Neurology and Therapeutics

Biography

Kaja is an experienced neurobiologist with a long-standing research track record in academia and the biotech and pharmaceutical industry. Kaja currently serves as Associate Director of Preclinical Research at the Vision Research Center at the University of Missouri - Kansas City, School of Medicine. He is the Director of Microscopy of the imaging core facility at the Vision Research Center and also holds an appointment to Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology. His NIH-funded research program focuses on human neurological and neurodegenerative diseases, visual disorders and inflammation. Kaja obtained his B.Sc. (Hons.) degree in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry from Durham University, UK and holds a Ph.D. degree in Medicine/Neuroscience from Leiden University, The Netherlands. Prior to joining the faculty at the University of Missouri - Kansas City, he has performed postdoctoral work at The University of British Columbia (Vancouver, B.C., Canada) and the University of North Texas Health Science Center (Fort Worth, TX). In addition to his academic work, Dr. Kaja has worked and consulted for a number of pharmaceutical companies, incl. Novo Nordisk A/S, Bayer AG, Neuromed Pharmaceuticals Inc., and NeuroSearch A/S. He is CEO and co-founder of K&P Scientific LLC, a scientific consulting company headquartered in Kansas City, MO.

Research Interest

Pathophysiological mechanisms underlying neurodegenerative, neurological and visual disorders.