Shahzad S. Khan

Shahzad S. Khan is an Assistant Professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, affiliated with the Departments of Neurology and Cell Biology and Physiology. His research focuses on the molecular basis of neurodegeneration, aging mechanisms, and signal transduction in neurological diseases.

• Education: PhD in Neuroscience (2018) from The University of Virginia; Postdoctoral Scholar (2018-2023) at Stanford University; B.Sc. in Chemical Sciences (2011) from Florida State University

His work combines mouse models, neural cultures, human brain samples, and advanced techniques like single-cell transcriptomics and proteomics to study Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. Recent publications highlight LRRK2 kinase activity in cilia dynamics, tau signaling in Alzheimer’s, and hedgehog pathway disruptions in neurodegeneration.

Key awards include the Rising Star Award (UNC, 2022), Stanford PRISM Fellowship (2017), and NIH predoctoral support (2016-2017). He leads the Khan Lab at UNC Neuroscience Research Building, investigating therapeutic targets for age-related neurodegenerative diseases.