Alexander Rabchevsky

Dr. Alexander "Sasha" Rabchevsky is a Professor of Physiology at the University of Kentucky and an inaugural member of the Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Center (SCoBIRC). He combines neurophysiology with mitochondrial biology to develop innovative therapies for spinal cord injury (SCI). His research focuses on autonomic pathophysiology and bioenergetic restoration through mitoceuticals and mitochondrial transplantation.

• B.S. in Biology from Hampden-Sydney College (1988)
• Ph.D. in Neuroscience from University of Florida (1995)
• Postdoctoral training at INSERM U421, University of Paris XII

Rabchevsky's research program investigates:

• Abnormal neural circuitry causing autonomic dysreflexia and muscle spasticity after SCI
• Mitochondrial dysfunction as a therapeutic target
• Mitoceutical interventions for preserving synaptic mitochondria
• Intraspinal mitochondria transplantation using hydrogel delivery systems

His recent publications highlight mitochondrial bioenergetics and neuroimmunological interactions in SCI. Key collaborators include Dr. Stephen W. Scheff and Dr. Peter G. Sullivan.

Scientific contributions include:

• Conquer Paralysis Awards for innovative SCI research
• 2018 Nature Metabolism nomenclature standard for mitochondrial transplantation

He leads the Physiology Lab at SCoBIRC, conducting 24/7 telemetric cardiophysiology monitoring and Nanopore sequencing of injury-induced gene expression changes.