Venkatachalam Lab: News and Accomplishments
October 2022
Our work on the bioenergetic alterations in a Drosophila model of ALS titled, "Loss of Activity-Induced Mitochondrial ATP Production Underlies the Synaptic Defects in a Drosophila model of ALS," has been published in the the Journal of Neuroscience. This study involved a collaboration between the Venkatachalam, Bellen, and Wong labs. Congrats to first author, Dr. Nicholas Karagas! Please click here to access the PDF.
Our work on the bioenergetic alterations in a Drosophila model of ALS titled, "Loss of Activity-Induced Mitochondrial ATP Production Underlies the Synaptic Defects in a Drosophila model of ALS," has been published in the the Journal of Neuroscience. This study involved a collaboration between the Venkatachalam, Bellen, and Wong labs. Congrats to first author, Dr. Nicholas Karagas! Please click here to access the PDF.
March 2022
Lab has published a review on the regulation of aging and longevity by ion channels in Cells. Please click here to read the PDF.
February 2022
Collaborative study with Drs. Hugo Bellen and Philip Batterham has been accepted for publication in eLife. Congrats to all the authors! Please click here to read the PDF.
Collaborative study with Drs. Hugo Bellen and Philip Batterham has been accepted for publication in eLife. Congrats to all the authors! Please click here to read the PDF.
December 2021
The preprint of our paper titled, "Loss of Activity-Induced Mitochondrial ATP Production Underlies the Synaptic Defects in a Drosophila model of ALS" is now online. This study involved a collaboration between the Venkatachalam, Bellen, and Wong labs. Congrats to first author, Dr. Nicholas Karagas! Please click here to access the manuscript.
The preprint of our paper titled, "Loss of Activity-Induced Mitochondrial ATP Production Underlies the Synaptic Defects in a Drosophila model of ALS" is now online. This study involved a collaboration between the Venkatachalam, Bellen, and Wong labs. Congrats to first author, Dr. Nicholas Karagas! Please click here to access the manuscript.
June 2021
Our paper titled, "p53 Mitigates the Effects of Oncogenic HRAS in Urothelial Cells via the Repression of MCOLN1" is now published online. Please click for PDF of the manuscript.
Our paper titled, "p53 Mitigates the Effects of Oncogenic HRAS in Urothelial Cells via the Repression of MCOLN1" is now published online. Please click for PDF of the manuscript.
May 2021
The Venkatachalam lab received an R01 equivalent (RF1) from the NIA titled,"Alterations in somatodendritic bioenergetics in Drosophila models of tauopathy." The purpose of this grant is to study changes in neuronal bioenergetics in healthy neurons and in neurons from fly models of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Link
Nicholas Karagas, an outstanding student in the laboratory who defended his thesis in May 2020, graduated with both MD and PhD degrees! Congratulations Dr. Karagas, and we wish you the best of luck as you leave to do your residence in Neurology at the University of Washington in Seattle! Click here for pictures from the graduation.
The Venkatachalam lab received an R01 equivalent (RF1) from the NIA titled,"Alterations in somatodendritic bioenergetics in Drosophila models of tauopathy." The purpose of this grant is to study changes in neuronal bioenergetics in healthy neurons and in neurons from fly models of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Link
Nicholas Karagas, an outstanding student in the laboratory who defended his thesis in May 2020, graduated with both MD and PhD degrees! Congratulations Dr. Karagas, and we wish you the best of luck as you leave to do your residence in Neurology at the University of Washington in Seattle! Click here for pictures from the graduation.
April 2021
Our paper titled, "p53 Mitigates the Effects of Oncogenic HRAS in Urothelial Cells via the Repression of MCOLN1" has been accepted for publication in iScience. Congrats to the first author Dr. Jewon Jung and all the other co-authors! Please check back for PDF of the manuscript.
