Research Interests

• Mechanisms of pulmonary inflammation and repair
• Effects of bacterial toxins, environmental pollutants and chemical warfare toxicants on lung function and gene regulation
• Age-associated alterations in signaling pathways in the lung

Awards and Honors

• 2003 New Jersey Cancer Research Award for Scientific Excellenc

Recent Publications

1. Lee, JM, Meshanni, JA, Vayas, KN, Sunil, VR, Radbel, J, Laskin, JD, Laskin, DL, Gow, AJ. Inhaled ozone induces distinct alterations in pulmonary function in models of acute and episodic exposure in female mice. Toxicol Sci. 2025;204 (1):70-78. doi: 10.1093/toxsci/kfae162. PubMed PMID:39798125 PubMed Central PMC11879009
2. Malaviya, R, Meshanni, JA, Sunil, VR, Venosa, A, Guo, C, Abramova, EV, Vayas, KN, Jiang, C, Cervelli, JA, Gow, AJ et al.. Role of macrophage bioenergetics in N-acetylcysteine-mediated mitigation of lung injury and oxidative stress induced by nitrogen mustard. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 2024;485 :116908. doi: 10.1016/j.taap.2024.116908. PubMed PMID:38513841 PubMed Central PMC11973834
3. Cary, CM, Seymore, TN, Singh, D, Vayas, KN, Goedken, MJ, Adams, S, Polunas, M, Sunil, VR, Laskin, DL, Demokritou, P et al.. Single inhalation exposure to polyamide micro and nanoplastic particles impairs vascular dilation without generating pulmonary inflammation in virgin female Sprague Dawley rats. Part Fibre Toxicol. 2023;20 (1):16. doi: 10.1186/s12989-023-00525-x. PubMed PMID:37088832 PubMed Central PMC10122824
4. Sunil, VR, Vayas, KN, Radbel, J, Abramova, E, Gow, A, Laskin, JD, Laskin, DL. Impaired energy metabolism and altered functional activity of alveolar type II epithelial cells following exposure of rats to nitrogen mustard. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 2022;456 :116257. doi: 10.1016/j.taap.2022.116257. PubMed PMID:36174670
5. Carnino, JM, Lee, H, Smith, LC, Sunil, VR, Rancourt, RC, Vayas, K, Cervelli, J, Kwok, ZH, Ni, K, Laskin, JD et al.. Microvesicle-Derived miRNAs Regulate Proinflammatory Macrophage Activation in the Lung Following Ozone Exposure. Toxicol Sci. 2022;187 (1):162-174. doi: 10.1093/toxsci/kfac025. PubMed PMID:35201360 PubMed Central PMC9041552
6. Malaviya, R, Bellomo, A, Abramova, E, Croutch, CR, Roseman, J, Tuttle, R, Peters, E, Casillas, RP, Sunil, VR, Laskin, JD et al.. Pulmonary injury and oxidative stress in rats induced by inhaled sulfur mustard is ameliorated by anti-tumor necrosis factor-α antibody. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 2021;428 :115677. doi: 10.1016/j.taap.2021.115677. PubMed PMID:34390737 PubMed Central PMC8452183
7. Malaviya, R, Abramova, EV, Rancourt, RC, Sunil, VR, Napierala, M, Weinstock, D, Croutch, CR, Roseman, J, Tuttle, R, Peters, E et al.. Progressive Lung Injury, Inflammation, and Fibrosis in Rats Following Inhalation of Sulfur Mustard. Toxicol Sci. 2020;178 (2):358-374. doi: 10.1093/toxsci/kfaa150. PubMed PMID:33002157 PubMed Central PMC7751178
8. Sunil, VR, Vayas, KN, Abramova, EV, Rancourt, R, Cervelli, JA, Malaviya, R, Goedken, M, Venosa, A, Gow, AJ, Laskin, JD et al.. Lung injury, oxidative stress and fibrosis in mice following exposure to nitrogen mustard. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 2020;387 :114798. doi: 10.1016/j.taap.2019.114798. PubMed PMID:31678244 PubMed Central PMC7066865
9. Sunil, VR, Radbel, J, Hussain, S, Vayas, KN, Cervelli, J, Deen, M, Kipen, H, Udasin, I, Laumbach, R, Sunderram, J et al.. Sarcoid-Like Granulomatous Disease: Pathologic Case Series in World Trade Center Dust Exposed Rescue and Recovery Workers. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019;16 (5):. doi: 10.3390/ijerph16050815. PubMed PMID:30845693 PubMed Central PMC6427752
10. Sunil, VR, Vayas, KN, Cervelli, JA, Ebramova, EV, Gow, AJ, Goedken, M, Malaviya, R, Laskin, JD, Laskin, DL. Protective Role of Surfactant Protein-D Against Lung Injury and Oxidative Stress Induced by Nitrogen Mustard. Toxicol Sci. 2018;166 (1):108-122. doi: 10.1093/toxsci/kfy188. PubMed PMID:30060251 PubMed Central PMC6204765