Current Faculty
Neuroscience
Neuroscience Related Resources
Contact Info
Director, Neuroscience Graduate Program
Dr. Kimberly Byrnes
Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Genetics
kimberly.byrnes@usuhs.edu
Administrative Assistant, Neuroscience Graduate Program
C2095 Neuroscience
netina.finley@usuhs.edu
Phone (301) 295-3642
FAX (301) 295-1996
NES Primary Faculty
Denes V. Agoston, M.D., Ph.D.

Name: Denes V. Agoston, M.D., Ph.D.
Research Interests:
Traumatic brain injury and concussion
Biomarkers
Education
Max-Planck-Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Göttingen, Germany and Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary Ph.D. 08/1992 Neurochemistry
Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary D.Sc. 06/1996 Medical Science
Representative publications, projects, and/or deployments
- Fellow, International Training Course; Institute of Biochemistry, Biological Research Center of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Szeged, Hungary 1977-1980
- Lecturer, Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, University Medical School Szeged, Hungary 1976-1980
- Military service; First Lieutenant, Medical corps, 1978-1979
- Assistant Professor, Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, University Medical School, Szeged, Hungary 1980-1982
- Max-Planck-Fellow, Department of Neurochemistry, Max-Planck-Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Göttingen, Germany 1982-1988
- Visiting Scientist, Laboratory of Developmental Neurobiology, NICHD, NIH, Bethesda, MD 1988-1992
- Head, Unit on Molecular Control of Neurodifferentiation, LDN, NICHD, NIH, Bethesda, MD 1992-1998
- Associate Professor (tenured in 2001) Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Genetics, USUHS, Bethesda MD 1998-2012
- Professor, USUHS, Bethesda, MD 2010-present
- Guest Scientist, Karolinska Institute and Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden 2010-present
Bibliography
- Understanding the complexities of traumatic brain injury: A big data approach to a big disease. Agoston DV. Behav Brain Res. 2017 May 30. pii: S0166-4328(17)30622-8.
- Military Blast Injury and Chronic Neurodegeneration: Research Presentations from the 2015 International State-of-the-Science Meeting. Agoston DV et al. J Neurotrauma. 2017 Sep;34(S1):S6-S17
- Modeling the Long-Term Consequences of Repeated Blast-Induced Mild Traumatic Brain Injuries. Agoston, DV. J Neurotrauma. 2017 Sep;34(S1):S44-S52.
- Closed head experimental traumatic brain injury increases size and bone volume of callus in mice with concomitant tibial fracture. Brady RD et al. Sci Rep. 2016 Sep 29;6:34491
- Behavioral, blood, and magnetic resonance imaging biomarkers of experimental mild traumatic brain injury. Wright DK1 et al. Sci Rep. 2016 Jun 28;6:28713
- The effect of concomitant peripheral injury on traumatic brain injury pathobiology and outcome. McDonald SJ et al. J Neuroinflammation. 2016 Apr 26;13(1):90.
- Modeling the Neurobehavioral Consequences of Blast-Induced Traumatic Brain Injury Spectrum Disorder and Identifying Related Biomarkers. Agoston DV and Kamnaksh A Frontiers in Neuroengineering. 2015. Chapter 23.
- How to Translate Time? The Temporal Aspect of Human and Rodent Biology. Agoston, DV Front Neurol. 2017 Mar 17;8:92.
- Editorial: When Physics Meets Biology; Biomechanics and Biology of Traumatic Brain Injury. Agoston DV and Skold MK. Front Neurol. 2016 Jun 15;7:91.
- The Temporal Pattern of Changes in Serum Biomarker Levels Reveals Complex and Dynamically Changing Pathologies after Exposure to a Single Low-Intensity Blast in Mice. Ahmed F et al. Front Neurol. 2015 Mar 17;6:47.
Juanita J. Anders, M.S., Ph.D.

Name: Juanita J. Anders, M.S., Ph.D.
