Dr. Konrad Talbot is a distinguished neuroscientist and Associate Professor at Loma Linda University School of Medicine, serving in the Departments of Neurosurgery, Pathology & Human Anatomy, and Basic Sciences since 2018. He specializes in investigating the pathogenesis and treatment of neurodegenerative and psychiatric disorders, particularly focusing on brain insulin resistance in Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. With a Ph.D. in Physiological Psychology from UCLA and extensive postdoctoral training at the University of Pennsylvania, Dr. Talbot has held faculty and research positions at leading institutions such as Cedars-Sinai, UCLA, and UPenn. He is a highly cited researcher (H-index: 34, 9341 citations), with significant NIH and international grant support. He also serves as an editorial board member, reviewer, and invited speaker at global conferences. His work has influenced both fundamental neuroscience and the development of therapeutic strategies for brain diseases.
Profile
🎓 Education
Dr. Konrad Talbot completed his undergraduate (B.A.), master’s (M.A.), and doctoral (Ph.D.) degrees in Psychology with a specialization in Physiological Psychology at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). His academic path reflects a deep commitment to understanding the biological underpinnings of behavior and brain function. He also received formal teaching certification from UCLA’s Instructor Development Program in 1992. His postdoctoral training included pivotal roles at the University of Pennsylvania’s Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine and the Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research (1997–2001), where he developed expertise in brain autopsy and pathology. He furthered his technical capabilities through advanced training in quantitative fluorescence microscopy at Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory in 2007. His broad educational background forms a strong foundation for his interdisciplinary research and teaching roles across psychology, neurobiology, pathology, and medical sciences.
🧪 Experience
Dr. Talbot’s academic journey spans over three decades, beginning as an Assistant Professor at Mount St. Mary’s College and St. Olaf College, where he taught psychology and mentored numerous students. He transitioned into intensive research roles at the University of Pennsylvania (UPenn) from 1997 to 2012, ascending from postdoctoral investigator to senior research investigator and research faculty. He later held associate research professorships at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and UCLA. Since 2018, he has served as Associate Professor at Loma Linda University. Dr. Talbot has authored influential studies on brain insulin resistance, taught neuroanatomy to medical residents, supervised postdoctoral and undergraduate research projects, and served in various academic leadership and committee roles. In addition to his research and teaching, he has contributed editorial expertise to high-impact journals and consulted on landmark neuroanatomical atlases. His career reflects a blend of teaching excellence, pioneering research, and interdisciplinary leadership.
🏅 Awards and Honors
Dr. Talbot’s contributions have been widely recognized through prestigious awards and honors. In 2003, he received the T.L.L. Temple Foundation Discovery Award from the Alzheimer’s Association for his groundbreaking work on brain insulin resistance. He was honored as a co-dedicatee of the influential neuroscience text The Mouse Brain in Stereotaxic Coordinates (2008 edition), highlighting his impact on anatomical brain mapping. In 2020, he was inducted into the Sigma Chi Scientific Research Honor Society. His professional affiliations include long-standing memberships with the Society for Neuroscience, Alzheimer Research Forum, Schizophrenia Research Forum, and ISTAART (International Society to Advance Alzheimer Research and Treatment). He has played leadership roles in organizing major scientific conferences, chaired institutional committees, and served on advisory panels. His editorial contributions and invited lectures worldwide further underscore the scientific community’s high regard for his research excellence and thought leadership.
🔬 Research Focus
Dr. Talbot’s research centers on identifying and targeting mechanisms underlying neurodegenerative and psychiatric diseases, with a special emphasis on insulin resistance in the brain. He has pioneered investigations showing that brain insulin resistance plays a critical role in Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease pathogenesis. His NIH-funded work explores the therapeutic potential of incretin receptor agonists—an emerging class of antidiabetics—in reducing brain insulin resistance and improving cognitive function. His collaborative projects with institutions like CUNY, UCLA, and the University of Washington focus on both human brain tissue analysis and preclinical models. Past research includes the molecular biology of schizophrenia, especially dysbindin-related pathways. He holds a U.S. patent application on methods for treating brain insulin resistance, signaling the translational potential of his findings. Dr. Talbot’s research integrates neuropharmacology, pathology, neuroanatomy, and clinical neuroscience, aiming to develop disease-modifying treatments that can halt or reverse progression in cognitive and psychiatric disorders.
✅ Conclusion
Dr. Konrad Talbot is an accomplished neuroscientist whose multidisciplinary work in brain insulin resistance has significantly advanced understanding and treatment approaches for Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, blending rigorous research, impactful teaching, and translational innovation.
Publications
- Demonstrated brain insulin resistance in Alzheimer’s disease patients is associated with IGF-1 resistance, IRS-1 dysregulation, and cognitive decline
K Talbot, HY Wang, H Kazi, LY Han, KP Bakshi, A Stucky, RL Fuino, …
The Journal of clinical investigation 122 (4), 1316-1338
- Gene expression elucidates functional impact of polygenic risk for schizophrenia
M Fromer, P Roussos, SK Sieberts, JS Johnson, DH Kavanagh, …
Nature neuroscience 19 (11), 1442-1453
- An anti-diabetes agent protects the mouse brain from defective insulin signaling caused by Alzheimer’s disease–associated Aβ oligomers
TR Bomfim, L Forny-Germano, LB Sathler, J Brito-Moreira, JC Houzel, …
The Journal of clinical investigation 122 (4), 1339-1353
- Dysbindin-1 mutant mice implicate reduced fast-phasic inhibition as a final common disease mechanism in schizophrenia
GC Carlson, K Talbot, TB Halene, MJ Gandal, HA Kazi, L Schlosser, …
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 108 (43), E962-E970
- Measuring cell-type specific differential methylation in human brain tissue
CM Montaño, RA Irizarry, WE Kaufmann, K Talbot, RE Gur, AP Feinberg, …
Genome biology 14, 1-9
- Neurobehavioral abnormalities in the dysbindin‐1 mutant, sandy, on a C57BL/6J genetic background
MM Cox, AM Tucker, J Tang, K Talbot, DC Richer, L Yeh, SE Arnold
Genes, Brain and Behavior 8 (4), 390-397
- Brain uptake pharmacokinetics of albiglutide, dulaglutide, tirzepatide, and DA5-CH in the search for new treatments of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases
EM Rhea, A Babin, P Thomas, M Omer, R Weaver, K Hansen, WA Banks, …
Tissue Barriers 12 (4), 2292461
- Altered neuregulin 1-erbB4 signaling contributes to NMDA> receptor hypofunction in schizophrenia (Expression of Concern of Vol 12, Pg 824, 2006)
CG Hahn, HY Wang, DS Cho, K Talbot, RE Gur, WH Berrettini, K Bakshi, …
NATURE MEDICINE 30 (3), 911-911
- Editorial Expression of Concern: Altered neuregulin 1–erbB4 signaling contributes to NMDA> receptor hypofunction in schizophrenia
CG Hahn, HY Wang, DS Cho, K Talbot, RE Gur, WH Berrettini, K Bakshi, …
Nature Medicine 30 (3), 911-911
- Abstract P167: Insulin Resistance and Cognitive Status Among Adults 50 Years and Older: Data From National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES)
A Sherzai, J Yu, K Talbot, M Shaheen, D Sherzai
Circulation 133 (suppl_1), AP167-AP167