about ms.sastry

This is my fourth year teaching AP Biology! I was employed in the biotech industry performing Neuroscience research before I moved to teaching. My primary research focus was invesigating the molecular differences in brains of patients with Parkinson's disease and developing models to test therapeutic drugs for neurodegenerative disorders. I enjoy working with kids and challenging them to reach beyond their textbooks into the real world of Science and experimentation. I look forward to another rewarding year with my students...

Education:
-San Jose State University, CA 
Professional Clear Single Subject  Science Credential, CLAD 
-MS (Biology; Specialization­Neurobiology), Univ.of S. Florida   
Thesis title: “Neuropathological, neurochemical, and behavioral effects
 of lesions  within the neostriatal/globus pallidus complex” 
-B.Sc. (Biology), Univ. of Madras, Chennai, India 

Publications
JW  Langston,  S  Sastry,  L  Forno,  P  Chan,  L  Bolin,   D  DiMonte.  Novel  Alpha­Synuclein  immunoreactive  proteins  in  brain  samples  from  the  Contursi  kindred,  Parkinson's  disease,  and  Alzheimer's  disease.   (Expt.  Neurol. ­ Dec 1998).
MW  Jakowec,  GM  Petzinger,  S  Sastry,  DM  Donaldson,  A  McCormick,  JW  Langston.    The  native  form  of
a­synuclein  is  not  found  in  the  cerebrospinal  fluid  of  patients  with  Parkinson’s  Disease  or  normal  controls.  (Neurosci Letters. Aug 1997).
Sastry  S,  GW  Arendash.  Time  dependent  changes  in  iron  levels  and  associated  neuronal  loss  within  substantia  nigra  following  lesions  wit hin  the  neostriatal/globus  pallidus  complex.  Neurosci.  67,  649­666  (1995).
Sastry  S,  GW  Arendash,  R  Richmond.  Excitotoxic  lesions  in  neostriatum/globus  pallidus  cause  an  increase 
in  iron  staining  and  glial  cell  numbers  in  globus  pallidus  and  substant ia  nigra.  Soc.  Neurosci.  Abstr.  18,  981  (1992)

Awards and Honors
-Institute of Biomolecular Science  fellowship recipient at USF, FL
-1st rank­holder in University of Madras (B.Sc. Program) ­ assessed over 3 year duration of program from city and district colleges. -Government of India National Talent Search Scholarship awarded  for graduate studies. 

Other Interests: Indian classical dance (Bharatanatyam) - artistic director, choreographer, performer, and teacher of this ancient and vibrant dance form; yoga - practice and instruction; web design