Debomoy Lahiri, Ph.D.

Debomoy K. Lahiri, Ph.D. Professor of Psychiatry, Neurobiology, and Medical and Molecular Genetics
Personal Statement	My research and teaching focus on the neurobiology and genetics of aging and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). My main fascination is to understand how brain neuronal cells degenerate and die under the laboratory condition, to test pharmacological drugs that could prevent, reverse and rescue neuronal decay or neurodegeneration, and to discover compounds that protect and preserve neurons and synapses from oxidative insults. I also enjoy working with and teaching our medical students, graduate students, residents and fellows. I give lectures at national and international conferences on my research.
Education	Undergraduate: Science College, Banaras Hindu University Graduate School: Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University Fellowship: New York University School of Medicine New York State Institute for Basic Research Mount Sinai School of Medicine
Current Academic Interests	Teaching: I am involved in teaching/training Masters, PhD and MD/PhD students as well as residents and postdoctoral fellows. In my commitment to disseminate knowledge, I serve as the Editor-In-Chief of an international journal ‘Current Alzheimer Research’ that publishes articles on basic, clinical and translational research from diverse areas of AD. Research: My primary focus is to understand the mechanism of aging and longevity; origin and biogenesis of the amyloid plaque; and gene regulation of Alzheimer's disease. My goal is to better understand the cause of neurodegenerative diseases (such as AD), to find out molecular methods for their diagnoses, and to devise rational neuroprotective strategies for prevention and treatment of age-related disorders.
Recent Publications	Lahiri, D.K. (2011) An integrated approach to genome studies. Science 331(6014):147. Maloney, B., Lahiri, D.K. (2011) The Alzheimer's amyloid-β peptide (Aβ) binds a specific DNA Abeta-interacting domain (AβID) in the APP, BACE1, and APOE promoters in a sequence-specific manner: characterizing a new regulatory motif. GENE -In Press Bailey, J.A., Ray, B., Greig, N.H., Lahiri, D.K. (2011) Rivastigmine lowers Aβ and increases sAPPalpha levels, which parallel elevated synaptic markers and metabolic activity in degenerating primary rat neurons. PLoS ONE- In Press