Rate My Professor Sheeja Navakkode

Dr. Sheeja Navakkode serves as Senior Research Fellow in the Healthy Longevity Translational Research Programme at the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore. She is based in the Brian Kennedy Lab, where her research focuses on aging and Alzheimer’s disease, with emphasis on synaptic plasticity and memory. She holds a Ph.D. in Neuroscience and has been affiliated with Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. Her contributions include studies on neural ageing and synaptic plasticity, such as a 2024 publication addressing prioritization of brain healthspan, and she was first author of a 2025 NUS Medicine study on a naturally occurring molecule that may help defend against Alzheimer’s disease. Earlier work examined sex-specific accelerated decay in time- and activity-dependent synaptic plasticity as well as altered function of neuronal L-type calcium channels in ageing and neuroinflammation.

Navakkode’s research explores cellular mechanisms underlying age-related synaptic dysfunction and cognitive decline. She has participated in collaborative projects examining inhibition of Nogo-A and its effects on synaptic plasticity. Her role involves advancing understanding of longevity-linked biology in the context of neurodegenerative conditions.