Friday, July 20, 2012

Hot! Rajesh Khanna

Rajesh Khanna, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology

Education/Training: Ph.D.: University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada (2000) Postdoctoral Fellowship: University associated with California with Los Angeles, CA, USA (2003) Scientific Associate: Toronto Western Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada (2007)

CRMPs, novel regulators associated with calcium homeostasis inside health and also disease.

My laboratory is wanting to improved know the actual molecular plus mechanistic foundation from the projects associated with ion channels around people health and fitness and disease. In particular, this laboratory vertisements analysis the purpose is that will analyze basic principles of synaptic transmission mainly because inappropriate functionality and regulation associated with Ca2+ options and the proteins in which control these might contribute to epilepsy, migraine, ataxia, as well as other neurological diseases. Three assignments will be at the moment being pursued inside my laboratory:

In the first project, funded with the American Heart Association National Scientist Development grant, we certainly have centered on understanding the consequences connected with collapsin result mediator protein 2 (CRMP-2), loved ones of proteins involved in neurite outgrowth, guidance, along with axonogenesis on voltage-gated calcium (Cav2.2) channels. Our main objective would be to fully grasp the functional impact associated with this specific story interaction concerning these types of presynaptic Ca2+ stations plus CRMPs on synaptic transmission. As touch-ups transmitter generate is not optional throughout switching neuronal functions in the course of development, learning, sickness states, along with other forms regarding mind plasticity, our own upcoming scientific studies will certainly analyze exactly how this discussion can easily give rise to understanding plus memory.

In an extra project, funded by simply the actual Department involving Defense Neurofibromatosis New Investigator Award, we are working away at some sort of novel pathway with regard to Neurofibromatosis style I (NF1), a good autosomally major illnesses indicated because of the formation of many benign and also malignant tumors. People with NF1 often have mastering disabilities and various cognitive symptoms. Our experiments have recognized some sort of absolutely different pathway to get NF1 signaling. This novel pathway will involve an axonal advice in addition to expansion protein labeled CRMP-2 which usually has become found to be able to purpose inside neuronal differentiation. The convergence regarding signaling paths of CRMP-2 in addition to NF1 features determined a number of molecular players, kinases inside particular, that influence neuronal function. Our book discovery from the CRMP-2 Ca2+ channel relationships along with the NF1-CRMP-2 interaction most important ones a fresh regulator of synaptic transmission. Manipulation associated with glutamatergic transmission may well as a result depict a specialized method for NF1 therapy. Thus, the suggested mapping with the NF1 CRMP-2 relationship may cause the particular detection involving peptides able of blocking the particular modulatory influences of this protein complex on synaptic transmission.

In a little mentioned additional project, we now have dedicated to determining the best way the particular manifestation ranges connected with CRMP-2 can easily have an impact on the effects of any fresh anticonvulsant substance lacosamide on Na+ channels. Lacosamide is actually a work of fiction anticonvulsant drug that will acts within a different fashion for you to prevent voltage-gated Na+ channels since described very last year. Lacosamide has gained FDA and also EEMA acceptance for adjunctive counseling to get partial-onset seizures with and also devoid of this generalization throughout patients using epilepsy as well as being at this point publicized within the United States plus Europe. In preclinical collected information reported simply by UCB Pharma, yet another focus on of motion seemed to be revealed in this drug. The mechanism associated with motion regarding lacosamide with this minute goal that collapsin resolution mediator protein 2 (CRMP-2) remains elusive. No studies to go out with possess resolved that implications of your probable interaction around the main outcome of lacosamide.

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