Office: Mrb 279
Phone: (970) 491-7004
Website: https://sites.google.com/view/sohamchanda
Education
- PhD, State University of New York at Buffalo
About
Our research objectives fall in the intersection of basic and translational neuroscience. We broadly study several aspects of the neurodevelopmental process, e.g. cellular mechanisms that regulate neuronal function, molecular contributions that determine neuronal specifications, and pathogenic effects of disease-associated mutations that impair neuronal properties. We are also interested in developing novel protocols to directly convert non-neuronal somatic cells or embryonic/induced pluripotent stem (ES/iPS, respectively) cells into human neurons, and using these transdifferentiated neurons to gain mechanistic insights into human neurodevelopment and neurological disorders. Our work employs interdisciplinary approaches, e.g. cellular reprogramming, electrophysiology, high-resolution imaging, molecular biology, gene-expression, and biochemical analyses.
Publications
- Induction of synapse formation by de novo neurotransmitter synthesis Nature Communications, 2022.
- Multiple N-linked Glycosylation Sites Critically Modulate the Synaptic Abundance of Neuroligins TBD.
- The autism risk factor CHD8 is a chromatin activator in human neurons and functionally dependent on the ERK-MAPK pathway effector ELK1 Scientific Reports, 2022.
- An autism-associated mutation impairs Neuroligin-4 glycosylation and enhances excitatory synaptic transmission in human neurons. Journal of Neuroscience, 2021.
- Efficient generation of dopaminergic induced neuronal cells with midbrain characteristics Stem Cell Reports , 2021.
- Pro-neuronal activity of Myod1 due to promiscuous binding to neuronal genes. Nature Cell Biology, 2020.
- Neuroligin-4 Regulates Excitatory Synaptic Transmission in Human Neurons. Neuron, 4, 2019.
- Direct Reprogramming of Human Neurons Identifies MARCKSL1 as a Pathogenic Mediator of Valproic Acid-Induced Teratogenicity. Cell stem cell, 1, 2019.
- Transdifferentiation of human adult peripheral blood T cells into neurons. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 25, 2018.
- Unique versus Redundant Functions of Neuroligin Genes in Shaping Excitatory and Inhibitory Synapse Properties. The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience, 29, 2017.
- Generation of pure GABAergic neurons by transcription factor programming. Nature methods, 6, 2017.
- Myt1l safeguards neuronal identity by actively repressing many non-neuronal fates. Nature, 7649, 2017.
- Human AML-iPSCs Reacquire Leukemic Properties after Differentiation and Model Clonal Variation of Disease. Cell stem cell, 3, 2017.
- FoxO3 regulates neuronal reprogramming of cells from postnatal and aging mice. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 30, 2016.
- Pathogenic mechanism of an autism-associated neuroligin mutation involves altered AMPA-receptor trafficking. Molecular psychiatry, 2, 2015.
- Generation of induced neuronal cells by the single reprogramming factor ASCL1. Stem cell reports, 2, 2014.
- Hierarchical mechanisms for direct reprogramming of fibroblasts to neurons. Cell, 3, 2013.
- Neurons generated by direct conversion of fibroblasts reproduce synaptic phenotype caused by autism-associated neuroligin-3 mutation. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 41, 2013.
- Acute reduction in oxygen tension enhances the induction of neurons from human fibroblasts. Journal of neuroscience methods, 2, 2013.
- Rapid single-step induction of functional neurons from human pluripotent stem cells. Neuron, 5, 2013.
- Direct conversion of mouse fibroblasts to self-renewing, tripotent neural precursor cells. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 7, 2012.
- Excitatory modulation in the cochlear nucleus through group I metabotropic glutamate receptor activation. The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience, 20, 2011.
- Calcium imaging of auditory nerve fiber terminals in the cochlear nucleus. Journal of neuroscience methods, 1, 2011.
- Neuromodulation by GABA converts a relay into a coincidence detector. Journal of neurophysiology, 4, 2010.
- A low-affinity antagonist reveals saturation and desensitization in mature synapses in the auditory brain stem. Journal of neurophysiology, 4, 2010.
- Complexin-I is required for high-fidelity transmission at the endbulb of Held auditory synapse. The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience, 25, 2009.