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Kajana Satkunendrarajah PhD

Kajana Satkunendrarajah PhD profile photo picture

Associate Professor

Institution: Medical College of Wisconsin
Department: Neurosurgery
Division: Research
Program: Clinical Research

Member of the Neuroscience Research Center
Member of the Wisconsin Institute of NeuroScience (WINS)

View Curriculum Vitae

Research Areas of Interest

  • Cervical Cord
  • Diaphragm
  • Electrophysiology
  • Forelimb
  • Interneurons
  • Neuroanatomy
  • Neuroprotective Agents
  • Optogenetics
  • Phrenic Nerve
  • Recovery of Function
  • Respiration
  • Spinal Cord
  • Spinal Cord Compression
  • Spondylosis

    • Research Experience

  • Cervical Cord
  • Electrophysiology
  • Forelimb
  • Gait Disorders, Neurologic
  • Locomotion
  • Mice
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Motor Activity
  • Neuroanatomy
  • Neuronal Plasticity
  • Optogenetics
  • Respiration
  • Sensorimotor Cortex
  • Spinal Cord Compression
  • Spinal Cord Injuries

    • 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

    • Publications (27)

  • 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       2 Citations
  • 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    
  • Mir21 modulates inflammation and sensorimotor deficits in cervical myelopathy: data from humans and animal models. (Laliberte AM, Karadimas SK, Vidal PM, Satkunendrarajah K, Fehlings MG) Brain Commun 2021;3(1):fcaa234 PMID: 33604572 PMCID: PMC7878254 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-85112157010 02/20/2021       26 Citations
  • 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       32 Citations
  • 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       12 Citations
  • 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       38 Citations
  • 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       50 Citations
  • Neural stem cell mediated recovery is enhanced by Chondroitinase ABC pretreatment in chronic cervical spinal cord injury. (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       76 Citations
  • Generating level-dependent models of cervical and thoracic spinal cord injury: Exploring the interplay of neuroanatomy, physiology, and function. (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       28 Citations
  • 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       30 Citations
  • Riluzole promotes motor and respiratory recovery associated with enhanced neuronal survival and function following high cervical spinal hemisection. (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       35 Citations
  • Neural precursor cell transplantation enhances functional recovery and reduces astrogliosis in bilateral compressive/contusive cervical spinal cord injury. (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       43 Citations
  • Bilateral contusion-compression model of incomplete traumatic cervical spinal cord injury. (Forgione N, Karadimas SK, Foltz WD, Satkunendrarajah K, Lip A, Fehlings MG) J Neurotrauma 2014 Nov 01;31(21):1776-88 PMID: 24949719 PMCID: PMC4186801 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-84912114112 06/21/2014       37 Citations
  • Delayed administration of a bio-engineered zinc-finger VEGF-A gene therapy is neuroprotective and attenuates allodynia following traumatic spinal cord injury. (Figley SA, Liu Y, Karadimas SK, Satkunendrarajah K, Fettes P, Spratt SK, Lee G, Ando D, Surosky R, Giedlin M, Fehlings MG) PLoS One 2014;9(5):e96137 PMID: 24846143 PMCID: PMC4028194 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-84901372372 05/23/2014       29 Citations
  • Riluzole improves outcome following ischemia-reperfusion injury to the spinal cord by preventing delayed paraplegia. (Wu Y, Satkunendrarajah K, Fehlings MG) Neuroscience 2014 Apr 18;265:302-12 PMID: 24508749 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-84894657597 02/11/2014       40 Citations
  • The role of neural precursor cells and self assembling peptides in nerve regeneration. (Zhao X, Yao GS, Liu Y, Wang J, Satkunendrarajah K, Fehlings M) J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2013 Dec 19;42(1):60 PMID: 24351041 PMCID: PMC3878249 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-84896987191 12/20/2013       8 Citations
