Dr. Swarna Beesetti is currently a scientist in the Department of Hematology, Bone Marrow Failure Program, at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Her research interests focus on understanding and developing treatments for bone marrow failure syndromes and other hematologic disorders.
Beesetti hails from Andhra Pradesh, India. She completed her master's degree in biotechnology at the University of Calicut in Kerala, India, through the JNU-CEEB program. Following this, she obtained her PhD in Molecular Oncology from the Indian Institute of Technology-Madras (IIT-M), India. She then pursued a postdoctoral fellowship in Immunology at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
Throughout her research training, Beesetti has been the recipient of numerous accolades. These include the GATE-MHRD Fellowship and the CSIR-UGC Fellowship for her PhD program. She was also awarded the John H. Sununu Named Post Doctoral Fellowship, the Fanconi Anemia Young Investigator Award (2021), and the Pfizer Junior Investigator Award (2021). Additionally, she served as a Hill Day Advocate during her postdoctoral training.
Beesetti's interest in clinical research and clinical investigations stems from her desire to translate scientific discoveries into tangible medical solutions. She is particularly passionate about developing innovative therapies for rare blood disorders and improving patient outcomes. By engaging in clinical research, she aims to contribute to advancing medical knowledge and creating effective, personalized treatments for patients.
Beesetti is motivated to join the Clinical Investigations program to advance her impactful career in translational medicine. She aims to leverage her extensive knowledge in basic science and wet lab skills to develop and deliver innovative diagnostics and treatments for patients with rare blood disorders. By participating in the CI program, she hopes to bridge the gap between research and clinical application, making significant contributions to patient care.
Hometown: Andra Pradesh, India
Education:
Postdoctoral Fellowship, Immunology – St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
PhD, Molecular Oncology – Indian Institute of Technology-Madras
MS, Biotechnology – University of Calicut
Publications:
Beesetti S, Sirasanagandla S, Sakurada SM, Pruett-Miller SM, Sumpter R Jr, Levine B, Potts MB (2022). FANCL supports Parkin-mediated mitophagy in a ubiquitin ligase-independent manner. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis.1;1868(9):166453. doi: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2022.166453.PMID: 35644338.
Beesetti S, Surabhi RP, Venkatraman G, and Rayala SK. (2018) Mechanics of PAK1 – A new molecular player in the arena of skin cancer. J Cell Physiol 234(1):969-975. doi: 10.1002/jcp.26925
Beesetti S, Mavuluri J, Surabhi RP, Oberyszyn TM, Tober K, Pitani RS, Joseph LD., Venkatraman G, and Rayala SK. (2017) Transcriptional regulation of ataxia–telangiectasia and Rad3-related protein by activated P21-activated kinase-1 protects keratinocytes in UV-B-induced premalignant skin lesions. Oncogene doi:10.1038/onc.2017.218.
Jagadeeshan S*, Subramanian A*, Tentu S*, Beesetti S*, Singhal M, Raghavan S, Surabhi RP, Mavuluri J, Bhoopalan H, Biswal J, Pitani RS, Chidambaram S, Sundaram S, Malathi R, Jayaraman J, Nair AS, Venkatraman G, and Rayala SK. (2016) p21 activated kinase 1 (Pak1) signaling influences therapeutic outcome in pancreatic cancer. Ann Oncol doi: 10.1093/annonc/mdw184