VISION RESEARCH CENTER FACULTY

Simon Kaja, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology and Basic Medical Science

Associate Director Preclinical Research, Vision Research Center

Adjunct Graduate Faculty, UMKC School of Medicine

Web Sit: www.simonkaja.com

Education:

University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C. (Postdoctoral training 2006-2008)

Leiden University, The Netherlands (Ph.D. Neuroscience, 2007)

University of Durham, United Kingdom (B.Sc. Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, 2002)

Research Interest:

Synaptic mechanisms underlying the pathophysiology of neurological and visual disorders, in particular migraine and cerebellar ataxia.

Selected Publications:

• R.S. Duncan, D.L. Goad, M.A. Grillo, S. Kaja, A.J. Payne, P. Koulen, Control of intracellular calcium signaling as a neuroprotective strategy. Molecules 2010, 15: 1168-95.
• A.M.J.M. Van den Maagdenberg*, T. Pizzorusso*, S. Kaja*, N. Terpolilli*, M. Shapovalova, F.E. Hoebeek, C.F. Barrett, L. Gheradini, R.C. Van de Ven, B. Todorov, L.A. Broos, A. Tottene, Z. Gao, M. Fodor, C.I. De Zeeuw, R.R. Frants, N. Plesnila, J.J. Plomp, D. Pietrobon, and M. Ferrari, High Cortical Spreading Depression susceptibility and migraine-associated symptoms in Cav2.1 S218L mice. Annals of Neurology 2010, 67: 85-98.
• P. Garg, R.S. Duncan, S. Kaja, P. Koulen. Intracellular Mechanisms of N-Acylethanolamine-Mediated Neuroprotection in Stroke. Neuroscience 2010, 166: 252-262
• S. Kaja, R.C. van den Ven, R.R. Frants, M.D. Ferrari, A.M. van den Maagdenberg, J.J. Plomp. Reduced ACh release at neuromuscular synapses of heterozygous leaner Cav2.1 mutant mice. Synapse 2008; 62: 337-344.
• S. Kaja, V. Hann, H.L. Payne, C.L. Thompson. Aberrant cerebellar granule cell-specific GABA-A receptor expression in the epileptic and ataxic mouse mutant, Tottering. Neuroscience 2007; 148: 115-125.
• S. Kaja, R.C. van den Ven, J.G. van Dijk, J.J. Verschuuren, R.R. Frants, M.D. Ferrari, A.M. van den Maagdenberg and J.J. Plomp. Severely impaired neuromuscular synaptic transmission causes muscle weakness in the Cacna1a mutant mouse rolling Nagoya. Eur J Neurosci 2007; 25: 2009-2020.
• S. Kaja, R.C.G. van de Ven, L.A.M. Broos, H. Veldman, J. G. van Dijk, J.J.G.M. Verschuuren, R.R. Frants, M.D. Ferrari, A.M.J.M. van den Maagdenberg and J.J. Plomp. Gene dosage-dependent transmitter release changes at neuromuscular synapses of Cacna1a R192Q knockin mice are non-progressive and do not lead to morphological changes or muscle weakness. Neuroscience 2005; 135: 81-95.
• A.M.J.M. van den Maagdenberg*, D. Pietrobon*, T. Pizzorusso, S. Kaja, L.A.M. Broos, T. Cesetti, R.C.G. van de Ven, J. van der Kaa, A. Tottene, J.J. Plomp, R.R. Frants, M.D. Ferrari. A Cacna1a knockin migraine mouse model with increased susceptibility to cortical spreading depression. Neuron 2004; 41: 701-710.