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Faculty Profile

Associate Professors

Krishnan, Balaji, PhD
Balaji, Krishnan, PhD

Associate Professor

Don and Nancy Mafrige Professor in Neurodegenerative Research
Department of Neurology
Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases

Department: Neurology

Bio ,  Curriculum Vitae
UTMB Health Research Expert Profile

 PubMed

Bio - Krishnan, Balaji, PhD

    • 1992 BSc (Microbiology/Biochemistry),University of Mumbai, INDIA
    • 1996 MSc (Molecular Biology/Physics),University of Mumbai, INDIA
    • 2003 PhD (Biology),University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA
    • 2007 Certificate in Business Administration,University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA
    • 2008 Neurobiology,Marine Biological Labs, Woods Hole, MA, USA 
    • Synaptic Mechanisms Involved in Long-term Memory Mechanisms
    • Bourne, K.Z., Natarajan, C., Medina Perez C.X., Tumurbaatar, B., Taglialatela, G., and Krishnan, B. (2019). Suppressing aberrant phospholipase D1 signaling in 3xTg Alzheimer’s disease mouse model promotes synaptic resilience. Sci. Rep. doi: 10.1038/1038/s41598-019-54974-6. PMID: In progress; [PMCID: In progress].
    • Krishnan, B., Sallam, H. S., Tumurbataar, B., Saieva, S., Baymon, D., Tuvdendorj, D., Micci, M. A., Abate, N., and Taglialatela, G. (2019). Amelioration of hippocampal dysfunction by adipose tissue-targeted stem cell transplantation in a mouse model of type 2 diabetes. J. Neurochem. doi: 10.1111/jnc.14915. PMID: 31730234; [PMCID: In progress].
    • Micci, M., Krishnan, B., Bishop, E., Zhang, W., Guptarak, J., Grant, A., Zolochevska, O., Tumurbaatar, B., Franklin, W., Marino, C., Widen, S., Luthra, A., Kernie, S., and Taglialatela, G. (2019) Hippocampal stem cells promotes synaptic resistance to the dysfunctional impact of amyloid beta oligomers via secreted exosomes. Mol. Neurodegener., 14(1), 25. PubMed [PMID: 31200742]; PubMed [PMCID: In progress].
    • Franklin, W., Krishnan, B., and Taglialatela, G. (2019). Chronic synaptic insulin resistance after traumatic brain injury abolishes insulin protection from amyloid beta and tau oligomer-induced synaptic dysfunction. Sci. Reports, 9(1): 8228. PubMed [PMID: 31160730]; PubMed [PMCID: In progress].
    • Marino, C., Krishnan, B., Cappello, F., and Taglialatela, G. (2019). Hsp60 protects against Amyloid β oligomer synaptic toxicity via modification of toxic oligomer conformation. ACS Chem. Neurosci., 10.1021/acschemneuro.9b00086. PubMed [PMID: 31091411]; PubMed [PMCID: In progress].
    • Comerota, M., Tumurbaatar, B., Krishnan, B., Kayed, R. and Taglialatela, G. (2019) Near infrared light treatment reduces synaptic levels of toxic tau oligomers in two transgenic mouse models of human tauopathies. Mol. Neurodegener. Aug 17 doi: 10.10007/s12035-018-1248-9; [PMCID: PMC6476871].
    • Krishnan, B., Kayed, R., and Taglialatela, G., (2018) Elevated phospholipase D isoform 1 in Alzheimer's disease patients' hippocampus: Relevance to synaptic dysfunction and memory deficits. Alzheimer’s and Dementia (4): 89-102; PubMed [PMID: 29560412]; PubMed [PMCID: PMC5857521].
    • Comerota, M., Krishnan, B., and Taglialatela, G. (2017) Near infrared light decreases synaptic vulnerability to amyloid beta oligomers. Sci. Reports. 7(1): 1501; PubMed Central [PMID: 29118388]; PubMed Central [PMCID: PMC5678170].
    • Krishnan B. Amygdala-Hippocampal Phospholipase D (PLD) Signaling As Novel Mechanism of Cocaine-Environment Maladaptive Conditioned Responses. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol. 2016 Jan 22. pii: pyv139. doi: 10.1093/ijnp/pyv139. PubMed PMID: 26802567; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC4926798.
