Contact Information

Biography

Rehana Leak started neuroscience research in the field of circadian rhythms as an undergraduate at Barnard College. She continued working on circadian biology as a lab technician, for one year after graduation from Barnard, and then again as a graduate student at the University of Pittsburgh. For her dissertation work, she traced the neuroanatomical connections of the circadian pacemaker in the mammalian hypothalamus. After a career hiatus/family leave, she conducted her postdoctoral studies on Parkinson’s disease at the University of Pittsburgh, where she studied the impact of physiological tolerance against cellular stress. Dr. Leak joined the faculty at Duquesne University in 2010, where the Leak lab investigates the pathophysiology of Lewy body disease in cells, animals, and human tissues. Dr. Leak teaches pharmacology, pathophysiology, and immunology in the PharmD and PhD program in the School of Pharmacy (courses listed below).

Research Interests

Research in the Leak laboratory focuses on the causes and consequences of Lewy body disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease and dementia with Lewy bodies. Students in the Leak lab model Lewy body disorders in mice and rats in vivo and in primary neuron and glial cell cultures in vitro. Leak lab students also test promising therapies in these preclinical models and assess human tissues for markers of Lewy body disease. The central questions that the Leak lab seeks to answer are:

  1. Do stress-inducible, intrinsic defense systems naturally slow the progression of Lewy body disease?
  2. Can the spread of Lewy pathology through the brain be slowed with interventions that mimic intrinsic defense systems?


More about Rehana's research: 

Publications and presentations:

Patients with neurological disorders and their caregivers are welcome to visit the Leak laboratory. Please email%20Dr.%20Leak or call (412) 396-4734 to set up a visit, or if you cannot access publications at the links above.

 

School

  • GPSC 530: Foundations in Pharmaceutical Sciences I
  • GPSC 570: Drug Mechanisms
  • PHBM 355: Human Physiology and Pathology I
  • PHBM 356: Human Physiology and Pathology II (Coursemaster)
  • GPSC 576: Neuronal Pharmacology and General Toxicological Principles (Coursemaster)
  • GPSC 695: Oral and Written Presentation Skills in Pharmacology (Coursemaster)
  • GPSC 572: Methods of Evaluation of Drug Action and Toxicity
  • GPSC 694: Current Topics and Critical Analyses in Pharmacology

Select grants awarded to RK Leak (as principal investigator) since joining Duquesne

  1. NIH grant 1R21NS141002-01 on repopulation of the microglia/macrophage niche in experimental Lewy body disease (Leak PI) 2024-2026
  2. NIH grant 1R15NS130532-01 on neuronal myelination and resilience in Lewy body disorders (Leak PI) 2022-2025
  3. NIH grant R21AG068608 on cytoskeletal stabilization in Lewy body disorders (Leak & Gangjee multi-PIs) 2020-2023
    [Stopped being principal investigator on this award, to be able to accept the R15 above, per NIH guidelines]
  4. NIH grant R21NS112671 on DNA repair in limbic-predominant Lewy body disorders (Leak PI) 2020-2022
  5. Leach Fund grant on the impact of tricyclic heterocycles on Parkinson’s pathology (Leak & Gangjee Co-PIs) 2019-2021
  6. Winters Foundation grant on bicyclic microtubule effectors in Lewy body disorders (Leak & Gangjee Co-PIs) 2019-2020
  7. NIH grant 1R21NS107960-01 on the impact of Hsp70 in Lewy body disorders (Leak PI) 2018-2020
  8. NIH grant 1R15NS093539-01 on N-acetyl cysteine-mediated neuroprotection against synucleinopathy (Leak PI) 2015-2019
  9. NIH grant 1R03NS088395-01A1 on N-acetyl cysteine-mediated protection against proteasome inhibition (Leak PI) 2015
  10. Hillman Family Foundation grant 940562 (Leak PI) 2014-2016
  11. Michael J. Fox Foundation Rapid Response Innovation Award (Leak PI) 2013-2014
  12. Commonwealth Universal Research Enhancement Award (Leak PI) 2013-2014
  13. Faculty Development Fund grant (Leak PI) 2011-2013
  14. Hunkele Dreaded Diseases Foundation grant (Leak PI) 2010-2012
  15. Parkinson’s and Movement Disorders Foundation grant (Leak PI) 2010-2011

Select honors / awards since joining Duquesne
  1. NIH ad hoc grant reviewer for Special Emphasis Panel 2025
  2. NIH ad hoc grant reviewer for CMND study section 2024
  3. John Rangos Sr. Prize for the 2023 Pitch Competition for pedagogical work
  4. NIH ad hoc grant reviewer for P50 Udall Centers for Excellence in Parkinson’s Research 2023
  5. NIH ad hoc grant reviewer for CNN study section 2022
  6. NIH ad hoc grant reviewer for NOMD study section 2016/2020/2021
  7. School of Pharmacy Faculty Award 2020
  8. Publons Award (top 1% of all reviewers in neuroscience and behavior journals) 2019
  9. Member of editorial board for the Springer journal Acta Neuropathologica 2019-2021
  10. Publons Award (top 1% of all reviewers in neuroscience and behavior journals) 2018
  11. President's Award for Excellence in Scholarship (Duquesne University) 2018
  12. Publons Award (top 1% of all reviewers for multidisciplinary journals) 2017
  13. Inducted into Duquesne University Research Hall of Fame 2016
  14. Member of editorial board for Neurochemistry International 2014-
  15. Outstanding New Investigator Award, Dose-Response Society 2014
  16. Mylan School of Pharmacy Faculty Award 2013
  17. Voted Professor of the Year by the PY1 Duquesne Pharmacy students 2012