Maxim Cheeran

Assistant Professor

Medicine, Medical School

Email: jose0066@umn.edu

Education/Research Interests

Maxim C-J. Cheeran received his Veterinary training (DVM) in India and his PhD from the University of Minnesota. His primary research focuses on studying neuroimmune responses against cytomegalovirus brain infection. His studies utilize a murine model of CMV brain infection to investigate the role of peripheral immune cells in controlling virus dissemination in the CNS . His other research interests include understanding the cellular mechanisms by which viruses and immune mediators alter neurogenesis within the CNS. He is actively involved in developing both in vitro and in vivo models to study modulation of neural stem cell function during viral infections. The ultimate goal of these studies is to develop novel therapies for viral encephalitis.

Selected Recent Publications

• Cheeran MC-J, Hu S, Gekker G, Lokensgard JR. Decreased cytomegalovirus expression following proinflammatory cytokine treatment of primary human astrocytes. J Immunol. 2000; 164: 926-933.
• Cheeran MC-J, Hu S, Yager SL, Gekker G, Peterson PK, Lokensgard JR. Cytomegalovirus induces cytokine and chemokine production differentially in human glial cells: antiviral implications. J Neurovirol. 2001; 7:135-147.
• Cheeran MC-J, Hu S, Sheng W, Peterson PK, Lokensgard JR. CXCL10 production from cytomegalovirus-stimulated microglia is regulated by both human and viral interleukin-10. J Virol. 2003; 77:4502-4515.
• CheeranMC-J, Gekker G, Hu S, Lokensgard JR. Intracerebral infection with murine cytomegalovirus is restricted by adoptive transfer of splenocytes. J Neurovirol. 2004; 10(3) 152-162.
• Cheeran MC-J, Gekker G, Hu S, Palmquist JM, Lokensgard JR. T cell mediated restriction of intracerebral murine cytomegalovirus infection displays dependence upon perforin but not interferon-g. J Neurovirol. 2005; 11:274-280.
• CheeranMC-J, Hu S, Sheng WS, Rashid A, Peterson PK, and Lokensgard JR. Differential responses of human brain cells to West Nile virus infection. J Neurovirol. 11(6):512-24.
Hu S, Cheeran MC, Sheng WS, Ni HT, Lokensgard JR, Peterson PK. Cocaine alters proliferation, migration, and differentiation of human fetal brain-derived neural precursor cells. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 2006 Sep;318(3):1280-6. Epub 2006 Jun 9.