Dr. Richard Huganir

Biography

Richard Huganir is a PhD and Bloomberg Distinguished Professor in the Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. His research focuses on the molecular mechanisms regulating neurotransmitter receptor function, particularly glutamate receptors, which are critical for various brain functions including learning and memory. Huganir's lab investigates how AMPA and NMDA receptors, key excitatory synaptic components, facilitate synaptic transmission and contribute to neuronal plasticity. His studies reveal how receptor phosphorylation influences their functional properties and role in long-term potentiation and depression—both essential for learning and memory processes. Furthermore, Huganir's team has identified novel protein families that interact with glutamate receptors, crucial for their membrane trafficking and synaptic targeting. His work has significant implications for understanding cognitive processes and the effects of receptor dysregulation in neurological disorders, linking genetic mutations in associated proteins to conditions such as intellectual disability, autism, and schizophrenia. Huganir's impactful research continues to enhance our understanding of synaptic mechanisms contributing to overall brain health and disease.

Research Interests