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Dr. Upadrasta Venkata Prasad

Dr. Upadrasta Venkata Prasad View All

Assistant Professor

School of Health Sciences

Dr. Upadrasta Venkata Prasad completed his Bachelor of Science from S.V. Arts College, Tirupati, followed by a Post-Graduation in Biochemistry and a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati. He has also attended the International Nutrition Research Methods Course (2011)—Bangalore Boston Nutrition Collaborative (BBNC) short course at St. John’s Research Institute (SJRI), Bangalore, in collaboration with WHO, Harvard School of Public Health, and Tufts University, USA. Dr. Upadrasta has made significant contributions to research in vitamin D metabolism, endocrinology, nutritional disorders and non-communicable diseases with his work earning over 1305 citations. His expertise spans research, administration, teaching, training, supervision of field and laboratory work, phlebotomy, project proposal writing, publication writing, and project management. His contributions have advanced studies addressing key public health concerns such as malnutrition, maternal and child health, mental health, and infectious diseases. His career is marked by notable achievements, including developing the first indigenous PTH-IRMA diagnostic kit in India, contributing to the first population-based study on vitamin D status among South Indians, and participating in the country’s first and only in-vitro study that demonstrated sufficient vitamin D production in humans upon midday sunlight exposure (11 am–2 pm). His pioneering work has enriched India’s

understanding of micronutrient deficiencies, calcium intake, and bone mineral metabolism. With over 26 years of experience in teaching, training, research, and administration, Dr. Upadrasta has supervised more than 20 projects at MRHRU (ICMR-DHR), Andhra Pradesh. He has served in several administrative roles including Laboratory Coordinator for Andhra Pradesh at ICMR-NIN, Scientist ‘C’ at MRHRU-AP, and M.Sc. External Examiner at Sri Padmavathi Mahila Visvavidyalayam, Tirupati. He is also a Life Member of the Endocrine Society of India, Nutrition Society of India, and a State Executive Council Member of Bharathiya Vijnana Mandali-Vijnana Bharathi (VIBHA). Dr. Upadrasta has published 21 articles in reputed international and national journals and is a recipient of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (International Award for Young People), winning Bronze (1995) and Silver (1996) medals. He has organized 8 workshops, 20 training programmes, and 35 rural awareness programmes, and has been an invited speaker at numerous conferences. He has also received research funding from ICMR, DHR, and DAE, and serves as a peer reviewer for several journals, including Cactus Global, WILEY, Web of Science, and Academia Nutrition and Dietetics

    • Graduation In :

      B.Sc., (Chemistry, Botany, Zoology)

    • Graduation From :

      Sri Venkateswara Arts College, Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati.

    • Graduation Year :

      1997

    • Post Graduation In :

      Biochemistry

    • Post Graduation From :

      Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati

    • Post Graduation Year :

      1999

    • Doctorate In :

      Biochemistry

    • Doctorate From :

      Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati

    • Doctorate Year :