    • Krishnan, B., Genzer, K., Pollandt, S., Liu, J., Gallagher, J.P., and P. Shinnick-Gallagher (2011) “Novel D1-like receptor activated long term potentiation (LTP) is apparent during cocaine withdrawal and is linked to phospholipase D (PLD) and metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs).” PLoSONE 6(9): e25639 [PMCID: PMC3181343]
    • Schmidt, K., Krishnan, B., Xia, Y., Sun, A., Orozco-Cabal, L., Pollandt, S., Centeno, M., Genzer, K., Gallagher, J.P., Shinnick-Gallagher, P. and J. Liu (2011) “Cocaine withdrawal reduces group I mGluR-mediated long-term potentiation via decreased GABAergic transmission in the amygdala” EJN 34(2): 177-189 [PMCID: PMC313881223]
    • Krishnan, B., Centeno, M, Pollandt, S., Fu, Y., Liu, J., Gallagher, J.P., and P. Shinnick-Gallagher (2010) “Dopamine receptor mechanisms mediate corticotrophin releasing factor-induced long-term potentiation in the rat amygdala following withdrawal.” EJN 31(6): 1027-1042. [PMCID: PMC3118420]
    • Fu, Y., Pollandt, S., Liu, J., Krishnan, B., Genzer, K., Orozco-Cabal, L., Gallagher, J.P., and P. Shinnick-Gallagher (2007) “Long-term potentiation (LTP) in the central amygdala (CeA) is enhanced after prolonged withdrawal from chronic cocaine and requires CRF1 receptors.” J Neurophysiol (97):937-941.
    • Ge, H., Krishnan, P., Liu, L., Krishnan, B., Davis, R.L., Hardin, P.E., and G. Roman (2006) “A Drosophila non-visual arrestin is required for the maintenance of olfactory sensitivity.” Chem. Senses 31(1):49-62 [PMCID: PMC2180162]
    • Tanouye, S., Krishnan, P., Krishnan, B., Dryer, S.E., and P. E. Hardin (2004) “Circadian clocks in antennal neurons are necessary and sufficient for olfaction rhythms in Drosophila” Curr Biol. 14(8):638-649.
    • Krishnan, B., Levine, J.D., Sisson, K., Dowse, H.B., Funes, P., Hall, J.C., Hardin, P.E., and S. E. Dryer (2001) “A novel role for cryptochrome in a Drosophila circadian oscillator.” Nature (411):313-317.
    • Krishnan, B., Dryer, S.E., and P. E. Hardin (1999) “Circadian rhythms in olfactory responses of Drosophila melanogaster.” Nature (400):375-378.
    • 2012 The Center for Addiction Award for team player activities
    • 2011 The Frances Adoue Lynch Addiction Research Fund Award for most promising addiction researcher in the Houston-Galveston area
    • 2011 BBC 2011 Travel Award towards travel and oral presentation of research
    • 2010 FIRST IV Travel Award towards workshop in teaching for postdoctoral researchers
    • 2009 NIDA Travel Award towards the APA 117th Annual Convention, Toronto, Canada
    • 2009 USU Travel Award towards the Amygdala Stress and PTSD Conference
    • 2009 IRST IV Travel Award towards workshop in teaching for postdoctoral researchers
    • 2008 Galveston Travel Award towards attending SFN 2008
    • 2008 Edwin Grant Conklin Memorial Fund, Horace W. Stunkard Scholarship Fund towards
    • Marine Biological Labs Neurobiology Course
    • 2007 NRSA Ruth L. Kirschstein Postdoctoral Training Research Fellowship (2007-2010)
    • 2005 NIH Training Grant towards studying Cocaine Abuse (UTMB Galveston, (2005-2006)
    • 2001 Departmental Graduate Achievement Award for outstanding research (Univ. of Houston)
    • 2000 NSM Student Challenge Competition (University of Houston)
    • 1999 Departmental Travel Award (Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston)
    • 1998 BRAIN Graduate Research Award (University of Houston)
    • 1997 Departmental Travel Award (Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston)
    • 1995 ICTP travel award the Antonio Borsellino College on Neurophysics at ICTP, Trieste, Italy 
    • Society for Neuroscience