March 2021
Our paper titled, "Regulation of Longevity by Depolarization-Induced Activation of PLCβ-IP3R Signaling in Neurons" has been accepted for publication in PNAS. Congrats to the co-first authors Drs. Ching-On Wong and Nicholas Karagas, and all the other co-authors! Please click on PDF to read the manuscript.
Our paper titled, "Regulation of Longevity by Depolarization-Induced Activation of PLCβ-IP3R Signaling in Neurons" has been accepted for publication in PNAS. Congrats to the co-first authors Drs. Ching-On Wong and Nicholas Karagas, and all the other co-authors! Please click on PDF to read the manuscript.
September 2020
Collaborative study with Dr. Philip Batterham's lab has been accepted for publication in PNAS. Congrats to all the authors! Please click here to read the PDF.
The Venkatachalam lab received an R01 equivalent (RF1) from the NIA titled,"NEUROPATHOLOGY IN TAUOPATHIES STEM FROM DEPOLARIZATION-INDUCED ALTERATIONS IN THE PLANAR DISTRIBUTION OF PHOSPHOINOSITIDES." The purpose of this grant is to study the role of neuronal phosphoinositide signaling in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Link
Collaborative study with Dr. Philip Batterham's lab has been accepted for publication in PNAS. Congrats to all the authors! Please click here to read the PDF.
The Venkatachalam lab received an R01 equivalent (RF1) from the NIA titled,"NEUROPATHOLOGY IN TAUOPATHIES STEM FROM DEPOLARIZATION-INDUCED ALTERATIONS IN THE PLANAR DISTRIBUTION OF PHOSPHOINOSITIDES." The purpose of this grant is to study the role of neuronal phosphoinositide signaling in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Link
May 2020
The Venkatachalam lab received an R21 from the NIA titled,"Involvement of an ER to lysosome signaling axis in the onset of neurodegeneration in models of AD." The purpose of this grant is to study the mechanisms of neurodegeneration in a fly model of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Link
The Venkatachalam lab received an R21 from the NIA titled,"Involvement of an ER to lysosome signaling axis in the onset of neurodegeneration in models of AD." The purpose of this grant is to study the mechanisms of neurodegeneration in a fly model of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Link
April 2020
Nicholas Karagas, an MD.PhD. student in the Venkatachalam lab, has successfully defended his doctoral dissertation in the middle of the Corona virus lockdown! Congratulations Dr. Karagas! We are excited to see all the amazing things you will achieve in your career as a physician scientist!
Nicholas Karagas, an MD.PhD. student in the Venkatachalam lab, has successfully defended his doctoral dissertation in the middle of the Corona virus lockdown! Congratulations Dr. Karagas! We are excited to see all the amazing things you will achieve in your career as a physician scientist!
December 2019
After a productive career as a postdoctoral fellow and instructor in the Venkatachalam lab, Dr. Ching On Wong has started an independent position as an Assistant Professor on the tenure track in the department of Biology at Rutgers University. We all wish him the best in all his future endeavors. Please click here to see pictures from his send-off party.
After a productive career as a postdoctoral fellow and instructor in the Venkatachalam lab, Dr. Ching On Wong has started an independent position as an Assistant Professor on the tenure track in the department of Biology at Rutgers University. We all wish him the best in all his future endeavors. Please click here to see pictures from his send-off party.
September 2019
A review article titled, "TRPML1 and Ras-driven cancers - exploring a link with great therapeutic potential" has been accepted for publication in Channels (Austin). Click PDF to read this article.
In collaboration with the laboratory of Dr. Jeffrey Frost, we have been awarded a grant from the ALS Association titled, "Role of the extracellular matrix in C9-ALS"!
A review article titled, "TRPML1 and Ras-driven cancers - exploring a link with great therapeutic potential" has been accepted for publication in Channels (Austin). Click PDF to read this article.
In collaboration with the laboratory of Dr. Jeffrey Frost, we have been awarded a grant from the ALS Association titled, "Role of the extracellular matrix in C9-ALS"!
