Dr. Kumari’s research interest focuses on understanding the molecular mechanism(s) involved in the pathogenesis, identifying drug targets for the “silent sight killer – Glaucoma especially POAG and steroid-induced glaucoma and pharmacogenomics of steroid-OHT/glaucoma. Other research areas include ocular pharmacokinetics, drug analysis, pre-clinical in vitro /ex vivo model for eye diseases, drug screening, miRNA-based therapeutics, and retinal neuro-degeneration.

Peer-Reviewed Journals

1. Senthilkumari S*, Rajendren A, Panneerselvam B, Uduman MS. Association of macular pigment optical density with plasma macular carotenoids levels and serum lipids in South Indian healthy volunteers and patients with early age-related macular degeneration. Eur J Ophthalmol. 2024 Aug 19:11206721241272254. doi: 10.1177/11206721241272254. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39161229.
2. Kathirvel K, Fan X, Haribalaganesh R, Bharanidharan D, Sharmila R, Krishnadas R, Muthukkaruppan V, Willoughby CE, Senthilkumari S*. Small RNA Sequencing Reveals a Distinct MicroRNA Signature between Glucocorticoid Responder and Glucocorticoid Non-Responder Primary Human Trabecular Meshwork Cells after Dexamethasone Treatment. Genes (Basel). 2023 Oct 27;14(11):2012. doi: 10.3390/genes14112012. PMID: 38002955; PMCID: PMC10671261.
3. Julius, A., Renuka, R.R., Hopper, W*., Babu Raghu, P., Rajendran, S., Srinivasan, S., Dharmalingam, K., Alanazi, A.M., Arokiyaraj, S., Prasath, S*. Inhibition of Aldose Reductase by Novel Phytocompounds: A Heuristic Approach to Treating Diabetic Retinopathy. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2022: 9624118
4. Kotnala A, Senthilkumari S, Wu G, Stewart TG, Curcio CA, Halder N, Singh SB, Kumar A, Velpandian T. Retinal Pigment Epithelium in Human Donor Eyes Contains Higher Levels of Bisretinoids Including A2E in Periphery than Macula. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2022 Jun 1;63(6):6. doi: 10.1167/iovs.63.6.6. PMID: 35671050; PMCID: PMC9187938.
5. Kathirvel K, Haribalaganesh R, Krishnadas R, Muthukkaruppan V, Willoughby CE, Bharanidharan D, Senthilkumari S*. A Comparative Genome-Wide Transcriptome Analysis of Glucocorticoid Responder and Non-Responder Primary Human Trabecular Meshwork Cells. Genes (Basel). 2022 May 15;13(5):882. doi:10.3390/genes13050882. PMID: 35627267; PMCID: PMC9140469.
6. Kathirvel K, Lester K, Haribalaganesh R, Krishnadas R, Muthukkaruppan V, Lane B, Simpson DA, Goljanek-Whysall K, Sheridan C, Bharanidharan D, Willoughby CE, Senthilkumari S*. Short and long-term effect of dexamethasone on the transcriptome profile of primary human trabecular meshwork cells in vitro. Sci Rep. 2022 May 18;12(1):8299. doi: 10.1038/s41598-022-12443-7. Erratum in: Sci Rep. 2022 Jul 28;12(1):12924. doi: 10.1038/s41598-022-17427-1. PMID: 35585182; PMCID: PMC9117214.
7. Hazarika M, Prajna NV, Senthilkumari S*. Drug reservoir function of voriconazole impregnated human amniotic membrane: An in vitro study. Indian J Ophthalmol. 2021 May;69(5):1068-1072. doi: 10.4103/ijo.IJO_2649_20. PMID: 33913834; PMCID: PMC8186651.
8. Rajendrababu S, Pallamparthy S, Arunachalam A,Uduman MS,Srinivasan S, Krishnadas SR, SenthilkumariVA. Incidence and risk factors for postoperative intraocular pressure response to topical prednisolone eye drops in patients undergoing phacoemulsification. International Ophthalmology, 2021;41(12): 3999-4007
9. Haribalaganesh R, Gowri Priya C, Sharmila R, Krishnadas S, Muthukkaruppan V,Willoughby CE, Senthilkumari S*. Assessment of differential intraocular pressure response to dexamethasone treatment in perfusion cultured Indian cadaveric eyes. Sci Rep. 2021 Jan 12;11(1):605. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-80112-8. PMID: 33436790; PMCID: PMC7804010.
10. Ashwinbalaji S, Haribalaganesh R, Krishnadas S, Muthukkaruppan V, Senthilkumari S*. SB772077B (SB77) Alleviated the Aqueous Outflow Resistance Mediated by Cyclic Mechanical Stress in Perfused Human Cadaveric Eyes. Sci Rep. 2020 Jun 23;10(1):10202. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-67087-2. PMID: 32576873; PMCID: PMC7311383.
