Rate My Professor Josef kittler

Josef Kittler is Professor of Molecular Neurobiology in the Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology at University College London. He earned a Bachelor of Science (Honours) from the University of Bath in 1996 and a Doctor of Philosophy in Neurobiology and Neurosciences from University College London in 2001. Kittler launched his independent research career at UCL with an MRC Career Development Award and advanced to MRC Senior Non-Clinical Fellow. In 2010, he received the prestigious Lister Institute Research Prize, acknowledging his groundbreaking contributions to understanding molecular neuroscience mechanisms.

Kittler's academic interests center on the molecular and cellular processes regulating neurotransmitter receptor trafficking and membrane dynamics, with a particular emphasis on GABAA receptors at inhibitory synapses. His investigations cover intracellular transport of ion channels, transporters, and organelles influencing neuronal excitability and synaptic transmission, including mitochondrial dynamics in central nervous system health and disease, cytoskeletal roles in neurons, glia-neuron interactions, and synaptic function. MRC-funded studies from his laboratory have revealed nano-sized motors aiding brain cell communication and utilized quantum dot nanocrystals to image single receptors at synapses. He has authored over 159 publications, accumulating more than 10,870 citations, including key works such as 'Autism and Schizophrenia-Associated CYFIP1 Regulates Brain Cellular Dynamics through Cyclin D1' (Cell Reports, 2019, cited 130 times) and 'Hexokinase 2 interacts with PINK1 to facilitate mitophagy in dopaminergic neurons' (Cell Reports, 2025). Kittler directs the Neuroscience and Mental Health theme for the UCL-Birkbeck MRC Doctoral Training Programme, supervises PhD research on mitochondrial topics, and participates in international collaborations like the NIMH-UCL Graduate Neuroscience Program. He has contributed to public engagement via Brain Awareness Week Q&A sessions.