Faculty

James Connor

Distinguished Professor and Vice Chair of Neurosurgery

H110 Neurosurgery
Hershey, PA 17033

Email jrc3@psu.edu
Phone 717-531-4541

Overview

Iron transport and toxicity in neurodegenerative diseases/oxidative cell injury.

Areas of Expertise

Ferritin Neuroscience
Transferrin Neuroscience
Transferrin Keyphrases
Ferritin Keyphrases
Brain Iron Keyphrases
Restless Legs Syndrome Keyphrases
Oligodendrocyte Neuroscience
Alzheimer's Disease Neuroscience

Ferritin in motion
Emily Tufano, James R. Connor, Jul 2026, In: Biochimica et Biophysica Acta - Reviews on Cancer
Date: Jul 2026

Extracellular vesicles released from blood-brain barrier endothelial cells mediate brain iron accumulation during LPS-induced brain inflammation
Kondaiah Palsa, Timothy B. Helmuth, Aurosman Pappus Sahu, Yuanjun Zhao, Rebecka O. Serpa, Elizabeth B. Neely, Irina A. Elcheva, Vladimir S. Spiegelman, James R. Connor, May 2026, In: Journal of Biological Chemistry
Date: May 2026

Tumor-associated macrophages promote ferroptosis resistance in glioblastoma by stimulating iron-loaded extracellular vesicle release
Aurosman Pappus Sahu, Kondaiah Palsa, Ganesh Shenoy, Becky Slagle-Webb, James R. Connor, Apr 2026, In: Journal of neuro-oncology
Date: Apr 2026

Systemic iron availability differentially shapes tumor and brain iron handling in a sex-dependent manner in glioblastoma
Emily Tufano, Kondaiah Palsa, Rebecka O. Serpa, Timothy B. Helmuth, Gabriela Remit-Berthet, Sara Mills-Huffnagle, Mathias Kant, Aurosman Sahu, James R. Connor, Apr 2026, In: PloS one
Date: Apr 2026

Lipocalin 2 orchestrates resistance to ferroptosis via AXL
Sabrina Z. Wang, J. Payton Timken, Ellen S. Hong, Sehaj Kaur, Eli Newby, Kristen E. Kay, Erin E. Mulkearns-Hubert, Daniel J. Silver, Juyeun Lee, Joshua B. Rubin, James R. Connor, Loic P. Deleyrolle, Deanna Tiek, Andrew Dhawan, Justin D. Lathia, Mar 24 2026, In: Cell Reports
Date: Mar 24 2026

Neuroprotection From Intracerebral Hemorrhage Following Pharmacological Inhibition of GSK3β Depends on HFE Gene Status
Timothy B. Helmuth, Kondaiah Palsa, Aurosman Pappus Sahu, Elizabeth B. Neely, Rashmi Kumari, Becky Slagle-Webb, Scott Simon, James R. Connor, Mar 2026, In: Journal of neurochemistry
Date: Mar 2026

Sex and Diet Biased Effect of L-DOPA on Iron Accumulation in the Ventral Midbrain
Rebecka O. Serpa, Emily Tufano, Kondaiah Palsa, Timothy B. Helmuth, Sara Mills-Huffnagle, Mathias Kant, James R. Connor, Mar 2026, In: Journal of neurochemistry
Date: Mar 2026

Loss of Thy1 in Cortico-Striatal Pathways Alters Response to Dopamine and Gabapentin
Cezar Goletiani, Matthew D. McEchron, Elizabeth Neely, James R. Connor, Jan 9 2026, In: ASN Neuro
Date: Jan 9 2026

Cerebrospinal Fluid from Restless Legs Syndrome Patients Reduces Iron Uptake in Blood–Brain Barrier Endothelial Cells by Disrupting the Regulation of Transferrin Receptors
Kondaiah Palsa, Aurosman Pappus Sahu, David B. Rye, Lynn Marie Trotti, Irina A. Elcheva, Vladimir S. Spiegelman, James R. Connor, 2026, In: Annals of Neurology
Date: 2026

A phase 0 clinical trial to evaluate the neuropharmacological profile of posaconazole for glioblastoma
Alireza Mansouri, Leonardo de Macedo Filho, Emily Tufano, Harrison Laukhuff, Brad Zacharia, Jeffrey Neighbors, Michele Green, Nicole Derosia, Dongxiao Sun, Debarati Bhanja, Kyle Tuohy, James Connor, Dawit G. Aregawi, Michael Glantz, Gelareh Zadeh, Jan 1 2026, In: Neuro-Oncology Advances
Date: Jan 1 2026

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Iron, brain ageing and neurodegenerative disorders
Luigi Zecca, Moussa B.H. Youdim, Peter Riederer, James Connor, Robert R. Crichton, Nov 2004, In: Nature Reviews Neuroscience
Citations: 1,670

Long-lasting neural and behavioral effects of iron deficiency in infancy
Betsy Lozoff, John Beard, James Connor, Barbara Felt, Michael Georgieff, Timothy Schallert, 2006, In: Nutrition reviews
Citations: 847

Relationship of iron to oligodendrocytes and myelination
James Connor, Sharon L. Menzies, Jun 1996, In: Glia
Citations: 678

Abnormalities in CSF concentrations of ferritin and transferrin in restless legs syndrome
Christopher J. Earley, J. R. Connor, J. L. Beard, E. A. Malecki, D. K. Epstein, R. P. Allen, Apr 25 2000, In: Neurology
Citations: 599

Iron status and neural functioning
John L. Beard, James Connor, 2003, In: Annual Review of Nutrition
Citations: 585

Oligodendrocytes and myelination
Bozho Todorich, Juana M. Pasquini, Corina I. Garcia, Pablo M. Paez, James R. Connor, 2009, In: Glia
Citations: 536

Neuropathological examination suggests impaired brain iron acquisition in restless legs syndrome
James R. Connor, P. J. Boyer, S. L. Menzies, B. Dellinger, R. P. Allen, W. G. Ondo, C. J. Earley, Aug 12 2003, In: Neurology
Citations: 535

Receptor‐mediated transcytosis of transferrin across the blood‐brain barrier
J. B. Fishman, J. B. Rubin, J. V. Handrahan, J. R. Connor, R. E. Fine, 1987, In: Journal of Neuroscience Research
Citations: 504

Cellular distribution of transferrin, ferritin, and iron in normal and aged human brains
J. R. Connor, S. L. Menzies, S. M.St Martin, E. J. Mufson, Dec 1990, In: Journal of Neuroscience Research
Citations: 442

A histochemical study of iron, transferrin, and ferritin in Alzheimer's diseased brains
J. R. Connor, S. L. Menzies, S. M. St. Martin, E. J. Mufson, Jan 1992, In: Journal of Neuroscience Research
Citations: 431

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Centers & Institutes

Neuroscience Institute

Researchers at Penn State College of Medicine have identified a biomarker that can be used in blood tests to diagnose glioblastoma, the most common and deadliest type of brain cancer, and track its progression and guide treatment. Credit: National Cancer Institute, Unsplash. All Rights Reserved.

February 27, 2023

James Connor

Overview

Areas of Expertise

Blood test for brain cancer may be on horizon, new research finds

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