Khalid A. Hanafy, M.D., Ph.D.

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Biography

I am a neurointensivist (a neurologist with critical care training) fascinated by neuroinflammation after stroke, both ischemic and hemorrhagic. Our lab focuses on the role of the tissue resident macrophage, or microglia, in the brain. These sentinel cells serve the dual role of surveying the brain environment and recruiting other leukocytes, or quiescing an inappropriate inflammatory response. Our work has demonstrated that the microglial Toll-like Receptor 4 (TLR4) receptor is involved in increasing inflammation after hemorrhagic stroke, while the microglial Heme-Oxygenase 1 (HO-1) enzyme is involved in decreasing this inflammation.

Currently, we are working on a way to modulate the inflammatory pathways after hemorrhagic stroke to decrease inflammation, and test these novel therapeutics in brain organoids.

Education

• 1996, BS (Honors) Bioengineering, UC Berkeley
• 1997, BS Chemical Engineering, UC Berkeley
• 2004, MD, University of Texas at Houston Health Science Center/MD Anderson Cancer Center Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP)
• 2004, PhD in Molecular Biology, with Dr. Ferid Murad (1998 Nobel Laureate), University of Texas at Houston Health Science Center/MD Anderson Cancer Center MSTP

Postdoctoral Training

• 6/2005: Intern, Medicine, University of Texas at Southwestern/Parkland Hospital
• 6/2008: Resident, Neurology, University of Texas at Houston Health Science Center/MD Anderson Cancer Center
• 6/2010: Fellow, Neurological Critical Care, Columbia University

Work History

• 8/2010-3/2014: Instructor, Neurology, Harvard Medical School
• 3/2014-6/2020: Assistant Professor, Neurology, Harvard Medical School
• 7/2020-6/2022: Associate Professor, Neurology, Florida Atlantic University
• 6/2022-present: Professor, Neurology, Florida Atlantic University

Peer-Reviewed Publications

• An overview on microglial origin, distribution, and phenotype in Alzheimer's disease. Islam R, Choudhary H, Rajan R, Vrionis F, Hanafy KA. J Cell Physiol. 2022 Jul 13. doi: 10.1002/jcp.30829. Online ahead of print. PMID: 35822939 Review.
• Microglial TLR4 is Critical for Neuronal Injury and Cognitive Dysfunction in Subarachnoid Hemorrhage. Islam R, Vrionis F, Hanafy KA. Neurocrit Care. 2022 Jul 1. doi: 10.1007/s12028-022-01552-w. Online ahead of print. PMID: 35778649
• Defining the Mechanism of Subarachnoid Hemorrhage-Induced Pyrexia. Thomas AJ, Ascanio-Cortez L, Gomez S, Salem M, Maragkos G, Hanafy KA. Neurotherapeutics. 2020 Jul;17(3):1160-1169. doi: 10.1007/s13311-020-00866-x. PMID: 32372402 Free PMC article.
• Macrophage CD163 expression in cerebrospinal fluid: association with subarachnoid hemorrhage outcome. Thomas AJ, Ogilvy CS, Griessenauer CJ, Hanafy KA. J Neurosurg. 2018 Jul 20;131(1):47-53. doi: 10.3171/2018.2.JNS172828. PMID: 30028262
• Microglia regulate blood clearance in subarachnoid hemorrhage by heme oxygenase-1. Schallner N, Pandit R, LeBlanc R 3rd, Thomas AJ, Ogilvy CS, Zuckerbraun BS, Gallo D, Otterbein LE, Hanafy KA. J Clin Invest. 2015 Jul 1;125(7):2609-25. doi: 10.1172/JCI78443. Epub 2015 May 26. PMID: 26011640 Free PMC article.
• Heme oxygenase-1-mediated neuroprotection in subarachnoid hemorrhage via intracerebroventricular deferoxamine. LeBlanc RH 3rd, Chen R, Selim MH, Hanafy KA. J Neuroinflammation. 2016 Sep 13;13(1):244. doi: 10.1186/s12974-016-0709-1. PMID: 27618864 Free PMC article.
• Carbon Monoxide Preserves Circadian Rhythm to Reduce the Severity of Subarachnoid Hemorrhage in Mice. Schallner N, Lieberum JL, Gallo D, LeBlanc RH 3rd, Fuller PM, Hanafy KA, Otterbein LE. Stroke. 2017 Sep;48(9):2565-2573. doi: 10.1161/STROKEAHA.116.016165. Epub 2017 Jul 26. PMID: 28747460 Free PMC article.