Gopal Thinakaran, Ph.D.

Eric Pfeiffer Endowed Chair in Alzheimer's Res, Morsani College of Medicine

Ceo Byrd Alzheimer's Center, and Research Institute

Professor, Morsani College of Medicine, Molecular Medicine

Contact Info 4001 E Fletcher Avenue
MDC36
Tampa FL 33613

Academic Email: thinakaran@usf.edu

Academic Phone:(813) 974-9214

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Education

Interdisciplinary and Emerging Signature Programs

• Cellular and Molecular Biology
• Neurodegenerative Disease
• Neuroscience

Research Interests

• My lab (www.thinakaranlab.org) investigates mechanisms regulating Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathogenesis. For over twenty years, we have investigated multiple aspects of AD cell biology. Our research has provided valuable insights into the regulation of APP trafficking and metabolism by APP secretases, cellular mechanisms involved in the generation of beta-amyloid peptides, and neuronal transcytosis of BACE1. Recently, we have characterized an essential function for the late-onset AD risk factor BIN1 in regulating synaptic vesicle dynamics that impacts on spatial learning and memory. We use an integrated approach that combines hypothesis-driven mutagenesis, biochemical characterization, detailed subcellular localization, advanced microscopy, live-cell imaging, and electrophysiology to accomplish our goals. Cultured non-neuronal cells, primary neurons and microglia, human iPSCs, and genetically-modified mice serve as experimental models in our investigation.

Memberships

• Member (Society for Neuroscience, 1994 - Present)
• Member (International Society for Molecular Neurodegeneration, 2022 - Present)

Recent Publications

• Aow J, Huang, T-R, Goh, Y-T, Xu A, Sun Y, Thinakaran G, and Koo EH. Evidence for a clathrin-independent endocytic pathway for APP internalization in the neuronal somatodendritic compartment. Cell Reports. 42(7) : 112774. doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112774, 2023.
• Ulku I, Liebsch F, Akerman SC, Schulz JF, Kulic L, Hock C, Pietrzik C, Di Spiezio A, Thinakaran G, Saftig P, and Multhaup G. Mechanisms of amyloid-β34 generation indicate a pivotal role for BACE1 in amyloid homeostasis. Scientific Reports. 13(1) : 2216. doi: 10.1038/s41598-023-28846-z, 2023.
• Ponnusamy M, Wang S, Yuksel M, Hansen MT, Blazier DM, McMillan JD, Zhang X, Dammer EB, Collier L, and Thinakaran G. Loss of forebrain BIN1 attenuates hippocampal pathology and neuroinflammation in a tauopathy model Brain. 146(4) : 1561-1579. doi: 10.1093/brain/awac318, 2023.
• Sudwarts S, Ramesha S, Gao T, Ponnusamy P, Wang S, Hansen M, Kozlova A, Bitarafan S, Kumar P, Beaulieu-Abdelahad D, Zhang X, Collier L, Szekeres C, Wood LB, Duan J, Thinakaran G, and Rangaraju S. BIN1 is a key regulator of proinflammatory and neurodegeneration-related activation in microglia Molecular Neurodegeneration. 17(1) : 33. doi: 10.1186/s13024-022-00535-x, 2022.
• Rynearson KD, Ponnusamy M, Prikhodko O, Xie Y, Zhang M, Nguyen P, Hug B, Sawa M, Becker A, Spencer B, Florio J, Mante M, Salehi B, Arias C, Galasko D, Head BP, Johnson G, Lin J, Duddy SK, Rissman RA, Mobley WC, Thinakaran G, Tanzi RE, and Wagner SL. Preclinical validation of a potent γ-secretase modulator for Alzheimer’s disease prevention Journal of Experimental Medicine. 218(4) : e20202560. doi: 10.1084/jem.20202560, 2021.
• De Rossi P, Nomura T, Andrew RJ, Masse NY, Sampathkumar V, Musial TF, Sudwarts A, Aleksandra J Recupero1. Thomas Le Metayer1, Hansen MT, Ha-Na Shim H-N, Sofia V Krause SV, Freedman DJ, Vytas P Bindokas VP, Narayanan Kasthuri N, Nicholson DA, Contract Neuronal BIN1 regulates presynaptic neurotransmitter release and memory consolidation Cell Reports. 30(10) : 3520-3535.e7. doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2020.02.026, 2020.

Awards/Honors

• Outstanding Research Achievement Award (University of South Florida - 2023)
• John Trojanowski Memorial Award (Coins for Alzheimer’s Research Trust - 2023)