Latest news with #NisargShah
Newsweek
5 days ago
- Health
- Newsweek
Arthritis Treatment Reduces Painful Flare-Ups, Slows Disease
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A new therapeutic approach for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) could help prolong the time between flare-ups and even prevent the onset of the disease in at-risk patients. This is the promise of a new study by researchers who have developed nanoparticles that both slow disease progression and reduce flare severity—rather than just manage symptoms. RA is a chronic condition which cannot be cured that affects some 1.5 million people in the U.S. alone. It occurs when the immune system attacks joint tissue, causing inflammation, swelling and pain. As the disease progresses, more serious cartilage and bone damage can occur if not managed properly. While disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) like abatacept canreduce arthritis activity and slow progression of symptoms, most people still experience flare-ups. And for those with 'pre-RA', who may have detectable levels of RA antibodies but no symptoms, there aren't any approved treatments to prevent disease onset. Older woman holding hand in pain. Older woman holding hand in new treatment approach builds on previous research led by Dr. Nunzio Bottini, director of the Kao Autoimmunity Institute at Cedars-Sinai, and Nisarg Shah, chemical and nano engineering professor at University of California San Diego. They reported that calcitriol-loaded nanoparticles (CLNP)—calcitriol being the active form of vitamin D3—help regulate immune responses and decrease inflammation for autoimmune diseases in joints. The nanoparticles were made of a polymer containing calcitriol, while the researchers also attached a small protein fragment to them. The fragment is derived from something called aggrecan (Agg), a protein in the joints that the immune system can mistakenly attack in RA. To expand on their previous work, the researchers set out to assess whether the modified nanoparticles could treat RA flares and pre-RA. They first improved the nanoparticle formulation, focusing on size and stability, to ensure they were free from contaminants and could be safely frozen for a month. They then confirmed the nanoparticles regulate dendritic cell activity, a type of immune cell responsible for initiating inflammation and flare-ups in RA. "It is not well known what might prompt the onset of RA mainly because it is hard to get tissue from patients who do not have clear arthritis yet and we cannot predict the onset of flares to take blood or tissue right before they happen," Bottini told Newsweek. "However, for disease onset it is believed the autoimmune attack grows over a long period of time without clinical symptoms, before emerging as clinical RA. And continuous T cell education by dendritic cells plays a role in the process. "For flares it is believed that 'resident T cells' remain in the joints once the disease has been controlled and they can cause re-emergence of inflammation based on poorly understood fluctuations. But dendritic cells once again likely play a key role in generating/stimulating those T cells." Doctor examining older patient's hand. Doctor examining older patient's hand. Chinnapong/Getty Images The researchers took blood samples from people with and without RA and treated the samples with the newly formed Agg-CLNP (the nanoparticles with the protein). Agg-CLNP reduced dendritic cell activity which, in turn, reduced the cell's immune response, according to the researchers. By suppressing the immune response, Agg-CLNP could help alleviate RA symptoms like inflammation and swelling. The team also tested Agg-CLNP in a mouse model for RA. It was found to delay inflammation and swelling when given as a preventative treatment, but had little effect when administered after the onset of RA. In a follow-up, the researchers gave both the (currently used) arthritis drug abatacept and Agg-CLNP to the mice. They found that this combination delayed disease onset and reduced joint inflammation, swelling and bone damage. Additional tests in mice also showed Agg-CLNP reduced future RA flare severity when administered after corticosteroid treatment, which is often used to provide symptomatic relief in conditions like RA, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), asthma and more. "There is currently no approved treatment to prevent flares so this would be the first. For disease prevention, some trials of immunosuppressive agents administered to patients at risk (as assessed by early symptoms or strong family history) have shown promising results but implementation will depend on risk-benefit