Derek Narendra

Derek Narendra, M.D., Ph.D. serves as a Senior Investigator and Chief of the Inherited Movement Disorders Unit within the Neurogenetics Branch of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) at the National Institutes of Health. He received his MD from the University of Michigan and PhD from Cambridge University, completed neurology residency at Harvard Medical School, and a movement disorders fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania.

Dr. Narendra's research focuses on mitochondrial quality control mechanisms in neurodegenerative disorders, particularly investigating the PINK1-Parkin mitophagy pathway and CHCHD2/CHCHD10 mutations. His work examines how damaged mitochondria accumulate in neurons and muscle cells, leading to Parkinson's disease and related disorders. His laboratory employs both cellular and animal models to understand fundamental mitochondrial stress responses.

His recent publications demonstrate strong productivity in top journals including Nature Cell Biology, Journal of Clinical Investigation, Brain, and Autophagy, with research spanning mitochondrial biology, neurogenetics, and movement disorders. His work shows particular emphasis on OMA1-mediated stress responses, genetic risk factors in Parkinson's disease, and innovative imaging techniques for studying organelle dynamics.

Dr. Narendra has received notable recognition including the Lasker Clinical Research Scholarship and the Grass Foundation - American Neurological Association award in Neuroscience.

• Lasker Clinical Research Scholarship
• Grass Foundation - American Neurological Association award in Neuroscience

His laboratory maintains active collaborations with researchers at Oxford University, University of Pittsburgh, and the National Institute on Aging. The lab currently includes multiple PhD students, postdoctoral fellows, and clinical researchers investigating the molecular mechanisms of neurodegenerative disorders.

Dr. Narendra leads the Inherited Movement Disorders Unit, which investigates monogenic forms of Parkinson's disease and related disorders to uncover fundamental mechanisms of neurodegeneration that may inform therapeutic approaches for broader patient populations.