  • Do omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids ameliorate spinal cord injury?: Commentary on: Lim et al., Improved outcome after spinal cord compression injury in mice treated with docosahexaeonic acid. Exp. Neurol. Jan; 239:13-27. (Satkunendrarajah K, Fehlings MG) Exp Neurol 2013 Nov;249:104-10 PMID: 23994716 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-84884278859 09/03/2013       10 Citations
  • A self-assembling peptide reduces glial scarring, attenuates post-traumatic inflammation and promotes neurological recovery following spinal cord injury. (Liu Y, Ye H, Satkunendrarajah K, Yao GS, Bayon Y, Fehlings MG) Acta Biomater 2013 Sep;9(9):8075-88 PMID: 23770224 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-84880916642 06/19/2013       92 Citations
  • Delayed post-injury administration of riluzole is neuroprotective in a preclinical rodent model of cervical spinal cord injury. (Wu Y, Satkunendrarajah K, Teng Y, Chow DS, Buttigieg J, Fehlings MG) J Neurotrauma 2013 Mar 15;30(6):441-52 PMID: 23517137 PMCID: PMC3696918 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-84876270838 03/23/2013       76 Citations
  • A novel experimental model of cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) to facilitate translational research. (Karadimas SK, Moon ES, Yu WR, Satkunendrarajah K, Kallitsis JK, Gatzounis G, Fehlings MG) Neurobiol Dis 2013 Jun;54:43-58 PMID: 23466695 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-84875333402 03/08/2013       108 Citations
  • Immunoglobulin G (IgG) attenuates neuroinflammation and improves neurobehavioral recovery after cervical spinal cord injury. (Nguyen DH, Cho N, Satkunendrarajah K, Austin JW, Wang J, Fehlings MG) J Neuroinflammation 2012 Sep 21;9:224 PMID: 22998664 PMCID: PMC3503837 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-84866478622 09/25/2012       57 Citations
  • Evaluating the role of IL-11, a novel cytokine in the IL-6 family, in a mouse model of spinal cord injury. (Cho N, Nguyen DH, Satkunendrarajah K, Branch DR, Fehlings MG) J Neuroinflammation 2012 Jun 20;9:134 PMID: 22715999 PMCID: PMC3410772 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-84862311781 06/22/2012       26 Citations
  • The effects of intrathecal injection of a hyaluronan-based hydrogel on inflammation, scarring and neurobehavioural outcomes in a rat model of severe spinal cord injury associated with arachnoiditis. (Austin JW, Kang CE, Baumann MD, DiDiodato L, Satkunendrarajah K, Wilson JR, Stanisz GJ, Shoichet MS, Fehlings MG) Biomaterials 2012 Jun;33(18):4555-64 PMID: 22459192 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-84862819061 03/31/2012       84 Citations
  • Development and characterization of a novel rat model of cervical spondylotic myelopathy: the impact of chronic cord compression on clinical, neuroanatomical, and neurophysiological outcomes. (Lee J, Satkunendrarajah K, Fehlings MG) J Neurotrauma 2012 Mar 20;29(5):1012-27 PMID: 21561323 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-84863369604 05/13/2011       41 Citations
  • Systemic administration of rolipram increases medullary and spinal cAMP and activates a latent respiratory motor pathway after high cervical spinal cord injury. (Kajana S, Goshgarian HG) J Spinal Cord Med 2009;32(2):175-82 PMID: 19569465 PMCID: PMC2678289 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-66449106384 07/03/2009       26 Citations
  • Spinal activation of the cAMP-PKA pathway induces respiratory motor recovery following high cervical spinal cord injury. (Kajana S, Goshgarian HG) Brain Res 2008 Sep 26;1232:206-13 PMID: 18656458 PMCID: PMC2573999 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-51049089530 07/29/2008       20 Citations
  • Administration of phosphodiesterase inhibitors and an adenosine A1 receptor antagonist induces phrenic nerve recovery in high cervical spinal cord injured rats. (Kajana S, Goshgarian HG) Exp Neurol 2008 Apr;210(2):671-80 PMID: 18289533 PMCID: PMC2377457 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-41149094934 02/22/2008       40 Citations
    • Last update: 01/25/2024