MEMBERS

Norman Haughey

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

2003 – 2009: Assistant Professor, Dept. of NeurologyThe Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD

2009 – 2014: Associate Professor, Dept. of Neurology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD

2011 – present: Joint Appointment, Dept. of Psychiatry, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD

2014-present: Professor, Dept. of Neurology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD.
Joint Appointment, Dept. of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD

2015 – present: Vice Chair of Research, Dept. of Neurology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD.

EDUCATION

1992 B.A. (honors), Psychology, University of Winnipeg

1998 Ph.D, Pharmacology, University of Manitoba

1999-2000 Postdoctoral Fellow, Center on Aging, University of Kentucky

2000-2002 Visiting Fellow, Laboratory of Neurosciences, Gerontology Research Center, National Institute on Aging, NIH

Pragney Deme, PhD. Assistant Professor

I hold a Ph.D. in Chemistry with a specialization in analytical mass spectrometry and have completed postdoctoral research fellowships at the University of Central Florida and the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (JHUSOM). With over 13 years of research experience, my expertise encompasses chromatographic methods, mass spectrometry, biochemistry, and bioinformatics. These skills have been applied to diverse fields, including drug discovery and the identification of biomarkers for diseases such as neurodegenerative disorders, cancers, and cardiovascular conditions. In January 2025, I joined the Department of Physiology at Tulane University as an Assistant Professor. My research focuses on identifying diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for neurological complications, including Alzheimer’s disease, peripheral neuropathies, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Cardiometabolic diseases, viral infections and cancers. To achieve this, I employ advanced bioanalytical mass spectrometry techniques and cutting-edge bioinformatics tools, such as artificial intelligence and interaction network inference from multiomics data. Throughout my career, I have contributed significantly to the study of complex biological systems by integrating multiple disciplines to uncover disease mechanisms and explore potential therapeutic interventions. My work emphasizes interdisciplinary collaboration and innovation, driving impactful advancements in medical research and diagnostics with a particular focus on neurological disorders.

Md Habibur Rahman, PhD. Postdoctoral Fellow

Dr. Rahman is a neuroscientist whose research focuses on uncovering the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying drug abuse and Alzheimer’s disease, with the goal of identifying new therapeutic targets. Prior to joining the Haughey Lab, Dr. Rahman completed his M.S. and Ph.D. in Biomedical Science at Kyungpook National University, South Korea. His graduate research focused on the interplay between metabolism and immunology and their impact on neurobiology and metabolic disorders. He investigated how the mitochondrial enzyme pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase (PDK) drives metabolic changes in the dorsal root ganglion, contributing to painful diabetic neuropathy. Additionally, he studied PDK’s role in metabolic reprogramming and inflammatory activation of astrocytes in the CNS, linking it to inflammation and complications associated with diabetes and obesity. During his graduate training he also gained experience in rodent brain stereotaxic operations, analysis of mitochondrial dynamics, metabolite analytics, seahorse analysis, flow cytometry, electrophysiology, and microscopy. During his training with Dr. Haughey, he gained expertise in breeding and managing genetically modified mouse models, establishing multistage drug self-administration mouse model, performing neurobehavioral assessments, and culturing primary neural cells. He is also skilled in isolating and characterizing extracellular vesicles from plasma, tissues, and cells, as well as performing gene and protein analyses and microscopy techniques.

Jaehong Kim, PhD. Postdoctoral Fellow

Dr. Jaehong Kim is a neuroscientist specializing in the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying neuroinflammation and cognitive dysfunction in brain injury and neurodegenerative diseases. His research has demonstrated that glial cell-derived molecules play key pathogenic roles by promoting neuroinflammation and impairing synaptic function. Additionally, he has uncovered novel glia-neuron interactions in sleep regulation, showing that glial cell-derived ATP promotes sleep via adenosine signaling. His work has also revealed that prolonged activation of glial cells induces a reactive glial cells phenotype and contributes to cognitive impairments. He employs chemogenetic and optogenetic strategies to modulate the activity of neuroglial cells, aiming to advance cell-specific therapeutic approaches and mechanistic understanding for neurological diseases.

Abdul Hasan, PhD. Postdoctoral Fellow

Dr. Abdul Hasan is a postdoctoral fellow in the Haughey lab at the Tulane University School of Medicine. Before joining Tulane, he was awarded a Ph.D. in Life Science from International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), India and M.Sc. in Biotechnology from Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), India. His research focuses on understanding host-virus interactions and innate immune response mechanisms aimed at developing antiviral strategies. His expertise includes working with different viruses like Chikungunya, Dengue, SARS-CoV and Influenza A virus to study virus pathogenesis by utilizing a wide range of molecular and cellular techniques. He has experience in culture and maintenance of a variety of cell lines, isolation of primary cells, 3D spheroid formation. Additionally, trained in in vivo techniques including mouse handling, breeding, infection and dissection. With extensive experience in molecular biology, innate-immunology and virology, his current research focuses on understanding HIV pathogenesis and its effect on neurological complications.

Lorenzo H. Donald, MD/PhD Student

Lorenzo studied at the University of New Mexico in from 2016 to 2020, where outside of class he worked as an undergraduate research assistant on plant astrobiology and lizard phylogenetics.  After graduating cum laude with a B.s. in Biology and a B.s. in Biochemistry, he was accepted into a PostBaccalaureate program at the NIH’s National Institute on Aging. There, he worked in the Laboratory of Cardiovascular Science performing calcium imaging, electrophysiology, and immunohistochemistry experiments to investigate the brain-like structure and function of the heart’s sinoatrial node. In 2023 Lorenzo was one of two students accepted yearly into Tulane University’s combined MD/PhD program. His current research interests at the Haughey Lab involve the development of human brain organoids to model the pathophysiology of drug abuse and dementia.