Fields of Research
Neuropsychiatric disorders and behavior
Ion channels
Neurogenetics
Research Summary
Deciphering the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying neuropsychiatric disorders including autism spectrum disorders.
Research Statement
The objective of my work is to elucidate why specific targets in the voltage-gated sodium (Nav) channels are so frequently targeted in autism spectrum disorders and whether there is a direct association between them and the severity of autistic phenotype in patients. Since Nav channels are “druggable” targets, my work may also contribute to the development of therapies to treat Nav channels-related autism spectrum disorders.
Awards and Honors
*Travel grant to attend the International Behavioral Neuroscience Society (IBNS) Virtual meeting, 2021
*Travel grant from IBRO/PERC to attend Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS) Virtual Forum, 2020
*Travel grant from Bio-Techne to attend Society for Neuroscience (SFN) Annual Meeting, 2019
*Travel and accommodation grant from HBIGS to attend the “Advanced neurophysiology and behavior” workshop, 2019
*Travel and accommodation grant through the Graduate Academy and the Excellence Initiative of Heidelberg University to attend the American Society of Human Genetic (ASHG) Annual Meeting, 2018 *Travel and accommodation grant to attend The Onassis Foundation Science Lecture Series, 2018
*Nancy Lurie Marks Family Foundation stipend to attend Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory workshop on Autism Spectrum Disorders, USA, 2017
*HBIGS PhD fellowship from 2015 to 2017
*Accommodation grant to attend Ganja International Youth Forum, 2016
*Travel and accommodation award to attend Baku World Forum of Young Scientists, 2014
Ahmed
Postdoctoral Fellow
Affiliations
2021- current: Postdoctoral Fellow at Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington
2019-2020: Postdoctoral Fellow at Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, Tübingen University, Germany
2014-2019: PhD at Max Planck Institute for Medical Research/Department of Human Genetics, Heidelberg University, Germany
2012-2014: Master of Neuroscience, Bonn University, Germany
2006-2011: Bachelor degree in Pharmaceutical Science, Ain Shams University, Egypt
Ahmed
Postdoctoral Fellow
Affiliations
2021- current: Postdoctoral Fellow at Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington
2019-2020: Postdoctoral Fellow at Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, Tübingen University, Germany
2014-2019: PhD at Max Planck Institute for Medical Research/Department of Human Genetics, Heidelberg University, Germany
2012-2014: Master of Neuroscience, Bonn University, Germany
2006-2011: Bachelor degree in Pharmaceutical Science, Ain Shams University, Egypt
Contact Information
- Building:
- Health Sciences Building
- Room:
- F428
- Box:
- Box 357280
Lab
- Building:
- Health Sciences Building
- Room:
- F428
- Box:
- Box 357280
Ahmed
Postdoctoral Fellow
Affiliations
2021- current: Postdoctoral Fellow at Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington
2019-2020: Postdoctoral Fellow at Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, Tübingen University, Germany
2014-2019: PhD at Max Planck Institute for Medical Research/Department of Human Genetics, Heidelberg University, Germany
2012-2014: Master of Neuroscience, Bonn University, Germany
2006-2011: Bachelor degree in Pharmaceutical Science, Ain Shams University, Egypt
Ahmed
Postdoctoral Fellow
Affiliations
2021- current: Postdoctoral Fellow at Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington
2019-2020: Postdoctoral Fellow at Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, Tübingen University, Germany
2014-2019: PhD at Max Planck Institute for Medical Research/Department of Human Genetics, Heidelberg University, Germany
2012-2014: Master of Neuroscience, Bonn University, Germany
2006-2011: Bachelor degree in Pharmaceutical Science, Ain Shams University, Egypt
Ahmed
Postdoctoral Fellow
Affiliations
2021- current: Postdoctoral Fellow at Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington
2019-2020: Postdoctoral Fellow at Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, Tübingen University, Germany
2014-2019: PhD at Max Planck Institute for Medical Research/Department of Human Genetics, Heidelberg University, Germany
2012-2014: Master of Neuroscience, Bonn University, Germany
2006-2011: Bachelor degree in Pharmaceutical Science, Ain Shams University, Egypt
Select Publications
Eltokhi, A., Gonzalez-Lozano, M.A., Oettl, L.-L., Rozov, A., Pitzer, C., Röth, R., Berkel, S., Hüser, M., Harten, A., Kelsch, W., Smit, A.B., Rappold, G.A., and Sprengel, R. Imbalanced post- and extrasynaptic SHANK2A functions during development affect social behavior in SHANK2-mediated neuropsychiatric disorders. Mol Psychiatry, doi: 10.1038/s41380-021-01140-y (2021).
Eltokhi A, Kurpiers B, Pitzer C. Comprehensive characterization of motor and coordination functions in three adolescent wild-type mouse strains. Sci Rep.11,1, doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-85858-3 (2021).
Eltokhi, A., Kurpiers, B., Pitzer, C. Behavioral tests assessing neuropsychiatric phenotypes in adolescent mice reveal strain- and sex-specific effects. Sci Rep 10, 11263, doi:10.1038/s41598-020-67758-0 (2020).
Peleh, T*., Eltokhi, A.*., Pitzer, C. Longitudinal analysis of ultrasonic vocalizations in mice from infancy to adolescence: Insights into the vocal repertoire of three wild-type strains in two different social contexts. PloS one 14, e0220238, doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0220238 (2019).
Berkel, S.*, Eltokhi, A.*, Fröhlich, H., Porras-Gonzalez, D., Rafiullah, R., Sprengel, R., Rappold, G. Sex Hormones Regulate SHANK Expression. Frontiers in Molecular Neuroscience 11(337). doi: 10.3389/fnmol. 2018.00337 (2018).
Publications
Ahmed
Postdoctoral Fellow
Affiliations
2021- current: Postdoctoral Fellow at Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington
2019-2020: Postdoctoral Fellow at Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, Tübingen University, Germany
2014-2019: PhD at Max Planck Institute for Medical Research/Department of Human Genetics, Heidelberg University, Germany
2012-2014: Master of Neuroscience, Bonn University, Germany
2006-2011: Bachelor degree in Pharmaceutical Science, Ain Shams University, Egypt