Sunil Kumar Khokhar, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Researcher, Department of Radiology
Contact Information
Tel: 215-898-9357
Fax: 215-573-2113
Email: sunil.khokhar@pennmedicine.upenn.edu
Education:
Post Doctoral Researcher, 2024-Present
Department of Radiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA
PhD in Neuroimaging, 2018-2023,
Department of Neuroimaging and Interventional Radiology, NIMHANS, Bengaluru, India
B.Tech-M.Tech (Int), 2010-2016,
Cognitive and Neuroscience, Center for Converging Technologies, University of Rajasthan, Jaipur, India
Research Interests:
I am a postdoctoral researcher at CAMIPM, and I joined the Center in May 2024. My research focuses on advanced neuroimaging techniques to understand neurodegenerative disorders and the aging process. Currently, my work utilizes multimodal MR imaging techniques, including CEST, steady-state NOE, tNOE, MWF, and MR spectroscopy, using Bruker 9.4T systems in preclinical models.
Prior to joining Penn, I obtained my PhD in neuroimaging at the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) in Bengaluru, India, where I developed expertise in structural and functional neuroimaging, metabolic connectivity using FDG-PET, and computational approaches to studying neurodegenerative disorders. My doctoral work focused on multiplex connectomics in Alzheimer's disease and frontotemporal dementia, combining cortical morphometry with metabolic imaging.
Khokhar SK, Swain A, Soni ND, Mathur A, Benyard B, Nanga RPR, Haris M, Reddy R; Multimodal MR Imaging for quantification of brain lipid in mice at 9.4 T (Under Review, J. Transl. Med) https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.09.30.679612
Khokhar SK, Mishra R, Kumar M, Kumar S, Manae T, Arshad F, Thanissery T, Ramakrishnan S, Mangalore S, Alladi S, Gandhi TK, Bharath RD; Multimodal Imaging and Logistic Weighted Cognitive Scores for Classification of MCI, AD, and FTD Subtypes, https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.09.27.678895
Khokhar, S.K., Kumar, M., Kumar, S., Arshad, F., Goyal, S., Tiwari M., Thanissery, N., Ramakrishnan, S., Nagaraj, C., Kashyap, R., Sandhya, M., Gandhi, T.K., Alladi, S., Bharath, R.D., 2024. Multiplex connectomics reveal altered networks in frontotemporal dementia: A multisite and multimodal study. Network Neuroscience (2025) https://doi.org/10.1162/netn_a_00448
Khokhar, S.K., Kumar, M., Kumar, S., Manae, T., Thanissery, N., Ramakrishnan, S., Arshad, F., Nagaraj, C., Sandhya, M., Alladi, S., Gandhi, T.K., Bharath, R.D., 2023. Alzheimer’s disease is associated with increased network assortativity: Evidence from metabolic connectivity. Brain Connect. https://doi.org/10.1089/brain.2023.0024
Khokhar, S.K., Kambali, M., Mussavira, S., Bindhu, O.S., Laxmi, T.R., 2022 Role of an enriched environment in ameliorating early life stress-induced changes in structure and functions of hippocampus and amygdala in rats. Indian J. Physiol. Pharmacol. 66. https://doi.org/10.25259/IJPP_96_2022
Benyard B, Soni ND, Swain A, Srivastava N, Khokhar SK, Yehya N, Fan Y, Kumar D, Nanga RPR, Frenneaux MP, Haris M, Reddy R; Magnetic Resonance Imaging for Improved Brain Tumor Detection, bioRxiv 2025.05.06.652446; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.05.06.652446
Thanissery N, Arshad F, Khokhar SK, Kenchaiah R, Singh V, Ramakrishnan S, Srinivasan N, Surampudi BR, Alladi S; Thalamus as a neural marker of cognitive reserve in bilinguals with frontotemporal dementia; Bilingualism: Language and Cognition 2024 https://doi.org/10.1017/S136672892500015X
Arshad F, Nashi S, Goyal S, Khokhar SK, Yashwanth G, Ramakrishnan S, Prasad C, Mahadevan A, Alladi S; Clinical profile and treatment outcomes of patients with chronic presentations of autoimmune encephalitis: Expanding the spectrum (Accepted, BMJ Neurology Open)
Bhardwaj S, Panda R, Bharath RD, Stezin A, Khokhar SK, Prasad S, et al. Single session of rTMS enhances brain metastability and intrinsic ignition https://doi.org/10.1101/2022.08.14.503887
Kumar, M., Hiremath, C., Khokhar, S.K., Bansal, E., Sagar, K.J.V., Padmanabha, H., Girimaji, A.S., Narayan, S., Kishore, M.T., Yamini, B.K., Jac Fredo, A.R., Saini, J., Bharath, R.D., 2023. Altered cerebellar lobular volumes correlate with clinical deficits in siblings and children with ASD: evidence from toddlers. J. Transl. Med. 21, 246. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12967-023-04090-x
Mangalore, S., Peer, S., Khokhar, S.K., Bharath, R.D., Kulanthaivelu, K., Saini, J., Sinha, S., Kishore, V.K., Mundlamuri, R.C., Asranna, A., Gopal, V.L., Kenchaiah, R., Arimappamagan, A., Sadashiva, N., Rao, M.B., Mahadevan, A., Rajeswaran, J., Kumar, K., Thennarasu, K., 2023. Resting-State Functional MRI/PET Profile as a Potential Alternative to Tri-Modality EEG-MR/PET Imaging: An Exploratory Study in Drug-Refractory Epilepsy. Asian J. Neurosurg. 18, 053–061. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0043-1760852
Singh, M., Dev, R., Khokhar, S.K., Kumar, N., Saini, J., Saxena, S., 2023. Resting-state functional connectivity in patients with minimally disabled Parkinson’s disease: A case-control study. Ann. Mov. Disord. 6, 79. https://doi.org/10.4103/aomd.aomd_35_22
Singh, P., Singh, J., Peer, S., Jindal, M., Khokhar, S., Ludhiadch, A., Munshi, A., 2023. Assessment of Resting-state functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Connectivity Among Patients with Major Depressive Disorder: A Comparative Study. Ann. Neurosci. 09727531231191889. https://doi.org/10.1177/09727531231191889
Stezin, A., Bhardwaj, S., Khokhar, SK., Hegde, S., Jain, S., Bharath, R.D., Saini, J., Pal, P.K., 2021. In vivo microstructural white matter changes in early spinocerebellar ataxia 2. Acta Neurol. Scand. 143, 326–332. https://doi.org/10.1111/ane.13359