Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology Training Program
University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health

Akhil Bhalla, PhD

Position title: Principal Scientist, Denali Therapeutics, San Francisco Bay Area

Email: akhilbhalla@gmail.com

Phone: Advisor: Dr. Edwin Chapman

Address:
Graduation: 01/2006
Research Interest: Alzheimers disease and Parkinson’s disease

Akhil Bhalla

Alumni News

  • An experienced scientist, trained in pharmacology and neuroscience, interested in pursuing a career in the biopharmaceutical industry.
  • Previously a post-doctoral research assistant at Columbia University’s Taub Institute in New York, NY.
  • Skills: Cell, protein expression, confocal microscopy, in vitro, protein chemistry
  • Specialties: Cell-based assay development, Live-cell imaging in primary hippocampal neurons, lentiviral production and transduction, confocal microscopy, protein expression and purification

Publications

  • Bhalla A, Vetanovetz CP, Morel E, Chamoun Z, Di Paolo G, and Small SA. (2012) The location and trafficking routes of the neuronal retromer and its role in amyloid precursor protein transport.Neurobiol Dis. 47:126-134. Epub 2012 Apr 6. PMCID: PMC 3589992
  • Abdulreda MH, Bhalla A, Rico F, Berggren PO, Chapman ER, and Moy VT. (2009) Pulling force generated by interacting SNAREs facilitates membrane hemifusion. Integr Biol (Camb). 1:301-310. Epub 2009 Feb 26. PMID: 20023730
  • Zhang Z, Bhalla A, Dean C, Chapman ER, and Jackson MB. (2009) Synaptotagmin IV: a multifunctional regulator of peptidergic nerve terminals. Nat Neurosci.12:163-171. Epub 2009 Jan 11.PMID: 19136969
  • Bhalla A, Chicka MC, and Chapman ER. (2008) Analysis of the synaptotagmin family during reconstituted membrane fusion. Uncovering a class of inhibitory isoforms. J Biol Chem. 283:21799-1807. PMCID: PMC 249072
  • Abdulreda MH, Bhalla A, Chapman ER, and Moy VT. (2007). AFM Spectroscopy reveals a hemifusion intermediate during snare-mediated membrane fusion. Biophys J. PDF PMID: 17872963
  • Bhalla A, Chicka MC, Tucker WC and Chapman ER. (2006). Ca2+ synaptotagmin directly regulates t-SNARE function during reconstituted membrane fusion. Nature Struct Mol Biol. 13:323-330. PDF PMID 16565726
  • Wang P, Chicka MC, Bhalla A, Richards DA, and Chapman ER. (2005). Synaptotagmin VII is targeted to secretory organelles in PC12 cells, where it functions as a high-affinity calcium sensor.  Mol Cell Biol. 25:8693-8702. PMCID: PMC 1265754
  • Liu T, Tucker WC, Bhalla A, Chapman ER, and Weisshaar JC. (2005). SNARE-driven, 25-millisecond vesicle fusion in vitro.  Biophysical J. 89:2458-2472. PMCID: PMC 1366745
  • Bhalla A, Tucker W, and Chapman ER. (2005). Synaptotagmin isoforms couple distinct ranges of Ca2+, Ba2+ and Sr2+ concentration to SNARE-mediated membrane fusion. Mol Biol Cell. 16:4755-4764. PMCID: PMC 1237081
  • Madziva MT, Bai J, Bhalla AE, Chapman ER, and Edwardson JM. (2005).  Effects of synaptotagmin reveal two distinct mechanisms of agonist-stimulated internalization of the M4 muscarinic acetylcholine receptor. Br J Pharmacol. 144:761-771. PMCID: PMC 1576056