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Biography
The research efforts in the Bhat lab focus on cellular and molecular mechanisms of neurodegeneration with a particular emphasis on neuroinflammation and cerebrovascular dysfunction - common to a number of degenerative diseases/conditions including Alzheimer’s (AD), multiple sclerosis (MS), Parkinson’s disease, stroke and brain injury. A specific area of current (NIH-funded) research is the potential link between metabolic disorders (i.e., diabetes, atherosclerosis, etc.) and Alzheimer-like cognitive impairment. Over the years, Dr. Bhat has worked on multiple NIH- and Foundation-funded grants as the PI, Co-I/MPI and PPG sub-project leader while also contributing to graduate and medical student education. He has been a member of the Center on Aging at MUSC since its inception and served as a member of the executive committee. He has served/serving on Editorial Boards of scientific journals including JAD, ARS, J. Neurochem. and J. Biol. Chem. and participate(d) in numerous grant review study sections including NIH, NSF, VA Merit review, ADDF, Alzheimer Association etc. as a regular and/or ad-hoc member.
Dr. Bhat received his Ph.D. (Biochemistry) from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore and postdoctoral training in Neurochemistry/neuroscience at Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia and Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. In 1984, he received the ‘New Investigator Award’ (equivalent to ‘First Award’) from NIH for a project on the regulation of myelination and moved to University of Kentucky, Lexington to take up a Junior faculty position where he was also associated with the Center on Aging. In 1991, he joined MUSC as an Associate Professor in the department of Neurology and was then promoted to Full Professor (Neuroscience) with tenure (2002).