Associate Professor
Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory
Salas, I.H., Paumier, A., Tao, T., Derevyanko, A., Switzler, C., Burgado, J., Movsesian, M., Metanat, S., Dawoodtabar, T., Asbell, Q., Fassihi, A., Allen, N.J. Astrocyte transcriptomic analysis identifies glypican 5 downregulation as a contributor to synaptic dysfunction in Alzheimer's disease models. (2024) bioRxiv. DOI: 10.1101/2024.10.30.621182
Deng, J., Labarta-Bajo, L., Brandebura, A.N., Kahn, S.B., Pinto, A.F.M., Diedrich, J.K., Allen, N.J. Suppression of astrocyte BMP signaling improves fragile X syndrome molecular signatures and functional deficits. (2024) bioRxiv. DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.19.599752
Sancho, L., Boisvert, M.M., Dawoodtabar, T., Burgado, J., Wang, E., Allen, N.J. Astrocyte CCN1 stabilizes neural circuits in the adult brain. (2024) bioRxiv. DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.14.585077
Chung, W.S., Baldwin, K.T., Allen, N.J. Astrocyte Regulation of Synapse Formation, Maturation, and Elimination. (2024) Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Biology. DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a041352
Labarta-Bajo, L., Deng, J., Contreras, M., Allen, N.J. Protocol for the purification and transcriptomic analysis of mouse astrocytes using GFAT. (2023) STAR Protoc. 4(4):102599. DOI: 10.1016/j.xpro.2023.102599
Brandebura, A.N., Asbell, Q.N., Micael, M.K.B., Allen, N.J. Dysregulation of astrocyte-secreted pleiotrophin contributes to neuronal structural and functional phenotypes in Down Syndrome. (2023) bioRxiv. DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.26.559633
Tan, D., Konduri, S., Erikci Ertunc, M., Zhang, P., Wang, J., Chang, T., Pinto, A.F.M., Rocha, A., Donaldson, C.J., Vaughan, J.M., Ludwig, R.G., Willey, E., Iyer, M., Gray, P.C., Maher, P., Allen, N.J., Zuchero, J.B., Dillin, A., Mori, M.A., Kohama, S.G., Siegel, D., Saghatelian, A. A class of anti-inflammatory lipids decrease with aging in the central nervous system. (2022) Nature Chemical Biology. DOI: 10.1038/s41589-022-01165-6
Brandebura, A.N., Paumier, A., Onur, T.S., Allen, N.J. Astrocyte contribution to dysfunction, risk and progression in neurodegenerative disorders. (2022) Nature Reviews Neuroscience. DOI: 10.1038/s41583-022-00641-1
Caldwell, A.L.M., Sancho, L., Deng, J., Bosworth, A., Miglietta, A., Diedrich, J.K., Shokhirev, M.N., Allen, N.J. Aberrant astrocyte protein secretion contributes to altered neuronal development in multiple models of neurodevelopmental disorders. (2022) Nature Neuroscience. DOI: 10.1038/s41593-022-01150-1
Blanco-Suarez, E., Allen, N.J. Astrocyte-secreted chordin-like 1 regulates spine density after ischemic injury. (2022) Scientific Reports. 12(1):4176. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-08031-4
Lyon, K.A., Allen, N.J. From Synapses to Circuits, Astrocytes Regulate Behavior. (2022) Front Neural Circuits. 15:786293. DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2021.786293
Farhy-Tselnicker, I., Boisvert, M.M., Liu, H., Dowling, C., Erikson, G.A., Blanco-Suarez, E., Farhy, C., Shokhirev, M.N., Ecker, J.R., Allen, N.J. Activity-dependent modulation of synapse-regulating genes in astrocytes. (2021) Elife. 10. DOI: 10.7554/eLife.70514
