experience and technical expertise that I have gathered over the years gives
me the confidence to explore and answer any biological question. All the same I would
prefer to do translational research where I would find the cause and cure of specific
pathological conditions using different biophysical and biotechnological techniques.
Given a chance I would like to continue my investigations in the field of osteo-
immunology.
TEACHING PHILOSOPHY

My teaching philosophy is based on a fundamentally optimistic outlook. I believe that

education is a solution to many problems. To educate is to become better educated. It is a
chained process that improves with time. As a teacher I would encourage excellence in
my students and myself. I would urge myself to develop course material that is
challenging and interactive. I strongly believe that using a variety of multimedia
including videos, slides and the internet is an excellent way to compliment traditional
course lectures and laboratory exercise. None the less reading coupled with traditional
lectures remains the foundation of the educational experience.
Students learn best when they construct their own knowledge through exploration and
discussion. I wish to use student exploration as an instructional method as it will allow
students to be active contributors in the classroom and take responsibility for their own
learning. Classroom discussion is an essential part of student education as this is the
space where students use language to synthesize their knowledge and make their work
public. I feel I can encourage students to seek new knowledge and explore their own
ideas by an enthusiastic presentation of both what is, and what is not known about the
subject.
I believe that all of my students, with the help of the right tools, will be able to overcome
any difficulties that the understanding and analysis of science might present. I do not
mean that every student who enters my class will be able to understand by him or herself
equally simply as a result of how I present the lesson, but rather that each of my student
will be guaranteed the opportunity to learn and analyze by him or herself to the best of
his or her abilities. I believe that one of my best qualities as a teacher is my ability to
inspire confidence in my students so that they feel comfortable expressing themselves
regardless of their level of ability
In my interaction with students. I will always be respectful, especially when dealing with
differing opinion that may arise as a result of scientific thinking. I have to constantly
realize that as a teacher I am a facilitator of the process. I want my students to learn to
think critically and not merely accept my ideas and opinion. My drive to pursue higher
education and become a scientist was due in part to several teachers who inspired me and
helped me learn the skills necessary to accomplish these goals. I would like to be the
catalyst for other people to pursue their dreams.