12. Ravinarayanan Haribalaganesh, Chidambaranathan Gowri Priya, Rajendrababu Sharmila, Subbaiah Krishnadas, VeerappanMuthukkaruppan, Colin E. Willoughby,  Srinivasan Senthilkumari “Assessment of differential intraocular pressure response to dexamethasone treatment in perfusion cultured Indian cadaveric eyes” Scientific Reports | (2021) 11:605
13. Hazarika M, Prajna NV, SenthilkumariS.”Drug reservoir function of voriconazole impregnated human amniotic membrane: An in vitro study” Indian J Ophthalmol 2021;69:1068-72.
14. Soundararajan Ashwinbalaji, Ravinarayanan Haribalaganesh, Subbaiah Krishnadas, Veerappan Muthukkaruppan, Srinivasan Senthilkumari “SB772077B (SB77) Alleviated the Aqueous Outflow Resistance Mediated by Cyclic Mechanical Stress in Perfused Human Cadaveric Eyes”  Sci Rep 2020;10: 10202
15. Sara SH, Prajna NV, Senthilkumari S. Human amniotic membrane as a drug carrier An in-vitro study using fortified cefazolin ophthalmic solution. Indian J Ophthalmol. 2019 Apr;67(4):472-475.
16. Ashwinbalaji S, Senthilkumari S, Gowripriya C, Krishnadas S, Gabelt BAT, Kaufman PL, Muthukkaruppan V. SB772077B, A New Rho Kinase Inhibitor Enhances Aqueous Humour Outflow Facility in Human Eyes. Sci Rep. 2018 Oct 19;8(1):15472.
17. Kotnala A, Senthilkumari S, Halder N, Kumar A, Velpandian T. Microwave assisted synthesis for A2E and development of LC-ESI-MS method for quantification of ocular bisretinoids in human retina. J Chromatogr B Analyt Technol Biomed Life Sci. 2018 Jan 15;1073:10-18.
18. Yelchuri ML, Madhavi B, Gohil N, Sajeev HS, Venkatesh Prajna N, Srinivasan S. In Vitro Evaluation of the Drug Reservoir Function of Human Amniotic Membrane Using Moxifloxacin as a Model Drug. Cornea. 2017 May;36(5):594-599.
19. Senthilkumari S, Sharmila R, Chidambaranathan G, Vanniarajan A. Epalrestat, an Aldose Reductase Inhibitor Prevents Glucose-Induced Toxicity in Human Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells In Vitro. J Ocul Pharmacol Ther. 2017 Jan/Feb;33(1):34-41.
20. Senthilkumari S, Neethu M, Santhi R, Krishnadas SR, Muthukkaruppan V. Identification of glaucomatous optic nerve head changes in Indian donor eyes without clinical history. Indian J Ophthalmol. 2015 Jul;63(7):600-5.
21. Dongare S, Sharmila R, Senthilkumari S, Gupta SK, Mathur R, Saxena R, Srivastava Genistein Alleviates High Glucose Induced Toxicity and Angiogenesis in Cultured Human RPE Cells. Int J Pharm Pharm Sci. 2015;7:294-298.
22. Senthilkumari S, Talwar B, Dharmalingam K, Ravindran RD, Jayanthi R, Sundaresan P, Saravanan C, Young IS, Dangour AD, Fletcher AE. Polymorphisms in sodium-dependent vitamin C transporter genes and plasma, aqueous humor and lens nucleus ascorbate concentrations in an ascorbate depleted setting. Exp Eye Res. 2014 Jul;124:24-30.
23. Velpandian T, Arora B, Senthilkumari S, Ravi AK, Gayathri C, Azad R, Ghose S. Regional variation in the levels of macular xanthophylls and carotenoids in dietary components: comparing North and South India. J Nutr Sci Vitaminol (Tokyo). 2010;56(6):411-20.
24. Senthilkumari S, Lalitha P, Prajna NV, Haripriya A, Nirmal J, Gupta P, Velpandian T. Single and multidose ocular kinetics and stability analysis of extemporaneous formulation of topical voriconazole in humans. Curr Eye Res. 2010 Nov;35(11):953-60.
25. Senthilkumari S, Velpandian T, Biswas NR, Bhatnagar A, Mittal G, Ghose S. Evidencing the modulation of P-glycoprotein at blood-ocular barriers using gamma Curr Eye Res. 2009 Jan;34(1):73-7.

• Research Associate Fellowship, Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR), India (2006-2008)
• International Ophthalmology Fellowship (Nov 1, 2010 – Jan 31, 2011) at Dept. of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, University of Wisconsin, Madison (2011)
• DBT –CREST AWARD by the Ministry of Science & Technology, Department of Biotechnology (DBT), New Delhi (2011-2012)
• India Alliance Welcome DBT-Intermediate Fellowship 2016 (Nov)
• Life Member of Indian Pharmacological Society
• Member of The Association of Research & Vision Research (ARVO) (USA)
• Member of Indian Eye Research Group(IERG)-India ARVO Chapter
• Recognized guide in Madurai Kamaraj University (MKU) to guide Ph.D registrants in Biotechnology
• Recognized guide in Alagappa University to guide Ph.D registrants in Biotechnology.