Escartin, C., Galea, E., Lakatos, A., O'Callaghan, J.P., Petzold, G.C., Serrano-Pozo, A., Steinhäuser, C., Volterra, A., Carmignoto, G., Agarwal, A., Allen, N.J., Araque, A., Barbeito, L., Barzilai, A., Bergles, D.E., Bonvento, G., Butt, A.M., Chen, W.T., Cohen-Salmon, M., Cunningham, C., Deneen, B., De Strooper, B., Díaz-Castro, B., Farina, C., Freeman, M., Gallo, V., Goldman, J.E., Goldman, S.A., Götz, M., Gutiérrez, A., Haydon, P.G., Heiland, D.H., Hol, E.M., Holt, M.G., Iino, M., Kastanenka, K.V., Kettenmann, H., Khakh, B.S., Koizumi, S., Lee, C.J., Liddelow, S.A., MacVicar, B.A., Magistretti, P., Messing, A., Mishra, A., Molofsky, A.V., Murai, K.K., Norris, C.M., Okada, S., Oliet, S.H.R., Oliveira, J.F., Panatier, A., Parpura, V., Pekna, M., Pekny, M., Pellerin, L., Perea, G., Pérez-Nievas, B.G., Pfrieger, F.W., Poskanzer, K.E., Quintana, F.J., Ransohoff, R.M., Riquelme-Perez, M., Robel, S., Rose, C.R., Rothstein, J.D., Rouach, N., Rowitch, D.H., Semyanov, A., Sirko, S., Sontheimer, H., Swanson, R.A., Vitorica, J., Wanner, I.B., Wood, L.B., Wu, J., Zheng, B., Zimmer, E.R., Zorec, R., Sofroniew, M.V., Verkhratsky, A. Reactive astrocyte nomenclature, definitions, and future directions. (2021) Nature Neuroscience. DOI: 10.1038/s41593-020-00783-4
Sancho, L., Contreras, M., Allen, N.J. Glia as sculptors of synaptic plasticity. (2020) Neurosci Res. DOI: 10.1016/j.neures.2020.11.005
Salas, I.H., Burgado, J., Allen, N.J. Glia: victims or villains of the aging brain? (2020) Neurobiology of Disease.:105008 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2020.105008
Allen, N.J. Brain tumours manipulate neighbouring synapses. (2020) Nature. 578(7793):46-47. DOI: 10.1038/d41586-020-00137-x
Allen, N.J. Star Power: Astrocytes Regulate Behavior. (2019) Cell. 177(5):1091-1093. DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2019.04.042
Amor, D.J., Stephenson, S.E.M., Mustapha, M., Mensah, M.A., Ockeloen, C.W., Lee, W.S., Tankard, R.M., Phelan, D.G., Shinawi, M., de Brouwer, A.P.M., Pfundt, R., Dowling, C., Toler, T.L., Sutton, V.R., Agolini, E., Rinelli, M., Capolino, R., Martinelli, D., Zampino, G., Dumić, M., Reardon, W., Shaw-Smith, C., Leventer, R.J., Delatycki, M.B., Kleefstra, T., Mundlos, S., Mortier, G., Bahlo, M., Allen, N.J., Lockhart, P.J. Pathogenic Variants in GPC4 Cause Keipert Syndrome. (2019) American Journal of Human Genetics. 104(5):914-924. DOI: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2019.02.026
Dowling, C., Allen, N.J. Mice Lacking Glypican 4 Display Juvenile Hyperactivity and Adult Social Interaction Deficits. (2018) Brain Plasticity. 4(2):197-209. DOI: 10.3233/BPL-180079
Allen, N.J., Lyons, D.A. Glia as architects of central nervous system formation and function. (2018) Science. 362(6411):181-185. DOI: 10.1126/science.aat0473
Blanco-Suarez, E., Liu, T.F., Kopelevich, A., Allen, N.J. Astrocyte-Secreted Chordin-like 1 Drives Synapse Maturation and Limits Plasticity by Increasing Synaptic GluA2 AMPA Receptors. (2018) Neuron. 100(5):1116-1132. DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2018.09.043
Farhy-Tselnicker, I., Allen, N.J. Astrocytes, neurons, synapses: a tripartite view on cortical circuit development. (2018) Neural Development. 13(1):7. DOI: 10.1186/s13064-018-0104-y
Allen, N.J., Daneman, R. In Memoriam: Ben Barres. (2018) Journal of Cell Biology. 217(2):435-438. DOI: 10.1083/jcb.201801019
