Desire Tshala-Katumbay, M.D., Ph.D.

Dr. Tshala-Katumbay earned his M.D. degree (Neurology) from the University of Kinshasa, Zaire, and a Ph.D. degree (Neurology) from the University of Uppsala in the city of Uppsala, Sweden. He has developed expertise in tropical neurology and neuro-epidemiology, clinical neurotoxicology, and experimental neurotoxicolgy. Dr. Tshala-Katumbay has worked with underserved communities of the sub-Saharan Africa and initiated collaboration with various academic institutions internationally. He has developed good understanding of principles and pitfalls in international aid, collaboration, and health interventions. Being with a special interest in global health and research capacity building in the developing world, Dr. Tshala-Katumbay is involved with IBRO — the International Brain Research Organization, an umbrella organization of the societies for neurosciences — to lecture on neuroscience topics and mentor students with interest in global partnership in sciences. He also serves as a member of the Committee on Aid and Education in Neurochemistry/International Society of Neurochemistry to help develop basic neurosciences in the developing world.

His current lines of research focus on:

• Exploring the mechanisms of toxicant-induced axonopathy : this line of research exploits the biochemical properties of neurotoxic compounds to identify their molecular targets (neuroproteins) and pathways associated with nerve fiber (axonal degeneration), the pathological hallmark of several neurological diseases including the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, Lou Gehrig disease). The current work is conducted with neuroprotein- reactive and neurotoxic γ-diketones 1,2-diacetylbenzene (1,2-DAB) and 2,5-hexanedione (2,5-HD), active metabolites of aromatic solvent 1,2-diethylebezene and n-hexane, respectively. Non-protein-reactive and non-axonopathic δ-diketones isomers serve as negative controls in the experimental design. We are interested functional, morphological, and omic-based approaches to study mechanisms by which these aformentioned neurotoxicants cause the nerve fiber (axon) to degenerate.
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  Young boy affected by konzo, a spastic paraparesis associated with cassava cyanogenic exposure in sub-Saharan Africa.

• Exploring the mechanisms underlying the susceptibility of the motor system to naturally existing food toxicants. Most research is conducted on konzo (see picture at right), a distinct upper motor neuron associated with heavy reliance on insufficiently processed bitter cassava as staple food.

The mechanisms underlying the pathophysiology of the motor neuron system are poorly understood. While genetic factors play an important role in the host susceptibility to diseases, they may not be sufficient for an overt disease to occur. The fact that environmental factors possibly act as triggering factors in several cases e.g. in motor system pathology is currently of high scientific interest and relevance to human health. We have extensively characterized the phenotype (clinical, epidemiology, and neurophysiology) of konzo and are in the process of developing laboratory models to enhance understanding of its physiopathology.