considerations," said Bottini. "We show that our nanoparticle combined with one of these agents enhances its preventative effectiveness, which might help eventually take the combination into the clinic." These results highlight Agg-CLNP as a potential therapeutic to address current limitations in RA treatments, the researchers said. "We think it will mainly help with preventing disease onset in patients at risk probably in combination with other immunosuppressants and to prolong the time to next flare in patients with good control of RA," Bottini explained. "We don't know if one injection could be enough to prevent disease activity but if repeated injections [in the muscle] are needed we predict, they would occur at several months distance from each other. We are exploring whether this approach can be utilized in combination to reduce severity in patients who have active disease and not sufficient control with current therapies." The promising therapy will need to go through optimization and toxicity studies, which can only be done in an industry setting after licensing of the technology. "Currently, aggrecan is the antigen included in the particle. But our aspiration is that the nanoparticle is tailored based on information about the proteins that are attacked by the immune system in each individual patient as they can vary among patients," Bottini added. "The final result would be an injectable therapy that could be personalized to each patient to maximize efficacy." Do you have a tip on a health story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have a question about arthritis? Let us know via health@ References Johnson, W. T., McBride, D., Kerr, M., Nguyen, A., Zoccheddu, M., Bollmann, M., Wei, X., Jones, R. M., Wang, W., Svensson, M. N. D., Bottini, N., & Shah, N. J. (2024). Immunomodulatory Nanoparticles for Modulating Arthritis Flares. ACS Nano, 18(3), 1892–1906. Johnson, W. T., Wilkinson, E. L., Iyer, N., Dolmat, M., Bollmann, M., Dada, N., Wei, X., Yang, S., Zhang, T., Yoo, G., Bernardo, M., Price, M., Frame, E., Ishimori, M., Giles, J. T., Wang, W., Svensson, M. N. D., Bottini, N., & Shah, N. J. (2025). Immunomodulatory nanoparticles enable combination therapies to enhance disease prevention and flare control in rheumatoid arthritis. ACS Central Science.
NDTV
5 days ago
- NDTV
Indian-Origin Professor Caught In Sting Operation While Trying To Meet A 14-Year-Old Boy
An Indian-origin associate professor at the University of California, San Diego, is facing scrutiny after a viral video showed him being confronted in an alleged online child predator sting. According to San Diego Ville, the sting was conducted by the California-based group People vs. Predators. Widely shared social media footage shows activists confronting Nisarg Jaydeep Shah at a supermarket, where he allegedly intended to meet a 14-year-old boy. In the video, activist Tim Johnson, who claims to have exposed over 500 suspected predators, confronted Mr Shah about explicit conversations allegedly held on Grindr. Screenshots shared by the activist purportedly show Mr Shah claiming to be 28 and engaging in sexually explicit chats, even after the decoy mentioned being "bout to be 15." During the confrontation, Nisarg Shah repeatedly expressed remorse, saying he feels "horrible, the worst I've ever felt" and calling his actions "abhorrent." In extended footage outside the store, Mr Shah admitted to bringing personal lubricant and a douche, claiming they were to help the person he believed he was meeting "get ready" and "prep." He repeatedly said, "I f**ked up," and suggested, "I need to get help or something, maybe." A photo reportedly showed Mr Shah in handcuffs, though SanDiegoVille stated he was only briefly detained and released at the scene. San Diego Police have confirmed an ongoing investigation. SDPD Lt Travis Easter said, "We are aware of the incident and our ICAC unit is actively investigating it. There have not been any charges made yet." "Our ICAC unit will typically not work with civilians acting as undercover operatives and does not condone such activities because the training involved in conducting these investigations consists of hours of intense legal training," Mr Easter was quoted as saying by SanDiegoVille. Nisarg Shah, a UC San Diego associate professor specialising in immunoengineering and nanoscale materials, holds a Ph.D. from MIT and a postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard. He teaches and leads a research lab at UCSD. In response to the allegations against its faculty member, UC San Diego committed to fully cooperating with authorities, emphasising its dedication to campus safety and a zero-tolerance policy for sexual misconduct.
