Dr Ahmed Eltokhi
Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Washington
Dr Ahmed Eltokhi
Dr Ahmed Eltokhi
About
Dr Eltokhi is a postdoctoral research fellow in the Catterall Lab. He obtained his PhD from Heidelberg University and the Max Planck Institute for Medical Research.
Current research
The genetic heterogeneity of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) presents a major challenge to the development of effective treatments targeting the underlying molecular defects. One of the critical questions in the field is whether there is a common pathophysiology at the circuitry level that could be targeted for interventions. The objective of Dr Eltokhi's research is to elucidate why arginine residues in the voltage sensors of different voltage-gated ion channels (< 0.8% of the amino acid residues) are targets to more than 10% of ASD pathogenic mutations and whether the gating pore currents that may be induced by these mutations are a common pathophysiological mechanism.
Future research vision
Gating pore currents conducted by ASD mutants of voltage-gated ion channels provide an exceptional opportunity to dissect the complexity of ASD and other neuropsychiatric disorders since some of these mutations are also associated with schizophrenia and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorders. Dr Eltokhi hypothesizes that gating pore currents will have different consequences in different disorders by altering input-output relationships of individual neurons and neural circuits, and by causing specific endophenotypes including social abnormalities, repetitive behaviours and cognitive dysfunction. Deciphering the effect of gating pore current will ultimately pave the way for identifying a common therapeutic intervention for different neuropsychiatric disorders.
Key publications

Eltokhi, A et al. Imbalanced post- and extrasynaptic SHANK2A functions during development affect social behavior in SHANK2-mediated neuropsychiatric disorders. Molecular Psychiatry, 2021.

Pitzer, C. et al. Sex Differences in Depression-Like Behaviors in Adult Mice Depend on Endophenotype and Strain. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, 2022.

Pitzer, C. et al. Gait performance of adolescent mice assessed by the CatWalk XT depends on age, strain and sex and correlates with speed and body weight. Scientific Reports, 2021.

Pitzer, C. et al. Behavioral tests assessing neuropsychiatric phenotypes in adolescent mice reveal strain- and sex-specific effects. Scientific Reports, 2020.

Eltokhi, A. et al. Distinct phenotypes of Shank2 mouse models reflect neuropsychiatric spectrum disorders of human patients with SHANK2 variants. Frontiers in Molecular Neuroscience, 2018.

Key awards

Young Investigator Grant, Brain and Behaviour Research Foundation (BBRF).

Postdoctoral fellowship, Fritz Thyssen Foundation.

Predoctoral fellowship, Heidelberg Biosciences International Graduate School (HBIGS).

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