Baljit S. Khakh

Research Statement

AI generated · 2d ago

Baljit S. Khakh's research centers on astrocyte biology and purinergic signaling, with foundational work establishing P2X receptors as cell-surface ATP sensors in health and disease and co-authoring the nomenclature framework that standardized P2X receptor subunit classification. A parallel line examines how astrocytes diversify across the CNS: his most-cited first-author review, astrocyte functional and phenotypic diversity in neural circuits, and later senior-author work on molecular and morphological astrocyte diversity across the CNS in health and disease together map this heterogeneity. Disease-focused studies include astrocyte Kir4.1 channel deficits in Huntington's disease models and TRPA1-dependent regulation of astrocyte resting calcium and inhibitory synapse efficacy. Beyond these, Khakh contributed as a middle author to reactive astrocyte nomenclature and definitions and to work showing that astrocyte scar formation aids CNS axon regeneration, positioning him within broader community efforts to classify glial states. His tool-building appears in the GCaMP calcium indicator optimization and CaImAn, an open-source calcium imaging analysis platform, alongside transgenic mouse lines for targeting astrocytes. Collaborations with figures such as Baljit Stevens reflect this blend of mechanistic, disease-oriented, and methodological contributions.

Most Cited Works

Molecular basis of astrocyte diversity and morphology across the CNS in health and disease

Fumito Endo, Atsushi Kasai, Joselyn S Soto, Xinzhu Yu, Zhe Qu, Hitoshi Hashimoto, Viviana Gradinaru, Riki Kawaguchi, Baljit S Khakh

Science2022

592Citations

Improved tools to study astrocytes

Xinzhu Yu, Jun Nagai, Baljit S Khakh

Nature reviews. Neuroscience2020

Research Areas

Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology ReseaAdenosine and Purinergic SignalingIon Channels and ReceptorsNeuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration Ion channel regulation and function

Affiliations & Education

Employment

2026–present· now
UK Dementia Research Institute(GB)
Centre Director, UK DRI Cardiff University
2026–present· now
Cardiff University(GB)
Professor and Chair in Neuroscience · School of Medicine
2006–2026
University of California, Los Angeles(US)
Professor of Physiology and Neurobiology; Eleanor I. Leslie Chair in Neuroscience · Physiology

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Sources