Konark Mukherjee, Ph.D., MBBS
"Every child has illnesses during their childhood. How do you know whether an illness is associated with a gene, or something else? So you need a certain degree of expertise to be able to associate the two. My lab team's approach has been able to help them to an extent, and provide new insights.”
Investigating the role of MAGUK in neurodevelopment
Why are mutations like CASK and SAP102 linked to neurodevelopmental disorders?
Konark Mukherjee studies the role of MAGUK (Membrane Associated Guanylate Kinase) proteins in neurodevelopment. Neurodevelopment proceeds through a series of events culminating into formation of a productive neuronal network. One of the key final steps in neurodevelopment is refinement of transient connections, such as strengthening and weakening or elimination of transient synapses, which depends on their individual activity. These highly plastic changes in transient synapses require activity-dependent signaling. Proteins involved in synaptic plasticity are obvious effector molecules involved in synaptic pruning or refinement.
MAGUKs are a class of multi-domain scaffolding proteins present in both pre- and post synaptic compartment. They play crucial role in various forms of synaptic plasticity. Mutations in MAGUKs like CASK and SAP102 are often linked with neurodevelopmental disorders like X-linked intellectual disabilities. The goal of Mukherjee laboratory is to investigate the role of MAGUKs like CASK in neurodevelopment. The Mukherjee Lab uses both mouse and fly models of CASK knockout for this purpose. Besides animal work, the major thrust of the laboratory is to develop cell biological assays (biochemical, imaging and electrophysiological techniques) to identify the molecular function and signaling pathways of CASK and other MAGUKs.
konark@vtc.vt.edu
540-526-2035
R-2003, Riverside 2
- Assistant Professor, Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC
- Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, School of Medicine
LaConte LE, Chavan V, Liang C, Willis J, Schönhense EM, Schoch S, Mukherjee K. (2016). CASK stabilizes neurexin and links it to liprin-a in a neuronal activity-dependent manner. Cell Mol Life Sci : [Epub ahead print] doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0088276.
Chavan V, Willis J, Walker SK, Clark HR, Lui X, Fox MA, Srivastava S, Mukherjee K. (2015). Central presynaptic terminals are enriched in ATP but the majority lack mitochondria. PLoS ONE 10(4).
Mukherjee K, Slawson JB, Christmann BL, Griffith LC. (2014). Neuron-specific protein interactions of Drosophila CASK-β are revealed by mass spectrometry. Frontiers in Molecular Neuroscience 7(58).
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas
Instructor, Department of Neuroscience
Assistant Instructor, Center for Basic Neuroscience
- Brandeis University: Postdoctoral fellowship, Biology
- Stanford University: Postdoctoral fellowship, Medicine
- University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center: Postdoctoral fellowship, Neuroscience
- Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry: Postdoctoral fellowship, Neurobiology
- National Institute of Immunology: Ph.D., Immunology
- Indira Gandhi Medical College: MBBS
- Senior research fellowship, National Institute of Immunology, 1997-2000
- Junior research fellowship, National Institute of Immunology, 1995-2000
- Qualified Diplomate National Board (I) for Medical Doctors, 1996
- Qualified BIOMEET (GATE equivalent) for Medical Doctors, 1994
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Article ItemTBMH graduate student awarded NIH fellowship to study how the CASK gene regulates brain function , article
Paras Patel, a Virginia Tech translational biology, medicine, and health graduate student working at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC, was awarded a National Institutes of Health grant that will fund his remaining predoctoral research exploring how a rare mutation in the CASK gene causes certain brain regions to deteriorate shortly after birth.
Date: Jun 15, 2021 -
Article ItemScientists identify how a nonfunctioning CASK gene creates chaos in the brain , article
Fralin Biomedical Research Institute scientists have revealed how a nonfunctioning version of an ordinary gene impairs brain structure and function. The findings help explain a genetic form of microcephaly — a condition where babies’ heads are small and grow more slowly than their peers' heads.
Date: Jul 24, 2020 -
Article ItemFralin Biomedical researchers shed light on how to protect optic nerve from genetic harm , article
Virginia Tech scientists at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute have developed a new insight about the most common form of inherited childhood blindness known as optic nerve hypoplasia.
Date: Mar 20, 2020 -
Article ItemVTCRI researchers join forces to improve life for children with genetic disorder , article
The accomplishments of three girls who received intensive therapy based on innovative pediatric neurorehabilitation research at the VTCRI have been documented in a report published in BMC Research Notes.
Date: Mar 22, 2018 -
Article ItemResearch at VTCRI reveals biological mechanism of a leading cause of childhood blindness , article
The discovery in a rodent model may provide insight into what happens in the visual systems of children born with a condition that prevents the optic nerve from fully developing. The condition is also associated with autism spectrum disorder.
Date: Nov 15, 2017 -
Article ItemUVA, Virginia Tech Carilion partner to fund cross-university neuroscience research , article
The University of Virginia-Virginia Tech Carilion Neuroscience Research Collaboration have announced more than a half million dollars in grant funding will be awarded to nine research teams to tackle pressing problems in brain development and function in health and disease.
Date: Dec 11, 2016 -
Article ItemDevelopmental and Translational Neurobiology Center to open at the Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute , article
Led by Michael Fox, an associate professor at the institute, the center will enhance existing strengths in cell and molecular neuroscience and create a collaborative community for scientists.
Date: Sep 26, 2016 -
Article ItemScientists receive grant to study the leading cause of childhood blindness , article
Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute scientists receive a grant to study the leading cause of childhood blindness: optic nerve hypoplasia.
Date: May 28, 2015
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