India Today
5 days ago
- India Today
Indian-origin professor caught in child-sex sting in San Diego
An Indian-origin associate professor at the University of California San Diego has come under scrutiny after a viral video showed him being confronted in an alleged online child predator sting. In the footage, Nisarg Shah is accused of attempting to meet someone he believed to be a 14-year-old boy for alleged sexual activity. San Diego Police have confirmed that an investigation is underway. However, Shah has denied all allegations. He was briefly detained during the confrontation but was released at the associate professor was targeted in a vigilante sting coordinated by online activists. The video of the confrontation, which occurred last Saturday, August 2, inside Pavilions' grocery store in San Diego's Hillcrest community, was first published by a group "People v Preds", according to a local digital media outlet, SanDiegoVille. People vs Preds (People vs Predators) is a US-based vigilante group known for conducting online sting operations to expose alleged child the alleged video, activist Tim Johnson, who claimed to have exposed more than 500 suspected predators, confronted Shah over alleged explicit conversations reportedly conducted on the Grindr dating provided by the activists show Shah identifying himself as a the confrontation, Shah repeatedly expressed regret for his actions. "I feel horrible, the worst I've ever felt," he could be heard in the called his conduct "abhorrent" and admitted to bringing personal lubricant and a douche, claiming it was to help the person "get ready" and "prep". He adds, "I need to maybe get help or something."Two patrol vehicles from the San Diego Police Department arrived at the scene during the encounter. In the video, an SDPD officer is heard telling the activists that Shah would not be taken into custody at that moment, explaining that an arrest was not permitted under the the officer noted that Shah's phone would be confiscated, and the evidence would be turned over to the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force.A photo appears to show Shah in handcuffs, but he was reportedly released at the scene, SanDiegoVille ISSUE STATEMENT OVER ALLEGATIONS AGAINST NISARG SHAHSan Diego Police Department (SDPD) said they are investigating the matter, according to the Lt Travis Easter said, "We are aware of the incident and our ICAC unit is actively investigating it. There have not been any charges made yet.""Our ICAC unit will typically not work with civilians acting as undercover operatives and does not condone such activities because the training involved in conducting these investigations consists of hours of intense legal training," Easter was quoted as saying by officer said that untrained civilians risk harm to themselves and others when conducting vigilante stings."Without that training, well-meaning civilians not only endanger themselves, but also the person they are contacting, as well as the general public," Easter WILL COOPERATE WITH LAW AGENCIES DURING PROBE: UC SAN DIEGOReacting to the allegations against its faculty member, the University of California San Diego pledged full cooperation with authorities, reaffirming its commitment to campus safety and zero tolerance for sexual misconduct."We have been made aware of the allegations against Nisarg J Shah. We will cooperate with all law enforcement agencies as needed during any investigation. The health, well-being and safety of our campus community members is our top priority," the varsity said, according to the San Diego, California-based news portal."All allegations of sexual harassment and sexual violence are taken very seriously. Anyone experiencing harassment, discrimination, sexual and relationship violence or stalking is encouraged to reach out to UC San Diego's Office for the Prevention of Harassment and Discrimination at ophd@ or it SHAH REJECTED THE ALLEGATIONSResponding to the query posted by SanDiegoVille, Shah said these were "wrongful allegations".advertisement"These are wrongful allegations and while I would have been willing to share my account, my attorney will not let me do so, but he would be happy to speak with you," SanDiegoVille quoted him as Shah is a well-regarded scholar with expertise in immunoengineering and the development of nanoscale is an associate professor in the Aiiso Yufeng Li Family Department of Chemical and Nano Engineering at UC San obtained his PhD in chemical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, according to the University of California San Diego's was a postdoctoral fellow at the Wyss Institute and the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences at Harvard University, where he received the Cancer Research Institute's Irvington postdoctoral fellowship to develop biomaterials to enhance T-cell received his BSc degree in chemical and biomolecular engineering from Johns Hopkins University, where his research focused on developing nanoparticle-based delivery systems for cancer month, a Delta Air Lines pilot of Indian origin was taken into custody at San Francisco International Airport in connection with alleged child sex crimes, according to an official statement from the Contra Costa County Sheriff's accused, 34-year-old Rustom Bhagwagar of Florida, was arrested directly from the aircraft he was co-piloting.- Ends
