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Contact Information
Telephone: 617-636-0562
Email: mrao@tuftsmedicalcenter.org
Titles
Tufts University School of Medicine
Assistant Professor of Medicine
Assistant Professor in the Department of Public Health and Community Medicine
Course Director, Cardiovascular Epidemiology Course
Education
MBBS
Christian Medical College & Hospital Vellore India 1981
MD
Christian Medical College & Hospital Vellore India 1988
PhD
Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University
Training
Christian Medical, Registrar Internal Medicine 1991
Christian Medical, Senior Registrar Nephrology 1993
St. James University Hospital, Registrar Renal Medicine 1995
Nephrology Fellowship 2003
Interests
Research
Dr. Rao’s research interests include the metabolic complications of CKD and their genetic epidemiology including the role of mitochondrial genetic mutation in the complications and progression of CKD. She is a recipient of a K23 career development award from the NIDDK to study candidate genetic polymorphisms in cardiovascular and kidney disease progression among patients with CKD and diabetic kidney disease, and an R-21 award and the NKF Young Investigator award, to study the role of mitochondrial injury in the anemia of CKD. In 2010, Dr. Rao successfully defended her PhD studies on the genetics of kidney disease in the Sackler Clinical and Translational Science Graduate Program, which is part of the Tufts CTSI Education Component. In addition, she is extending these studies to the development and progression of kidney disease in patients with type I diabetes under the Genetics of Kidney Disease in Diabetes (GoKinD) study conducted by the the Joslin Diabetes Center and George Washington University Biostatistics Center. Dr. Rao collaborates actively with the Evidence Practice Center at Tufts Medical Center to study the methodology and implementation of evidence based medicine.
Selected Publications
Rao M, Juneja R, Shirley B, Jacob CK. Haemodialysis for End Stage Renal Disease in Southern India - A Perspective from a Tertiary Referral Care Center. Neph Dial Transplantation 1998;13:2494-7.
Rao M, Finny GJ, Abraham P, Juneja R, Thomas PP, Jacob CK, Sridharan G. Cytomegalovirus infection in a seroendemic renal transplant population - a longitudinal study of virological markers. Nephron 2000;84:367-3.
Rao M, Sharma M, Juneja R, Jacob S, Jacob CK. Calculated nitrogen balance in hemodialysis patients - the influence of protein intake. Kidney Int 2000;58:336-45.
Rao M. Cytomegalovirus in renal transplantation - The Indian experience. (Review). Indian Journal of Nephrology
Finny GJ, Rao M, Mach M, Juneja R, Thomas PP, Jacob CK, Manayani DJ, Abraham P, Abraham M, Sridharan G. Characterization of antibody response to human cytomegalovirus in Indian renal transplant patients. Indian J Med Res 2001;113:221-7
Rao M, Iman A, Jacob CK. Event related cyclosporine monitoring - pitfalls in practice. Indian Journal of Nephrology 2001;11:17-24.
Sharma M, Rao M, Jacob S, Jacob CK. A controlled trial of intermittent enteral nutrient supplementation in maintenance hemodialysis patients. J Ren Nutr 2002;12:229-37.
Mathew JT, Rao M, Job V, Selvakumar V, Jacob CK. Post-transplant hyperglycemia – a study of risk factors. Neph Dial Transplantation 2003;18:164-71.
Rao M, Pereira BJ. Prospective trials on anemia of chronic disease: the Trial to Reduce Cardiovascular Events with Aranesp Therapy (TREAT). Kidney Int Suppl 2003;87:S12-9.
Rao M, Guo D, Jaber BL, Sundaram S, Cendoroglo M, King AJ, Pereira BJG, Balakrishnan VS, and The HEMO Study Group. Dialyzer membrane type and reuse practice influence polymorphonuclear leukocyte function in hemodialysis patients. Kidney Int 2004;65:682-91.
Balakrishnan VS, Guo D, Rao M, Jaber BL, Tighiouart H, Freeman RL, Huang C, King AJ, Pereira BJG, and The HEMO Study Group. Cytokine gne polymorphisms in hemodialysis patients: association with comorbidity, functionality and serum albumin. Kidney Int 2004;65:1449-60.
Jaber BL, Rao M, Guo D, Balakrishnan VS, Pereira BJG, Cytokine promoter gene polymorphisms and mortality in acute renal failure. Cytokine 2004;25:212-9.
Rao M, Guo D, Jaber BL, Tighiouart H, Freeman RL, Huang C, King AJ, Pereira BJG, Balakrishnan VS and The HEMO Study Group. Transforming growth factor-beta 1 gene polymorphisms and prevalence of vascular disease in hemodialysis patients. Kidney Int 2004;66:419-27.
