Shahriar SheikhBahaei

Profile Photo Braden Brinkman

Assistant Professor (Empire Innovation Program)
PhD, University College London and NIH

Center for Molecular Medicine (CMM)
Office: CMM 544
Phone: (631) 632-9178

Training

Shahriar SheikhBahaei earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Berkeley, where he worked on the regulation of neurotransmitter release. He obtained his PhD in Neuroscience in 2017 from a joint program between University College London (UCL) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH). His graduate research focused on the role of astrocytes in controlling respiratory motor circuits within the brainstem. After a short postdoctoral fellowship at NIH, he was awarded the Independent Research Scholar Award in 2019. Dr. SheikhBahaei joined the faculty of Stony Brook University in 2025, where he is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, and a member of the Center for Nervous System Disorders (CNSD).

Research Interests

Our research focuses on understanding the neural circuits and cellular mechanisms underlying voluntary motor control, particularly the role of glial cells—such as astrocytes—in modulating neuronal activity. We explore how astrocytes interact with neurons to regulate complex motor behaviors, with a special focus on circuits involved in speech production and respiratory control. By utilizing genetic, optical, and electrophysiological techniques, our research aims to dissect the contributions of specific cell types to motor circuit function. A significant aspect of our work addresses the neural basis of speech and its disorders, including developmental stuttering. By studying how astrocytes influence respiratory behaviors, we aim to uncover the mechanisms connecting breathing and speech, translating discoveries from bench to bedside and back.

PubMed Link: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/myncbi/1f32gqbDcDekx/bibliography/public/