Boisvert, M.M., Erikson, G.A., Shokhirev, M.N., Allen, N.J. The Aging Astrocyte Transcriptome from Multiple Regions of the Mouse Brain. (2018) Cell Reports. 22(1):269-285. DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2017.12.039
Zuidema, J.M., Kumeria, T., Kim, D., Kang, J., Wang, J., Hollett, G., Zhang, X., Roberts, D.S., Chan, N., Dowling, C., Blanco-Suarez, E., Allen, N.J., Tuszynski, M.H., Sailor, M.J. Oriented Nanofibrous Polymer Scaffolds Containing Protein-Loaded Porous Silicon Generated by Spray Nebulization. (2018) Advanced Materials. 20(12). DOI: 10.1002/adma.201706785
Allen, N.J., Eroglu, C. Cell Biology of Astrocyte-Synapse Interactions. (2017) Neuron. 96(3):697-708. DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2017.09.056
Farhy-Tselnicker, I., van Casteren, A.C.M., Lee, A., Chang, V.T., Aricescu, A.R., Allen, N.J. Astrocyte-Secreted Glypican 4 Regulates Release of Neuronal Pentraxin 1 from Axons to Induce Functional Synapse Formation. (2017) Neuron. 96(2):428-445.e13. DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2017.09.053
Bosworth, A.P., Allen, N.J. The diverse actions of astrocytes during synaptic development. (2017) Current Opinion in Neurobiology. 47:38-43. DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2017.08.017
Allen, N.J. Making Human Stars: A New Method to Generate Human Astrocytes. (2017) Neuron. 95(4):725-727. DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2017.08.006
Dwyer, C.A., Scudder, S.L., Lin, Y., Dozier, L.E., Phan, D., Allen, N.J., Patrick, G.N., Esko, J.D. Neurodevelopmental Changes in Excitatory Synaptic Structure and Function in the Cerebral Cortex of Sanfilippo Syndrome IIIA Mice. (2017) Scientific Reports. 7:46576. DOI: 10.1038/srep46576
Blanco-Suárez, E., Caldwell, A.L., Allen, N.J. Role of astrocyte-synapse interactions in CNS disorders. (2017) Journal of Physiology. 595(6):1903-1916. DOI: 10.1113/JP270988
Chung, W.S., Allen, N.J., Eroglu, C. Astrocytes Control Synapse Formation, Function, and Elimination. (2015) Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Biology. 7(9):a020370. DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a020370
Farhy Tselnicker, I., Boisvert, M.M., Allen, N.J. The role of neuronal versus astrocyte-derived heparan sulfate proteoglycans in brain development and injury. (2014) Biochemical Society Transactions. 42(5):1263-9. DOI: 10.1042/BST20140166
Allen, N.J. Synaptic plasticity: Astrocytes wrap it up. (2014) Current Biology. 24(15):R697-9. DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2014.06.030
Allen, N.J. Astrocyte regulation of synaptic behavior. (2014) Annual Review of Cell and Developmental Biology. 30:439-63. DOI: 10.1146/annurev-cellbio-100913-013053
Allen, N.J. Role of glia in developmental synapse formation. (2013) Current Opinion in Neurobiology. 23(6):1027-33. DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2013.06.004
Allen, N.J., Bennett, M.L., Foo, L.C., Wang, G.X., Chakraborty, C., Smith, S.J., Barres, B.A. Astrocyte glypicans 4 and 6 promote formation of excitatory synapses via GluA1 AMPA receptors. (2012) Nature. 486(7403):410-4. DOI: 10.1038/nature11059
