Kajana Satkunendrarajah, PhD
Associate Professor, Department of Neurosurgery; Physiology
Locations
- Neurosurgery
8701 Watertown Plank Rd.
Milwaukee, WI 53226
Contact Information
Education
PhD, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, 2008
Sc, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, 1999
Biography
Dr. Kajana Satkunendrarajah is an associate professor of neurosurgery and physiology and a member of MCW’s Neuroscience Research Center. She received her PhD from The School of Medicine at Wayne State University and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Krembil Research Institute in Toronto, Canada.
Rhythmic motor behaviors such as breathing and locomotion are controlled by highly complex neural systems and allow an organism to sustain life and interact with the surroundings. These behaviors are generated and regulated by a specific network of neurons within the CNS. These networks are often disrupted following injury to the central nervous system, threatening the individual’s survival and quality of life.
Dr. Satkunendrarajah’s research program is focused on elucidating the anatomy, function, and plasticity of neural networks controlling motor behavior in health and disease. Her research on motor control and spinal cord injury combines fundamental neuroscience, respiratory, and locomotor physiology, as well as preclinical neural circuit manipulation using cutting-edge viral techniques, optogenetics, and pharmacogenetics in transgenic mice. The overall aim of her research program is to further understand the neural control of motor behavior and to use this knowledge to develop new therapies that enhance motor recovery after spinal cord and brain injury. Ultimately, translation of these approaches to patients with spinal cord and brain injury is the primary goal.
Honors and Awards
2009 - Postdoctoral Fellowship Award in Spinal Cord Injury Research, Ontario Neurotrauma Foundation.
2017 - Young Investigator Award, AOSpine North America
2017 - Young Investigator Award, AOSpine North America
Research Areas of Interest
- Cervical Cord
- Diaphragm
- Electrophysiology
- Forelimb
- Interneurons
- Neuroanatomy
- Neuroprotective Agents
- Optogenetics
- Phrenic Nerve
- Recovery of Function
- Respiration
- Spinal Cord
Research Experience
- Cervical Cord
- Electrophysiology
- Forelimb
- Gait Disorders, Neurologic
- Locomotion
- Mice
- Mice, Transgenic
- Motor Activity
- Neuroanatomy
- Neuronal Plasticity
- Optogenetics
- Respiration
Methodologies and Techniques
- Disease Models, Animal
- Electrophysiology
- Evoked Potentials, Motor
- Plethysmography, Whole Body
- Recovery of Function
Educational Expertise
- Disease Models, Animal
- Electrophysiology
- Evoked Potentials, Motor
- Immunohistochemistry
- Neuroprotective Agents
- Recovery of Function
- Spinal Cord
- Spinal Cord Compression
Research Interests
Publications
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Viral tools for mapping and modulating neural networks after spinal cord injury.
(Schrank S, Satkunendrarajah K.) Exp Neurol. 2022 May;351:113995 PMID: 35123955 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-85124103217 02/07/2022
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Spinal cord injury and degenerative cervical myelopathy.
(Satkunendrarajah K, Karadimas SK, Fehlings MG.) Handb Clin Neurol. 2022;189:241-257 PMID: 36031307 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-85136594983 08/29/2022
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Spinal Interneurons as Gatekeepers to Neuroplasticity after Injury or Disease.
(Zholudeva LV, Abraira VE, Satkunendrarajah K, McDevitt TC, Goulding MD, Magnuson DSK, Lane MA.) J Neurosci. 2021 Feb 03;41(5):845-854 PMID: 33472820 PMCID: PMC7880285 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-85101994444 01/22/2021
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(Laliberte AM, Karadimas SK, Vidal PM, Satkunendrarajah K, Fehlings MG.) Brain Commun. 2021;3(1):fcaa234 PMID: 33604572 PMCID: PMC7878254 02/20/2021
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Bilateral cervical contusion spinal cord injury: A mouse model to evaluate sensorimotor function.
(Reinhardt DR, Stehlik KE, Satkunendrarajah K, Kroner A.) Exp Neurol. 2020 Sep;331:113381 PMID: 32561411 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-85086575731 06/21/2020
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Sensory cortical control of movement.
(Karadimas SK, Satkunendrarajah K, Laliberte AM, Ringuette D, Weisspapir I, Li L, Gosgnach S, Fehlings MG.) Nat Neurosci. 2020 Jan;23(1):75-84 PMID: 31740813 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-85075146992 11/20/2019
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Cervical excitatory neurons sustain breathing after spinal cord injury.
(Satkunendrarajah K, Karadimas SK, Laliberte AM, Montandon G, Fehlings MG.) Nature. 2018 Oct;562(7727):419-422 PMID: 30305735 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-85055018424 10/12/2018
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(Wilcox JT, Satkunendrarajah K, Nasirzadeh Y, Laliberte AM, Lip A, Cadotte DW, Foltz WD, Fehlings MG.) Neurobiol Dis. 2017 Sep;105:194-212 PMID: 28578003 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-85020764778 06/05/2017
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(Suzuki H, Ahuja CS, Salewski RP, Li L, Satkunendrarajah K, Nagoshi N, Shibata S, Fehlings MG.) PLoS One. 2017;12(8):e0182339 PMID: 28771534 PMCID: PMC5542671 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-85026755609 08/05/2017
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A New Acute Impact-Compression Lumbar Spinal Cord Injury Model in the Rodent.
(Moonen G, Satkunendrarajah K, Wilcox JT, Badner A, Mothe A, Foltz W, Fehlings MG, Tator CH.) J Neurotrauma. 2016 Feb 01;33(3):278-89 PMID: 26414192 PMCID: PMC4744888 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-84957714901 09/29/2015
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(Satkunendrarajah K, Nassiri F, Karadimas SK, Lip A, Yao G, Fehlings MG.) Exp Neurol. 2016 Feb;276:59-71 PMID: 26394202 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-84954402665 09/24/2015
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(Wilcox JT, Satkunendrarajah K, Zuccato JA, Nassiri F, Fehlings MG.) Stem Cells Transl Med. 2014 Oct;3(10):1148-59 PMID: 25107585 PMCID: PMC4181397 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-84908040537 08/12/2014