Research Interests:
light interaction with cells, tissues and organisms: photobiomodulation
CNS and PNS nerve regeneration; neuropathic pain therapeutics
Education
Ph.D. 1977 University of Maryland Medical School, MD Anatomy
M.S. 1972 Pennsylvania State University, PA Zoology
B.A. 1969 Wilkes University, PA Biology
POST-GRADUATE MEDICAL EDUCATION:
Specialty Year Institution
Post-Doctoral Fellow 1976 to 1980 NINCDS, NIH
Biography
Representative publications, projects, and/or deployments
- 1976 -1980 Postdoctoral Fellow, Laboratory of Neuropathology and Neuroanatomical Sciences, NINCDS, NIH; 1983 -1989 Assistant Professor, Department of Anatomy, USUHS .. 1989-2006 Associate Professor, Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Genetics, USUHS; 2006 -Present Professor, Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Genetics, USUHS; 2006- Present Professor of Neuroscience (Secondary), USUHS.
- 2011 Harold Chaffer Trust Visiting Professorship, University of Otago, New Zealand;
- 2014- 2015 President of the American Society of Lasers in Medicine and Surgery; 2016 Excellence in Education Award from the American Society of Lasers for Medicine and Surgery;
- The Chukuka Enwemeka Leadership Award in Photobiomodulation from the North American Association for Photobiomodulation Therapy (NAALT).
- Patent: Light promotes regeneration and functional recovery after spinal cord injury US 20060036299 A1 Application number US 11/022,314 Publication date Feb 16, 2006 Inventors Juanita Anders, Ilko Ilev, Ronald Waynant, Kimberly Byrnes
- Patent: Juanita J. Anders, USU and Nitto Denko Corp with USPTO (application # 61/547,267). Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) Low Power Light Therapy for Wound Healing (filed 2011)
- Patent: Light as a Replacement for Mitogenic Factors on Progenitor Cells #067400143 JJ Anders Co-Inventor, granted full patent status. United States Patent No. 9,205,276, issued on 12/8/2015.
- 2003- 2014 Editorial Board, Journal of Photomedicine and Laser Surgery; 2014- Present Senior Editor of Journal of Photomedicine and Laser Surgery; 2005- Present Editorial Board, Journal of Lasers in Surgery and Medicine 2016- Present Appointed Assistant Editor of Lasers in Surgery and Medicine 2009- Present Editorial Board, Journal of Lasers in Medical Science; 2015- Present Associate Editor of Lasers in Medical Science
Bibliography
- Holanda VM, M.C. Chavantes, X. Wu and J.J. Anders (2017) The mechanistic basis for photobiomodulation therapy of neuropathic pain by near infrared laser light. Lasers Surg. Med. 48: 653-659Published online in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com) January DOI 10.1002/lsm.22628
- Anders, J.J., A. K. Ketz and X. Wu (2017 Basic Principles of Photobiomodulation and Its Effects at the Cellular, Tissue, and System Levels. In: Laser Therapy in Veterinary Medicine: Photobiomodulation, First Edition. Edited by R. J. Riegel and J. C. Godbold, Jr., John Wiley & Sons Ltd. Published 2017 by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. Chp.5: 36 -51.
- Baxter, G.D., L. Liu, S. Petrich, A. Gisselman, C, Chapple, J. J. Anders and S. Tumilty (2017) Low level laser therapy (Photobiomodulation therapy) for breast cancer-related lymphedema: A systematic review. BMC Cancer 17: 833. doi: 10.1186/s12885-017-3852-x
- Anders, J.J. and X. WU (2016) Comparison of light penetration of continuous wave 810 nm and super-pulsed 904 nm wavelength light in anesthetized rats. Photomed. Laser Surg., 34 (9): 1–7 DOI: 10.1089/pho.2016.4137.
- Ketz, A. K., K.R. Byrnes, N. E. Grunberg, C. E. Kasper, L. Osborne, B. Pryor, N. L. Tosini, X. Wu, J.J. Anders (2017) Characterization of macrophage/microglial activation and effect of photobiomodulation in the spared nerve injury model of neuropathic pain. Pain Medicine (5): 932-946.
- Holanda VM, M.C. Chavantes, D.F. Silva, C.V. de Holanda, J.O. de Oliveira Jr., X. Wu, J.J. Anders (2016) Photobiomodulation of the dorsal root ganglion for the treatment of low back pain: A pilot study. Lasers Surg. Med., 48 (7):653-659. Published first online, Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com). DOI 10.1002/lsm.22522.
