Barbara Karten

Barbara Karten is a Professor and Department Head of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Dalhousie University’s Faculty of Medicine. She holds a PhD from Karl-Franzens University Graz. Her research focuses on cholesterol metabolism in the brain, particularly in neurodegenerative diseases like Niemann-Pick Type C (NPC) disease. Key areas include mitochondrial cholesterol import, synaptic dysfunction in NPC1 deficiency, and lipid trafficking mechanisms.

Education:

• PhD, Karl-Franzens University Graz

Research Interests:

• Cholesterol homeostasis in neurons and glial cells
• Role of mitochondrial cholesterol in neurodegeneration
• Mechanisms of NPC1 protein in endosomal-lysosomal pathways
• Impact of cholesterol imbalances on synaptic function

Her lab investigates how cholesterol distribution defects contribute to neuronal energy deficits and synaptic failure in NPC disease.

Awards: None explicitly listed in the text.

Advising & Grants: Current students include Jena Barter (MSc), Stanley Ibeh (PhD), and Emma Williams (Honours). Funding sources are not detailed here, but research aligns with NIH/CIHR priorities in neurodegenerative disease.

Labs/Teams: Her lab is part of Dalhousie’s Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, collaborating with groups in the Faculty of Medicine. A lab website is available for further details.