      2008

    • Total Work Experience: 25.11 Years

    • Teaching & Training: 25.11

    • Years Research: 24.9 Years

    • Administration: 21.10 Years

  • Publications in Journals

    • Reddy Kapu AK, Upadrasta VP, Sibbala B, Bathina H, Sadasivuni R, Ponna SN, Geddam Babu JJ. Psychological patterns in pre-graduate students in Tirupati district. Int J Community Med Public Health 2024;11(7):2824-33.  (IF: 1.6)
    • Karthikeyan Ramanujam, Nagaraju Mergu, Henna Kondeth, Garlapati Venkat Raji Reddy, Upadrasta Venkata Prasad, Renuka Sadasivuni, Jagajeevan Babu Geddam, Hemalatha Rajkumar, Nusi Samarasimha Reddy. Chronic Illness, Nutritional Status, and Factors Associated with Malnutrition among Various Age Groups Residing in Urban Areas of Telangana and Rural Areas of Andhra Pradesh. Nutrients 2023;15(20):4470. https://doi.org/10.3390/ nu15204470 (IF: 5.9)
    • Hasan AZ, Kumar MS, Prosperi C, Thangaraj JW, Sabarinathan R, Kumar S, Duraiswamy A, Kaduskar O, Bhatt V, Deshpande GR, Ullas PT. Implementing Serosurveys in India: Experiences, Lessons Learned, and Recommendations. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2021;105(6):1608-1617. (IF: 3.707)
    • Dudala SR, Ponna SN, Upadrasta VP, Bathina H, Sadasivuni R, Geddam JJB, Kapu AKR. Assessment of gaps of knowledge and practices of frontline community workers in Chandragiri Mandal, Chittoor district, Andhra Pradesh: maternal and child health services. Int J Community Med Public Health 2021;8(3):1299-304. (Corresponding Author) (IF: 1.6)
    • Upadrasta VP, Ponna SN, Bathina H, Bharathi S, Kapu AK, Sadasivuni R, Mitaigiri C. Knowledge, attitudes and practices of adolescent school girls regarding prevention of iron deficiency anaemia. International Journal of Community Medicine and Public Health. 2019 May 27;6(6):2694-9. (IF: 1.6)
    • Ashok Kumar Reddy Kapu, Venkata Prasad Upadrasta, Satyendra Nath Ponna, Bharathi S, Hemalatha Bathina, Renuka Sadasivuni, J.J. Babu Geddam, Sri Lasya Karjala, Shankar Reddy Dudala. Prevalence of Malnutrition in Under-Five Children of a Rural Area in Rayalaseema Region. Nat J Res Community Med 2018;7(4):285-289. (Corresponding Author) (IF: 6.5)
    • Neelima Singh, Satyendra Nath Ponna, Venkata Prasad Upadrasta, Shankar Reddy Dudala, Renuka Sadasivuni. Determinants of Utilization of Antenatal and Postnatal Care Services in Telangana. Int J Reprod Contracept Obstet Gynecol. 2017 Aug;6(8): 3352-3361. (IF: 0.23)
    • Satyendra Nath Ponna, Venkata Prasad Upadrasta, JJ Babu Geddam, Shankar Reddy Dudala, Renuka Sadasivuni, Hemalatha Bathina. Regional variation in utilization of Antenatal care services in the state of Andhra Pradesh. J Family Med Prim Care Apr-June 2017;6(2):231-239. (IF: 0.67)
    • R Hemalatha, AC Ouwehand, MT Saarinen, UV Prasad, GK Swetha, V Bhaskar. Effect of probiotic supplementation on total lactobacilli, bifidobacteria and short chain fatty acids in 2–5-year-old children. Microbial Ecology In Health And Disease 2017;28(1):1-7. (IF: 3.80)
    • Ponna SN, Pothula NR, Upadrasta VP. Secular trends of hospitalization and in-hospital mortality rates of Qwave and Non-Q-wave myocardial infarction in US: 1990-2006. Int J Pub Health Res 2016;3(5):200-209. (IF: 1.311)
    • Krishna Swetha G, Hemalatha R, Prasad UV, Vasudev Murali K, Damayanti K, Bhaskar V. Health and Nutritional status of HIV infected children in Hyderabad, India. Indian J Med Res 2015;141:46-54. (IF: 1.508)
    • Bandaru P, Rajkumar H, Upadrasta VP, Nappanveettil G. Role of Leptin in Immune Dysfunction in WNIN Obese Rats. Endocrinol Metab Synd 2013;2:116. doi:10.4172/2161-1017.1000116. (IF: 2.76)
    • Chittari V Harinarayan, Michael F Holick, Upadrasta V Prasad, Palavali S Vani, Gutha Himabindu. Vitamin D status and sun exposure in India. Dermato-Endocrinology 2013;5(1):130-141. http://dx.doi.org/10.4161/derm.23873. (IF: 3.59)
    • Prasad UV, Krishna Mohan R, Samuel G, Harinarayan CV, Sivaprasad N, Venkatesh M.  Standardisation of a two-site PTH immunoradiometric assay using various solid phase formats. Indian J Med Res. December 2012;136:963-970. (IF: 1.508)
    • Harinarayan CV, Ramalakshmi T, Prasad UV, Kumar EGTV, Srinivasa Rao PVLN. Ultrasound bone mineral density of os calcis – its relationship with bone mineral markers and 25(OH) vitamin D in endemic fluorotic and non-fluorotic villages. J Clin Sci Res 2012;1:157-62. (IF: 0.4)
    • Sreelakshmi Ravula, Harinarayan CV, Prasad UV, Ramalakshmi T, Arunakumari Rupungudi, Vijayabhaskar Madrol. Effect of fluoride on reactive oxygen species and bone metabolism in postmenopausal women. Research review Fluoride. April-June 2012; 45(2):108-115. (IF: 1.438)
    • Harinarayan CV, Alok Sachan, Amaresh Reddy P, Satish KM, Prasad UV, Srivani P. Vitamin D status and bone mineral density in women of reproductive and postmenopausal age groups: A cross-sectional study from South India. JAPI. November 2011; 59:698-704. (IF: 0.38)
    • Harinarayan CV, Ramalakshmi T, Prasad UV, Sudhakar D. Vitamin D status in Andhra Pradesh: A population based study. Indian J Med Res March 2008; 127:211-218.  (IF: 1.508)
    • Harinarayan CV, Ramalakshmi T, Prasad UV, Sudhakar D, Srinivasarao PVLN, Sarma KV, Kumar EGTV. High prevalence of low dietary calcium, high phytate consumption, and vitamin D deficiency in healthy south Indians.  Am J Clin Nutr 2007 Apr;85(4):1062-7. (IF: 6.549)
    • Mastan M, Prasad UV, Parthasarathy PR. Protective effect of Bacopa monniera L. on cytarabine induced biochemical changes in chick embryo. Indian Journal of Clinical Biochemistry 2007; 22(1):122-127. (IF: 1.9)
    • Harinarayan CV, Ramalakshmi T, Venkata Prasad U. High prevalence of low dietary calcium and low vitamin D status in healthy South Indians. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr 2004;13(4):359-364. (IF: 1.7)