- Anders J.J., R. Lanzafame, P. R. Arany (2015) Low-Level Light/Laser Therapy Versus Photobiomodulation Therapy. Photomed. Laser Surg., 33 (4):183–184. DOI: 10.1089/pho.2015.9848. (Editorial).
- Wu, X., S. Alberico, E. Saidu, S. R. Khan, S. Zheng, R. Romero, H. S. Chae, S. Li, A. Mochizuki, J.J. Anders (2015) Organic light emitting diode irradiation improves diabetic cutaneous wound healing in rats. Wound Repair and Regen.,23 (1): 104–114.
- Tedford, C.E., S. DeLapp, S. Jacques and J.J. Anders (2015) Quantitative analysis of transcranial and intraparenchymal light penetration in human cadaver brain tissue. Lasers Surg. Med., 47(4): 312-322. Article first published online: 13 MAR 2015 | DOI: 10.1002/lsm.22343.
- Anders J.J., H. Moges, X. Wu, I. Erbele, S. Alberico, E. Saidu, J. Smith, and B. Pryor (2014) In vitro and in vivo optimization of infrared laser treatment for injured peripheral nerves. Lasers Surg. Med., 46: 34-45.
Regina C Armstrong, PhD
Name: Regina C Armstrong, PhD
Research Interests:
Traumatic Brain Injury
Multiple Sclerosis
Education
1982 University of Rochester, Rochester, NY B.S. in Neurosciences
Biography
Dr. Armstrong teaches in the first year medical student module on the nervous system and in several graduate student courses. Dr. Armstrong’s laboratory focuses on mechanisms of damage and repair in the brain and spinal cord. This work employs diverse research approaches, from molecular techniques to neuroimaging, to address ways to improve neuroregeneration and repair capacity in the CNS. Research efforts in her laboratory have been funded through peer-reviewed competitive awards from the NIH, the National Multiple Sclerosis Foundation, and the Department of Defense.
Dr. Armstrong’s research program has focused on cellular and molecular mechanisms of neuroregeneration. This work has taken from developmental studies and applied the techniques and approaches to examine repair after disease or injury. More specifically, her lab has extensive experience in white matter injury in multiple sclerosis models and in single and repetitive closed head injury models of mild traumatic brain injury.
Her research team uses diverse approaches including genetic mouse models, neural stem cell culture, immunohistochemistry, in situ hybridization, fluorescence imaging, magnetic resonance imaging and behavioral assessments. Our philosophy is that combining multiple independent techniques will result in more in-depth understanding and improved translational potential. Our work has also utilized collaborations to include analysis of human neuropathological specimens to validate aspects of our animal model studies.
Representative publications, projects, and/or deployments
- 2017-present Director of Translational Research, Center for Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine, USU
- 2008-2017 Director of Center for Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine, USU
- 2002-2008 Director, Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Neuroscience, USU
- 2017 Dean's Faculty Impact Award for Outstanding leadership of the Center for Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine
- 2011-2012 Prince Mahidol Scholar Fellowship Mentor, Thailand
- 2002 Outstanding Biomedical Graduate Educator, USU
- 2000 John Brinton Hill Award from American Registry of Pathologists
- 1999-2000 Sabbatical in Laboratory of Neurogenetics, NINDS/NIH
- 1987-1990 Intramural Research Training Award Postdoctoral Fellow, NINDS/NIH
- 1983-1987 National Science Foundation Predoctoral Fellow
Maria F Braga, D.D.S., Ph.D.

Name: Maria F Braga, D.D.S., Ph.D.
