Dr. Karthik Krishnan

Biography

Karthik Krishnan is an academic at the John Curtin School of Medical Research at the Australian National University, focusing on researching epilepsy, which is a chronic neurological condition that affects approximately 125 Australians and has a significant impact on various aspects of life including work, transportation, and sleep. Despite its prevalence, the understanding of its underlying mechanisms is still incomplete. His research strongly suggests a link between elevated neuronal calcium levels and the development and persistence of seizures, though the specific calcium channels responsible for allowing calcium entry into neurons remain enigmatic. Conventional drugs that inhibit calcium channels have shown limited efficacy in managing epilepsy, which has prompted Karthik to investigate alternative channels such as transient receptor potential channels (TRPs). Recent findings from his laboratory highlight a significant expression of the TRP Ankyrin 1 (TRPA1) in the mammalian cortex, where activation triggers intraneuronal calcium influx that mimics seizure-like activity. Blocking TRPA1 has been demonstrated to reduce neuronal firing, and Karthik's post-doctoral project aims to delve into the role of TRPA1 in epilepsy development, thus shedding light on calcium regulation mechanisms in brain cells and paving the way for innovative epilepsy treatments targeting TRPA1 channels.

Research Interests