May 2019
Our manuscript titled, "Motor neurons from ALS patients with mutations in C9ORF72 and SOD1 exhibit distinct transcriptional landscapes"Motor neurons from ALS patients with mutations in C9ORF72 and SOD1 exhibit distinct transcriptional landscapes" has been accepted for publication in Human Molecular Genetics! Here is the PUBMED LINK.
Congratulations to Morgan Rousseau from the lab on being accepted to McGovern Medical School!! We are all very proud of you Morgan!
Our manuscript titled, "Motor neurons from ALS patients with mutations in C9ORF72 and SOD1 exhibit distinct transcriptional landscapes"Motor neurons from ALS patients with mutations in C9ORF72 and SOD1 exhibit distinct transcriptional landscapes" has been accepted for publication in Human Molecular Genetics! Here is the PUBMED LINK.
Congratulations to Morgan Rousseau from the lab on being accepted to McGovern Medical School!! We are all very proud of you Morgan!
April 2019
Congratulations to Nicholas Karagas for winning two separate poster prizes! Here is a photograph of him standing by the poster.
Congratulations to Nicholas Karagas for winning two separate poster prizes! Here is a photograph of him standing by the poster.
March 2019
Schwartz and Muallem have published a 'News and Views' on our recent paper in EMBO Reports . PDF
Schwartz and Muallem have published a 'News and Views' on our recent paper in EMBO Reports . PDF
February 2019
Congratulations to Dr. Ching-On Wong for obtaining independent funding from the NIH to study the mechanisms of neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease!
Our manuscript titled, "HRAS-driven cancer cells are vulnerable to TRPML1 inhibition" was published in EMBO Reports! Congrats to all the co-authors. PDF
Congratulations to Dr. Ching-On Wong for obtaining independent funding from the NIH to study the mechanisms of neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease!
Our manuscript titled, "HRAS-driven cancer cells are vulnerable to TRPML1 inhibition" was published in EMBO Reports! Congrats to all the co-authors. PDF
November 2018
Congratulations to Kristen Clemons for successfully defending her Masters thesis in the KV lab. Pictures from this event can be found here.
Congratulations to Kristen Clemons for successfully defending her Masters thesis in the KV lab. Pictures from this event can be found here.
June 2017
A collaborative R21 that we wrote with the laboratory of Dr. Marco Sardiello was funded by NIA! The goal of this project is to understand the mechanisms of mitochondrial biogenesis using flies as a model.
A collaborative R21 that we wrote with the laboratory of Dr. Marco Sardiello was funded by NIA! The goal of this project is to understand the mechanisms of mitochondrial biogenesis using flies as a model.
February 2016
A collaborative R21 that we wrote with the laboratory of Dr. Kirill Kiselyov was scored at an incredible 5th percentile! The goal of this project is to understand the mechanisms of mitochondrial dysfunction in MLIV. Congratulations to both labs!
A collaborative R21 that we wrote with the laboratory of Dr. Kirill Kiselyov was scored at an incredible 5th percentile! The goal of this project is to understand the mechanisms of mitochondrial dysfunction in MLIV. Congratulations to both labs!
November 2015
The KV lab has received funding from the Penn Orphan Disease Center to apply our findings from the fly model of MLIV to a mouse model of the devastating childhood neurological disease. The goal of the new project would be to test novel concepts for treating MLIV and other related lysosomal storage diseases!
The KV lab has received funding from the Penn Orphan Disease Center to apply our findings from the fly model of MLIV to a mouse model of the devastating childhood neurological disease. The goal of the new project would be to test novel concepts for treating MLIV and other related lysosomal storage diseases!
August 2015
Our paper titled, "Diminished MTORC1-Dependent JNK-Activation Underlies the Neurodevelopmental Defects Associated with Lysosomal Dysfunction" has been accepted for publication in Cell Reports! Congratulations to everyone involved!