    Publications in Conferences

    • Arthur Ouwehand, Sofia Forssten, Rajkumar Hemalatha, Upadrasta Venkata Prasad, Gummuluri Krishna Swetha, Raja Sriswan Mamidi, Jageevan Babu Geddam, Bhaskar Varanasi, Alvin Ibarra, Kankipati Vijaya Radhakrishna. Protective effects of probiotics in preschool children in an urban slum in India. 7th Probiotics, Prebiotics and New Foods Conference, Rome, Italy 2013.
    • ·        Harinarayan CV, Sachan A, Afsana T, Thomas N, Oommen R, Prasad UV, Srinivasa Rao PVLN, Suchitra MM, Sreevani P. Correlation between Vitamin D and Bone Mineral Density in Pre and Postmenopausal Women in Southern Andhra Pradesh. JBMR 2006; 21:S224 (Abst NO. SU075).
    • ·        Harinarayan CV, Prasad UV, Srinivasa Rao PVLN, Mohan D, Kumar EGTV. Effect of calcium, vitamin D in postmenopausal women on treatment with Raloxifene. Osteoporosis International Vol. 17, Supplement 2, 2006, S217.
    • ·        Harinarayan CV, Sudhakar D, Himabindu G, Kumar EGTV, Prasad UV. Effect of endogenous insulin secretion on bone mineral homeostasis in postmenopausal women with and without diabetes. Osteoporosis International Vol. 17, Supplement 2, 2006, S205. (Presented at IOF World Congress on Osteoporosis, 2-6 June 2006, Toronto, Canada).
    • ·        Harinarayan CV, Prasad UV, Ramalakshmi, Kumar EGTV, Srinivasa Rao PVLN, Parthasarathy PR, Surendranath CR, Suchitra MM. Vitamin D insufficiency in South Indian rural and urban population. JBMR 2005; 20: S (Abst No. SA305). (Presented at 27th ASBMR meeting, Nashville, Tennessee, USA, 23rd to 27th September, 2005).
    • ·        Ravula S, Harinarayan CV, Prasad UV, Ramalakshmi T, Vijayabhaskar M, Kumar EGTV, Aruna Kumari R. Antioxidant defence system in postmenopausal women residing in endemic fluorotic and non-fluorotic areas. JBMR 2005; 20: S (Abst No.M270). (Presented at 27th ASBMR meeting, Nashville, Tennessee, USA, 23rd to 27th September, 2005).
    • ·        Harinarayan CV, Prasad UV, Srinivasa Rao PVLN, Saibaba KSS, Mohan D, Sudhakar D, Kumar EGTV, Muneswari P, Bhagyalakshmi C, Dhanarekha C, Prabhavathi T, Sunita Devi M. Benefits of free insulin supply in diabetes control and prevention of complications in type 1 diabetes patients. Pediatric diabetes 2004;5(1):43 (Abst No. PP097).
    • ·        Harinarayan CV, Ramalakshmi T, Hebbani AV, Prasad UV, Kumar EGTV, Sudhakar D, Prasanna Kumar D, Suresh M. Ultrasound bone mineral density of Os Calcis – its relationship with bone mineral markers and 25(OH)D in endemic fluorotic and non-fluorotic villages. JBMR 2004;19:S376 (Abst No.M141). (Presented at 26th ASBMR meeting, Seattle, Washington, 1st to 5th October, 2004).
    • ·        Harinarayan CV, Prasad UV, Suresh M, Hebbani AV, Srinivasa Rao PVLN, Dhananjaya Naidu M, Parthasarathy PR, Kumar EGTV, Sudhakar D, Aparna LB, Prasanna Kumar D. Bone mineral markers in South Indian postmenopausal women. JBMR 2004;19:S290 (Abst No. SU262). (Presented at 26th ASBMR meeting, Seattle, Washington, 1st to 5th October, 2004).