Foo, L.C., Allen, N.J., Bushong, E.A., Ventura, P.B., Chung, W.S., Zhou, L., Cahoy, J.D., Daneman, R., Zong, H., Ellisman, M.H., Barres, B.A. Development of a method for the purification and culture of rodent astrocytes. (2011) Neuron. 71(5):799-811. DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2011.07.022
Kucukdereli, H., Allen, N.J., Lee, A.T., Feng, A., Ozlu, M.I., Conatser, L.M., Chakraborty, C., Workman, G., Weaver, M., Sage, E.H., Barres, B.A., Eroglu, C. Control of excitatory CNS synaptogenesis by astrocyte-secreted proteins Hevin and SPARC. (2011) Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 108(32):E440-9. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1104977108
Eroglu, C., Allen, N.J., Susman, M.W., O'Rourke, N.A., Park, C.Y., Ozkan, E., Chakraborty, C., Mulinyawe, S.B., Annis, D.S., Huberman, A.D., Green, E.M., Lawler, J., Dolmetsch, R., Garcia, K.C., Smith, S.J., Luo, Z.D., Rosenthal, A., Mosher, D.F., Barres, B.A. Gabapentin receptor alpha2delta-1 is a neuronal thrombospondin receptor responsible for excitatory CNS synaptogenesis. (2009) Cell. 139(2):380-92. DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2009.09.025
Allen, N.J., Barres, B.A. Neuroscience: Glia - more than just brain glue. (2009) Nature. 457(7230):675-7. DOI: 10.1038/457675a
De Simoni, A., Allen, N.J., Attwell, D. Charge compensation for NADPH oxidase activity in microglia in rat brain slices does not involve a proton current. (2008) European Journal of Neuroscience. 28(6):1146-56. DOI: 10.1111/j.1460-9568.2008.06417.x
Stevens, B., Allen, N.J., Vazquez, L.E., Howell, G.R., Christopherson, K.S., Nouri, N., Micheva, K.D., Mehalow, A.K., Huberman, A.D., Stafford, B., Sher, A., Litke, A.M., Lambris, J.D., Smith, S.J., John, S.W., Barres, B.A. The classical complement cascade mediates CNS synapse elimination. (2007) Cell. 131(6):1164-78. DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2007.10.036
Allen, N.J., Barres, B.A. Signaling between glia and neurons: focus on synaptic plasticity. (2005) Current Opinion in Neurobiology. 15(5):542-8. DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2005.08.006
Allen, N.J., Káradóttir, R., Attwell, D. A preferential role for glycolysis in preventing the anoxic depolarization of rat hippocampal area CA1 pyramidal cells. (2005) Journal of Neuroscience. 25(4):848-59. DOI: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.4157-04.2005
Allen, N.J., Attwell, D. The effect of simulated ischaemia on spontaneous GABA release in area CA1 of the juvenile rat hippocampus. (2004) Journal of Physiology. 561(Pt 2):485-98. DOI: 10.1113/jphysiol.2004.070490
Allen, N.J., Káradóttir, R., Attwell, D. Reversal or reduction of glutamate and GABA transport in CNS pathology and therapy. (2004) Pflugers Arch. 449(2):132-42. DOI: 10.1007/s00424-004-1318-x
Allen, N.J., Rossi, D.J., Attwell, D. Sequential release of GABA by exocytosis and reversed uptake leads to neuronal swelling in simulated ischemia of hippocampal slices. (2004) Journal of Neuroscience. 24(15):3837-49. DOI: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.5539-03.2004
Allen, N.J., Attwell, D. Modulation of ASIC channels in rat cerebellar Purkinje neurons by ischaemia-related signals. (2002) Journal of Physiology. 543(Pt 2):521-9. DOI: 10.1113/jphysiol.2002.020297
BSc, Anatomical Sciences, University of Manchester, England
PhD, Neuroscience, University College London
Postdoctoral Fellow, Stanford University