A collaborative effort between the laboratory of Dr. John Hancock and our lab has led to a study that was just accepted for publication in the prestigious journal, Science, titled, "Membrane Potential Modulates Plasma Membrane Phospholipid Dynamics and K-Ras Signaling." Congratulations to all involved, especially Dr. Yong Zhou, who is the first author of this outstanding study!
Steven Gregory, a student belonging to the Neuroscience Graduate Program at GSBS has decided to join our lab! Welcome to the team Steven!
Our paper titled, "Diminished MTORC1-Dependent JNK-Activation Underlies the Neurodevelopmental Defects Associated with Lysosomal Dysfunction" has been accepted for publication in Cell Reports! Congratulations to everyone involved!
A collaborative effort between the laboratory of Dr. John Hancock and our lab has led to a study that was just accepted for publication in the prestigious journal, Science, titled, "Membrane Potential Modulates Plasma Membrane Phospholipid Dynamics and K-Ras Signaling." Congratulations to all involved, especially Dr. Yong Zhou, who is the first author of this outstanding study!
Steven Gregory, a student belonging to the Neuroscience Graduate Program at GSBS has decided to join our lab! Welcome to the team Steven!
May 2015
Congratulations to Dr. Ching-On Wong for winning the second place award in the 2015 Dean’s Excellence in Research Award for Postdoctoral Research Fellows! Please click here to see the pictures from the event, and here to go to a UT link describing the event.
Congratulations to Dr. Ching-On Wong for winning the second place award in the 2015 Dean’s Excellence in Research Award for Postdoctoral Research Fellows! Please click here to see the pictures from the event, and here to go to a UT link describing the event.
March 2015
The UT Houston Medical School has publicized our 2014 Neuron paper. Please click here to read the release.
An abstract submitted by the Venkatachalam lab was chosen for a platform presentation in the Gordon Research Conference (GRC) on Lysosomal Diseases! It was great to be able to present our research at an international forum such as the GRC!
The UT Houston Medical School has publicized our 2014 Neuron paper. Please click here to read the release.
An abstract submitted by the Venkatachalam lab was chosen for a platform presentation in the Gordon Research Conference (GRC) on Lysosomal Diseases! It was great to be able to present our research at an international forum such as the GRC!
January 2015
Alex, Kelly, and Malvika, 3 undergraduates from Rice University join the lab to perform undergraduate research. Welcome to the lab ladies!
Alex, Kelly, and Malvika, 3 undergraduates from Rice University join the lab to perform undergraduate research. Welcome to the lab ladies!
November 2014
Imler and Zinsmaier have written a very nice preview in Neuron on our paper. Please click here for the reprint of this article.
Neuron has chosen an image we submitted as the cover of the November 19th, 2014 issue! Please click here to see the cover. Many thanks to Suety Kwan for helping us generate the illustration!
Our review paper titled, "The Role of TRPMLs in Endolysosomal Trafficking and Function" to be published in Cell Calcium is now online. Please click here for a PDF of the article.
Congratulations to Meera Namireddy for winning the "Victoria Finnerty Undergraduate Travel Award" from the Genetics Society of America for her research conducted in the Venkatachalam lab!
Imler and Zinsmaier have written a very nice preview in Neuron on our paper. Please click here for the reprint of this article.
Neuron has chosen an image we submitted as the cover of the November 19th, 2014 issue! Please click here to see the cover. Many thanks to Suety Kwan for helping us generate the illustration!
Our review paper titled, "The Role of TRPMLs in Endolysosomal Trafficking and Function" to be published in Cell Calcium is now online. Please click here for a PDF of the article.
Congratulations to Meera Namireddy for winning the "Victoria Finnerty Undergraduate Travel Award" from the Genetics Society of America for her research conducted in the Venkatachalam lab!
September 2014
Thanks to the Homejoy Foundation for a gift to support our ALS-related research! We appreciate the efforts of everyone who took the ice-bucket challenge and trusted us with this gift!
