Humsa Venkatesh

Humsa Venkatesh discovered that glioma cells form functional excitatory synapses with neurons, receiving glutamatergic input that activates AMPA receptors and drives tumor proliferation through calcium-dependent signaling cascades. Her electrophysiological studies demonstrated that brain tumors become electrically integrated into neural circuits, with tumor cell membrane potential oscillations synchronized to neuronal network activity. Her work identifying the molecular components of neuron-glioma synapses has provided specific therapeutic targets for disrupting neural stimulation of tumor growth.