Faculty Information

Rajesh Khanna, PhD, MSc

Professor
Molecular Pathobiology
Director, NYU Pain Center
345 East 24th Street
New York, New York US 10010
rk4272@nyu.edu
 

Visit the Khanna Lab website >>>

Education

• Post-doctoral fellowship, Physiology and Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience, University of California at Los Angeles, 2000-2003
• PhD, Physiology, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, 2000
• MSc, Pharmacology, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, 1996
• BSc, Toxicology, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, 1994
  

Research Interests

• Regulation of trafficking and functions of voltage-gated sodium and calcium channels
• Identification of novel protein regulators of ion channels
• Approaches to targeting the ion channel complexes in neuropathic pain and neurodegenerative diseases
• Discovery of novel biologics and small molecules targeting pain and neurodegenerative diseases

Research Activities

The focus of my laboratory's research is to understand how ion channels, specifically, voltage-gated calcium and sodium channels, are regulated by novel protein interactions. Recent studies in my laboratory have focused on targeting protein-protein interactions with biologics (peptide aptamers) and small molecules; testing the activity of these novel chemical entities in biochemical and immunofluorescent-based assays of trafficking; examining their protein interaction signatures; testing them with whole cell voltage-clamp electrophysiology and voltage- and calcium sensitive fluorescence-based imaging. Regulating these protein networks to modulate the activity of ion channels in neurodegenerative diseases (chronic pain, migraine, and neurofibromatosis) is a key focus of the laboratory.

Research Focus

The Khanna lab investigates neurobiological mechanisms that are responsible for pain chronification. The group has pioneered regulation of nociceptive ion channels (CaV2.2 and NaV1.7) as an alternative means to finding analgesic drugs. Projects address the role of cytosolic mediators responsible for pain, preclinical models to define responsible peripheral nociceptive mechanisms, and large animal models to understand the neurobiological understanding of pain in neurofibromatosis type 1.  

Active Projects  

• R01NS098772
  CRMP2, Mitochondria, and Huntington Disease
  (Multi-PI; only the direct costs allocated to Khanna are shown)
  4/1/17  2/28/22
  
  
• R01DA042852
  CRMP2, Nav1.7 Sodium Channel, and Chronic pain
  6/1/17  2/28/22
  
  
• R01NS120663
  Genetic and Pharmacological Validation of CRMP2 Phosphorylation as a Novel therapeutic target for Neuropathic Pain
  8/1/20  7/31/24
  
  
• R01NS120663-S1
  Sentrin Proteases, CRMP2 deSUMOylation, and Chronic Pain
  1/15/21  8/31/24
  
  
• R01NS120663-S2
  CRMP2 Phosphorylation: A Novel Target for Alzheimer’s Disease
  4/15/21  7/31/24
  
  
• R01NS119263
  Anti-CV2 Autoantibodies Unmask a CRMP5/GluN2B Pain Signaling Hub (co-I; only the direct costs allocated to Khanna are shown)
  1/1/20  12/21/25
  
  
• R01AT009716
  Green Light Therapy for Chronic Pain
  (co-I; PI: Ibrahim)
  7/16/18  5/31/23
  
  
• K08NS104272
  Mechanism of Intrathecal Contulakin-G Induced Analgesia Without Motor Block
  (co-I; PI: Patwardhan)
  7/15/18  4/30/23
  
  
• R01AT009716-S1
  Green Light Therapy for Improving Dementia in Mice Models of Alzheimer’s Disease
  (co-I; 10% of grant costs allocated to Khanna)
  3/1/21  2/28/22
  
  
• R01NS116694
  Validation of Spinal Neurotensin Receptor 2 as an Analgesic Target
  (co-I; PI: Patwardhan)
  9/15/20  8/31/24
  
  
• R41CA257845
  Inhibition of CaVα-β Interaction with Orally Available Small Organic Molecules for Chronic Pain
  5/1/21  4/30/22
  
  
• R41NS122545
  Targeting the Neuropilin-1 Receptor (NRP-1)/VEGF-A Axis for Neuropathic Pain
  7/1/21  6/30/23
  
  
• 75N95019D00012
  Disease Model Characterization and Development of Assays to Evaluate and Measure Pain in a Porcine Model for Sickle Cell Disease
  (Subcontract)
  10/1/19  6/30/22
  
  
• CCXDP
  TAF1, T-Type channels, and X-linked Dystonia Parkinsonism, Collaborative Center for X-linked Dystonia Parkinsonism
  1/1/22  6/30/23
  
  
• GEMM Award
  A NaV1.7 Mouse Lacking the CRMP2-binding Domain: Examining Specificity of NaV1.7-CRMP2 Coupling and Testing If Pain Resolution Requires Endogenous Opioid Signaling
  7/1/20  6/30/21
  
  
• UA Venture Captial
  Optimization of Allosteric Regulators of the NaV1.7 Sodium Channel for Chemotherapy-induced Peripheral Neuropathy
  7/1/21  6/30/23
  
  
• TLA Asset Development Award
  Blocking NRP-1 for the Treatment of Pain, Cancer and Prevention of Viral Entry
  5/1/21  4/30/23
  
  
• Cariplo foundation (Italy)
  The Crucial Role of HCN2 Channels in Inflammatory and Neuropathic Pain
  1/1/21  12/30/23
  

Representative Publications

Complete listing available on the NYU Health Sciences Library site.