Our paper titled, "A TRPV Channel in Drosophila Motor Neurons Regulates Presynaptic Resting Ca2+ Levels, Synapse Growth, and Synaptic Transmission" has been accepted for publication in the prestigious neuroscience journal, Neuron!! Congrats to Drs. Ching-On Wong and Kartik Venkatachalam who are the first and senior authors respectively! Please click here for the reprint.
Thanks to the Homejoy Foundation for a gift to support our ALS-related research! We appreciate the efforts of everyone who took the ice-bucket challenge and trusted us with this gift!
Our paper titled, "A TRPV Channel in Drosophila Motor Neurons Regulates Presynaptic Resting Ca2+ Levels, Synapse Growth, and Synaptic Transmission" has been accepted for publication in the prestigious neuroscience journal, Neuron!! Congrats to Drs. Ching-On Wong and Kartik Venkatachalam who are the first and senior authors respectively! Please click here for the reprint.
July 2014
In collaboration with the laboratory of Dr. Craig Montell (UCSB), we have written a review on invertebrate TRP channels titled, "Evolutionarily conserved, multitasking TRP channels—lessons from worms and flies". Please click here for the reprint.
May 2014
Dr. Ching-On Wong has won a travel award from the UT Postdoctoral Association to present his research at a Gordon Research Conference this summer! Congrats On!
Congratulations to Dr. Kartik Venkatachalam for being awarded a 2014 Dean's Teaching Excellence Award!
Dr. Ching-On Wong has won a travel award from the UT Postdoctoral Association to present his research at a Gordon Research Conference this summer! Congrats On!
Congratulations to Dr. Kartik Venkatachalam for being awarded a 2014 Dean's Teaching Excellence Award!
December 2013
A paper describing a collaboration between our lab and that of Dr. Michael Zhu describing the biophysical properties of Drosophila TRPML has just been accepted for publication in the Journal of Biological Chemistry! Please click here to see the article PDF.
A paper describing a collaboration between our lab and that of Dr. Michael Zhu describing the biophysical properties of Drosophila TRPML has just been accepted for publication in the Journal of Biological Chemistry! Please click here to see the article PDF.
November 2013
An R01 application from the Venkatachalam lab titled, "Alterations in synaptic growth and lipid-raft organization in a fly MLIV model" was scored at the 6th percentile! Our lab is finally funded by the NIH!
An R01 application from the Venkatachalam lab titled, "Alterations in synaptic growth and lipid-raft organization in a fly MLIV model" was scored at the 6th percentile! Our lab is finally funded by the NIH!
November 2012
An image we submitted with our review titled, "Feast or Famine: Role of TRPML in Preventing Cellular Amino Acid Starvation" has been accepted for as the January 2013 cover for the journal "Autophagy"! Many thanks to Suety Kwan for helping generate the image! Please click here to see the image.
September 2012
Our review titled, "Feast or Famine: Role of TRPML in Preventing Cellular Amino Acid Starvation" has been accepted for publication in the journal "Autophagy"!
Yufang Chao has joined our lab as a new research technician. Welcome to the lab Yufang!
An image we submitted with our review titled, "Feast or Famine: Role of TRPML in Preventing Cellular Amino Acid Starvation" has been accepted for as the January 2013 cover for the journal "Autophagy"! Many thanks to Suety Kwan for helping generate the image! Please click here to see the image.
September 2012
Our review titled, "Feast or Famine: Role of TRPML in Preventing Cellular Amino Acid Starvation" has been accepted for publication in the journal "Autophagy"!
Yufang Chao has joined our lab as a new research technician. Welcome to the lab Yufang!
June 2012
Our paper titled, "Drosophila TRPML is Required For TORC1 Activation" has been accepted for publication in Current Biology!! Congratulations to Dr. Ching-On Wong and colleagues!
May 2012
Congratulations to Dr. Kartik Venkatachalam for being awarded a 2012 Dean's Teaching Excellence Award!
March 2012
Congratulations to Geoffrey Broadhead, a research technician in the lab, for being admitted to the "Neurobiology and Behavior" graduate program at Cornell University!
