Alex Shcheglovitov

Alex Shcheglovitov is an Associate Professor of Neurobiology at the University of Utah, where he leads the Shcheglovitov Lab in the Department of Neurobiology & Anatomy. His research focuses on understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying human neurodevelopmental disorders using stem cell-derived neurons and organoids. He is also affiliated with the Departments of Biomedical Engineering, Psychiatry, and Huntsman Cancer Institute, and serves as Faculty Director of the Clinical and Translational Research Core at the Utah Clinical and Translational Science Institute.

Dr. Shcheglovitov's educational background includes:

• Bachelor's degree in Applied Physics from National Technical University of Ukraine "Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute"
• Master's degree in Biophysics from National Technical University of Ukraine "Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute"
• Ph.D. in Biophysics from Bogomoletz Institute of Physiology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine
• Postdoctoral training at University of Virginia with Dr. Ed Perez-Reyes
• Postdoctoral training at Stanford University with Dr. Ricardo Dolmetsch

Dr. Shcheglovitov's research primarily investigates the cellular and molecular basis of neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism, intellectual disability, and epilepsy. His lab has pioneered techniques for generating cortical organoids from single neural rosettes to study human-specific aspects of cortical development. The lab focuses on three main projects: developing single-rosette derived cortical organoids, studying mechanisms disrupted in 22q13 deletion syndrome and autism, and investigating epilepsy mechanisms in neurodevelopmental disorders. His work has demonstrated that SHANK3-deficient neurons from 22q13 deletion syndrome patients exhibit impaired synaptic transmission that can be restored by IGF1 treatment.

Analysis of Dr. Shcheglovitov's publication history reveals a clear progression from fundamental calcium channel physiology to sophisticated human stem cell models of neurodevelopmental disorders. His recent work heavily focuses on brain organoid technology, particularly the development of single-rosette derived cortical organoids (SRCOs), which has become a signature technique of his lab. The research spans multiple disciplines including neuroscience, genetics, stem cell biology, and molecular medicine, with a consistent focus on translating basic discoveries into potential therapeutic approaches for neurodevelopmental conditions.

Dr. Shcheglovitov's scientific contributions have been recognized through funding from multiple prestigious sources:

• National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
• National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
• Whitehall Foundation
• NARSAD (Brain & Behavior Research Foundation)
• Brain Research Foundation
• Utah Neuroscience Initiative

Dr. Shcheglovitov actively mentors a diverse team of researchers including postdoctoral fellows, graduate students, undergraduate students, and high school researchers. His lab emphasizes diversity, equity, and inclusion, believing these values enhance scientific innovation. Current lab members include postdoctoral researchers with expertise in biochemistry and cell biology, neuroscience and molecular biology graduate students, and undergraduate researchers working on various aspects of neurodevelopmental disorder modeling. Many former lab members have gone on to successful careers in academia, industry, and medicine.

The Shcheglovitov Lab is at the forefront of developing and applying human stem cell-derived models to study cortical development and neurodevelopmental disorders. Their innovative approach using single neural rosette-derived cortical organoids allows for unprecedented investigation of human-specific brain development. The lab maintains active collaborations across multiple departments and is committed to translating basic research findings into potential therapeutic approaches for currently incurable neurological conditions.