Research

Alexei Verkhratsky is an internationally recognised scholar in the field of cellular neurophysiology. His research is concentrated on the mechanisms of inter- and intracellular signalling in the CNS, being especially focused on two main types of neural cells, on neurones and neuroglia. He made important contributions to understanding the chemical and electrical transmission in reciprocal neuronal-glial communications and on the role of intracellular Ca²⁺ signals in the integrative processes in the nervous system. Many of A. Verkhratsky’s studies are dedicated to investigations of cellular mechanisms of neurodegeneration. A. Verkhratsky was the first to perform intracellular Ca²⁺ recordings in old neurones in isolation and in situ, which provided direct experimental support for “Ca²⁺ hypothesis of neuronal ageing”. In recent years he studies the glial pathology in Alzheimer disease. He authored a pioneering hypothesis of astroglial atrophy as a mechanism of neurodegeneration.

Career

• Since 2002 Professor of Neurophysiology at the Faculty of Life Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
• 2002-2004 Chairman of the Division of Neuroscience at the School of Biological Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
• 2001-2002 Reader in Neurophysiology at the School of Biological Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
• 1999-2001 Senior Lecturer at the School of Biological Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
• 1995-1999 Senior Research Scientist at the Department of Cellular Neuroscience in the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin
• 1993-1995 Head of the Research Group of Cellular Neuroscience, Bogomoletz Institute of Physiology, Kiev
• 1993-1993 Guest scientist at the Department of Cellular Neuroscience of the Max Delbrück Center of Molecular Medicine, Berlin
• 1992-1995 Deputy director of the International Center of Molecular Physiology of the Ukrainian Academy of Sciences
• 1992 Guest scientist at the Research Group of Cellular Neurophysiology, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Göttingen
• 1990-1993 Senior Research Scientist at the Department of General Physiology of the Nervous System, Bogomoletz Institute of Physiology
• 1989-1990 Research Scientist in the Institute of Neurobiology, Heidelberg University
• 1986-1989 Junior Research Scientist at the Department of General Physiology of the Nervous System, Bogomoletz Institute of Physiology, Kiev

Functions

• Since 2012 Member of membership committee of the American Society for Neuroscience, ASN
• Since 2007 Member of Council of the Federation of European Physiological Societies, FEPS
• 2006-2013 Chairman of the Physiology and Medicine Section of the  Academia Europaea; Member of the Council
• 2002-2006 Member of Council of The Physiological Society, UK
• 1994-2006 Member of International Committee of The Physiological Society, UK

Projects

• Since 2012 Adjunct director of Achucarro Basque Centre for Neuroscience
• 2011-2013 Visiting Honorary Professor at Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
• 2007-2010 Visiting Professor; Head of the Department of Molecular Neurophysiology, Institute of Experimental Medicine, ACSR, Prague, Czech Republic

Honours and Memberships

• 2013 Fellow of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS)
• 2013 Recipient of Dozor Visiting Scholar award, Ben Gurion University, Beer Sheva, Israel
• 2012 Elected member of Real Academia Nacional de Farmacia, Spain
• 2012 Research Award of German Purine Club
• 2012 Elected member of European Dana Alliance for the Brain
• 2003 Elected Member of Academia Europaea