Liangos O, Rao M, Balakrishnan VS, Pereira BJ, Jaber BL. Relationship of urine output to dialysis initiation and mortality in acute renal failure. Nephron Clin Pract 2005;99(2):c56-60.
Liangos O, Rao M, Ruthazer R, Balakrishnan VS, Modi G, Pereira BJ, Jaber BL. Factors associated with urea reduction ratio in acute renal failure. Artif Organs 2004;28(12):1076-81.
Rao M, Guo D, Perianayagam MC, Tighiouart H, Jaber BL, Pereira BJG, Balakrishnan VS and The HEMO Study Group. Plasma interleukin-6 predicts cardiovascular mortality in hemodialysis patients. Am J Kidney Dis 2005;45:324-33.
Balakrishnan VS, Rao M, Jaber BL; DialGene Consortium. Genomic medicine, gene polymorphisms, and human biological diversity. Semin Dial 2005 Jan-Feb;18(1):37-40.
Rao M, Balakrishnan VS, Jaber BL, DialGene Consortium. Gene Polymorphism Association Studies In Dialysis - Cardiovascular Disease. Semin Dial 2005;18:214-21.
Rao M, Pereira BJ. Optimal anemia management reduces cardiovascular morbidity, mortality, and costs in chronic kidney disease. Kidney Int 2005 Oct;68(4):1432-8.
Perianayagam MC, Liangos O, Kolyada AY, Wald R, MacKinnon RW, Li L, Rao M, Balakrishnan VS, Bonventre JV, Pereira BJ, Jaber BL. NADPH oxidase p22phox and catalase gene variants are associated with biomarkers of oxidative stress and adverse outcomes in acute renal failure. J Am Soc Nephrol 2007 Jan;18:255-63.
Weinhandl ED, Rao M, Gilbertson DT, Collins AJ, Pereira BJG. Effect of intravenous levocarnitine on subsequent hospitalization among prevalent hemodialysis patients, 1998-2003. Am J Kidney Dis 2007;50:803-12.
Rao M, Wong C, Kanetsky P, Girndt M, Stenvinkel P, Raj DSC. Cytokine gene polymorphism and progression of renal and cardiovascular diseases. Kidney Int 2007;72:549-56.
Balakrishnan VS, Rao M. Genetics and reverse epidemiology among patients on chronic hemodialysis. Sem Dialysis 2007;20:570-6.
Rao M, Pereira BJG. Chronic kidney disease in - a hidden epidemic. IJMR 2007;126:6-9.
Rao M, Li L, Jaber BL, Pereira BJG, Balakrishnan VS, and the HEMO Study Group. Plasma adiponectin levels and clinical outcomes among hemodialysis patients. Neph Dialysis Transplant 2008;23(8):2619-28.
Rao M, Li L, Balakrishnan VS, and the HEMO Study Group. Mitochondrial injury as a predictor of mortality among hemodialysis patients. J Am Soc Nephrol 2009;20(1):189-96.
Provenzano R, Schiller B, Rao M, Coyne D, Brenner L, Pereira BJ. Ferumoxytol as an intravenous iron replacement therapy in hemodialysis patients. Clin J Am Soc Nephrol 2009 Feb;4(2):386-93.
Rao M, Balakrishnan VS. The genetic basis of kidney disease risk in African Americans: MYH9 as a new candidate gene (Editorial). Am J Kidney Dis 2009;53:579-83.
Balakrishnan VS, Rao M, Kausz AT, Brenner L, BJ, Frigo TB, Lewis JM. Physicochemical properties of ferumoxytol, a new intravenous iron preparation. Eur J Clin Invest. 2009 Jun;39(6):489-96.
Balakrishnan V, Rao M, Menon V, Gordon P, Pilichowska M, Castaneda F, Castaneda-Sceppa C. Resistance exercise training increases skeletal muscle mitochondrial biogenesis in patients with chronic kidney disease. Clin J Am Soc Neph 2010;5:996-1002.
Rao M, Peter I, Trikalinos TA. A lesson from the Zuni Indians: heritability in perspective. Am J Kidney Dis 2010;56(2):251-4.
Rao M, Mottl AK, Cole SA, Umans JG, Freedman BI, Bowden DW, Langefeld CD, Fox CS, Yang Q, Cupples A, Iyengar SK, Hunt SC, Trikalinos TA. Meta-analysis of genome-wide linkage scans for renal function traits. Neph Dial Transplant; Epub 2011 May 28; doi:10.1093/ndt/gfr255.
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