News18
5 days ago
- News18
Indian-Origin Professor Under Police Scanner After Child-Sex Sting Operation in California
Last Updated: Nisarg Shah, an Indian-origin professor at UC San Diego, was caught in an online child predator sting. Accused of trying to meet a minor, Shah denied the allegations. An Indian-origin associate professor at the University of California San Diego, has come under police lens after he was caught in a child predator sting operation, according to a report in India Today. A video has also emerged that allegedly shows the man, identified as Nisarg Shah, as being confronted in the sting operation. The footage, recorded on August 2 inside a Pavilions grocery store in San Diego's Hillcrest neighborhood, was released by a group People v Preds. People v Preds is a US-based vigilante group known for targeting suspected predators through online sting operations. Shah is accused of attempting to meet someone he believed was a 14-year-old boy for sexual activity. The report stated that he was confronted by activist Tim Johnson after alleged explicit conversations on the dating app Grindr. Shah reportedly identified himself as a 28-year-old. During the confrontation, Shah appeared regretful, admitting to bringing personal lubricant and a douche, and stating, 'I feel horrible, the worst I've ever felt…I need to maybe get help or something." Soon after the confrontation, San Diego Police Department (SDPD) officials arrived on the scene but did not arrest him. However, Shah's phone was seized, and the case was referred to the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force. Meanwhile, Shah denied the allegations when contacted by local outlet SanDiegoVille, the India Today report claimed. 'These are wrongful allegations and while I would have been willing to share my account, my attorney will not let me do so, but he would be happy to speak with you," Shah was quoted as saying by SanDiegoVille. Further, UC San Diego has acknowledged the incident and affirmed full cooperation with law enforcement. The university reaffirmed its zero-tolerance policy toward sexual misconduct, urging the campus community to report any harassment or abuse. Shah is an associate professor in the Aiiso Yufeng Li Family Department of Chemical and Nano Engineering and is recognized for his work in immunoengineering and nanomaterials. So far, no charges have been filed against him. An investigation into the matter is underway. view comments Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Entrepreneur
16-07-2025
- Business
- Entrepreneur
Kettleborough VC Launches Second Fund with INR 80 Cr Target
The firm plans to back about 10 companies, issuing initial seed cheques ranging from USD 300,000 to USD 500,000, with significant reserves allocated for follow-on investments. You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media. Kettleborough VC, a solo General Partner venture capital firm founded and led by Nisarg Shah, has announced the launch of its second fund with a target corpus of INR 80 crore. The fund has secured INR 35 crore in its first close, with commitments coming from family offices and successful entrepreneurs across India and the United States. The new fund will continue Kettleborough's strategy of investing early in startups led by seasoned founders. The firm plans to back about 10 companies, issuing initial seed cheques ranging from USD 300,000 to USD 500,000, with significant reserves allocated for follow-on investments. The focus remains on founders who bring over a decade of experience and a strong alignment with the markets they serve. Nisarg Shah, Founder and General Partner at Kettleborough VC, said, "We are extremely disciplined about backing execution journeys only. We invest in founders for whom the venture is the natural culmination of a decade or more of expertise in a specific domain. That's the last straw moment for us—the final convergence of market familiarity, lived experience, and deep networks." Founded in 2021, Kettleborough VC has built a reputation for being a high-conviction, construct-specific fund. The firm claims to have invested in over 30 companies, participated in more than 80 follow-on rounds, and achieved over 10 exits. Its debut fund supported 12 companies, including Zippmat, InPrime, Finhaat, Elivaas, and Sumosave. Notably, Kettleborough was the first institutional backer for nine of them. The fund maintains a sector-agnostic stance, but shows a preference for "Dhandha-first" ventures in financial services, commerce infrastructure, and software platforms. It emphasises founder-market fit, capital efficiency, and execution readiness. "We are now doubling down with Fund II to back about 10 more such companies," Shah added. The firm expects to complete Fund I deployment this quarter and is preparing for its first set of exits in the coming months.
