Massachusetts General Hospital

Raymond J. Kelleher III, MD, PhD

• Assistant Professor of Neurology, Harvard Medical School
• Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital
• Center for Human Genetic Research

 

 

Research Description

Dr. Kelleher’s laboratory studies the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying cognition and cognitive disorders. Current research projects are directed toward defining the molecular mechanisms regulating local protein synthesis in neurons, and understanding how these translational mechanisms contribute to normal cognition and the establishment and modification of synaptic connectivity in the mammalian brain. Examination of the role of defective translational control in specific neuropsychiatric disorders is a closely related effort. In a complementary line of research, the laboratory is also investigating the molecular and cellular mechanisms responsible for neurodegenerative dementia, with a focus on Alzheimer’s disease. Due to the complexity of these problems, which span the gap from molecules to behavior, the laboratory employs a multidisciplinary approach, including conditional and inducible genetic manipulations in mice, biochemical, molecular and cell biological analysis, slice electrophysiology and mouse behavior.

Research interests	Translational regulation, synaptic plasticity and memory
Research Techniques	Biochemical, molecular and cell biological analysis, slice electrophysiology
Diseases studied	Cognitive disorders, Alzheimer’s disease
Selected publications	Kelleher, R.J., III, Govindarajan, A, Jung, H.-Y., Kang, H. and Tonegawa, S. Translational control by MAPK signaling in long-term synaptic plasticity and memory. Cell 2004; 116: 467-479. Kelleher, R.J. III, Govindarajan, A. and Tonegawa, S. Translational regulatory mechanisms in long-term synaptic plasticity and memory. Neuron 2004; 44:59-73. Saura , C.A. , Choi, S.Y., Beglopoulos, V., Malkani, S., Zhang, D., Rao, B.S.S, Chattarji, S., Kelleher, R.J., III, Kandel, E.R., Duff. K., Kirkwood, A. and Shen, J. Loss of Presenilin function causes impairments of memory and synaptic plasticity followed by age-dependent neurodegeneration. Neuron 2004; 42:23-36.
NCBI PubMed link	NCBI PubMed Publications
E-mail address	kelleher@helix.mgh.harvard.edu
Lab mailing address	Center for Human Genetic Research Massachusetts General Hospital Richard B. Simches Research Center Mailcode: CPZN-6234 185 Cambridge Street Boston, MA 02114
Lab telephone	617-643-3411
Lab, institute or center websites	Center for Human Genetic Research
Clinical interests	Cognitive disorders, with an emphasis on dementia and Alzheimer’s disease
Clinical mailing address	Massachusetts General Hospital Neurology, Suite 835 Wang Ambulatory Care Center 55 Fruit Street Boston, MA 02114 USA
Clinical office telephone	617-726-1728
Clinical Web site address	Memory Disorders Unit