Maria Yelshanskaya

Maria Yelshanskaya is an Associate Research Scientist in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics at Columbia University. Her research integrates structural biology, molecular neuroscience, and pharmacology to elucidate the architecture, gating, and functional plasticity of ionotropic glutamate receptors, particularly AMPA and kainate receptors. Recent work includes cryo-EM structures of heterotetrameric GluA1/A2 AMPA receptors, the GluK2–Neto2 kainate complex, and molecular simulations of receptor dynamics. She has also investigated off-target AMPAR inhibition by oligonucleotide therapeutics and TRPV3 activation mechanisms. Her findings inform neuropharmacology and the molecular basis of CNS toxicity.