Research Interests:
Mechanisms Regulating Neuronal Excitability in the Amygdala: Relevance to Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders and New Therapeutic Strategies
Education
Ph.D. Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Strathclyde, Scotland, UK
Post Doctoral Fellow, University of Maryland School of Medicine, USA
Research Interests:
The amygdala, an almond-shaped structure in the midtemporal lobe, plays a central role in emotional behavior, as well as in modulating cognitive functions. Thus, the amygdala is a key component of the brain's neuronal networks that determine the emotional significance of external -and internal- events. Via reciprocal connections with the prefrontal cortex, the amygdala provides a neurobiological substrate through which emotions affect cognition (and vice versa). Via reciprocal connections with the hippocampus, as well as with other cortical and subcortical areas, the amygdala modulates memory functions, and mediates certain forms of memory. Furthermore, via efferent pathways to the hypothalamus, the amygdala can trigger the autonomic and endocrine cascades associated with the response to a stressful event. It is not surprising therefore, that many emotional/psychiatric disorders are associated with dysfunction of the amygdala. For example, anxiety disorders are associated with a hyperactive and/or hyperexcitable amygdala. One goal of the research program in our laboratory is to understand the mechanisms regulating neuronal excitability in the amygdala, and the alterations in these mechanisms in anxiety disorders. As the GABAergic and glutamatergic system are the primary determinants of neuronal excitability in the brain, we are using electrophysiological techniques (whole-cell patch-clamp, intracellular and field potential recordings), as well as molecular methods, to study the modulation of GABAergic and glutamatergic synaptic transmission in the amygdala of normal and fear-conditioned rats and mice. We also study plasticity of glutamatergic synaptic transmission (Long-Term Potentiation, LTP) in these animals, as LTP is considered to be the cellular mechanism for acquiring and consolidating information, and therefore alterations in synaptic plasticity can have a profound effect on the function of a brain region.
In addition to its role in emotional disorders, the amygdala also plays a central role in epilepsy. The basolateral nucleus of the amygdala (BLA), in particular, is highly prone to generating seizure activity, and, in many models of epilepsy, it is the focal point from where epileptic activity is spread to other brain areas, culminating in status epilepticus. The second research goal in our laboratory is to understand the role of the amygdala in epileptogenesis. Epileptogenesis is the process whereby, after an acute brain insult, such as traumatic brain injury, progressive pathophysiological alterations in neuronal networks occur that lead to the development of epilepsy. We recently identified an important mechanism regulating neuronal excitability and epileptic activity in BLA. We demonstrated that, in the rat BLA, kainate receptors containing the GluR5 subunit (GluR5KRs) regulate GABAergic inhibitory synaptic transmission via both postsynaptic and presynaptic mechanisms. The relevance of these findings to epilepsy is suggested by additional findings that a) activation of GluR5KRs can induce epileptiform activity in in vitro amygdala slices, and epilepsy in vivo, b) expression of these receptors is elevated in epileptic temporal lobe regions, in both humans and rats, c) GluR5-KRs are a primary target of a commonly used antiepileptic drug (topiramate), and d) GluR5-KR antagonists prevent limbic seizures. We are working on identifying the alterations in GABAergic and glutamatergic synaptic transmission, in the BLA, during the course of epileptogenesis, and determining whether changes in the function of GluR5KRs contribute to these alterations. We will also determine whether genetic elimination or pharmacological blockade of GluR5KRs can inhibit epileptogenesis. Unraveling the role of GluR5KRs in the pathogenesis of epilepsy may have significant implications for the discovery of antiepileptogenic drugs that have fewer side effects, as GluR5KR antagonist do not affect normal synaptic transmission and GluR5KRs are not widely distributed in the brain.
In summary, the goal of our research program is to provide the basic knowledge that is necessary for the development of effective therapeutic strategies aimed at preventing or treating certain neurological and psychiatric disorders where dysfunction of the amygdala plays a pivotal, causative role.
Biography
The lifetime prevalence of anxiety disorders (generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, social phobia, posttraumatic stress disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder) is already more than 20% in the general population, and it is only rising. The associated personal and societal burden is considerable. Available psychotropic drug treatments require careful selection and close patient monitoring, and are often ineffective or have serious adverse effects. Dr. Maria Braga and colleagues (APG USUHS) reported a novel mechanism associated with the generation and expression of anxiety, which may potentially lead to the development of new pharmacological treatments for anxiety disorders (The Journal of Neuroscience, 2014 Feb 26;34(9):3130-41).
This study was performed in Dr. Braga’s lab at USU with the participation of 3 neuroscience graduate students*, and was authored by Pidoplichko VI, Aroniadou-Anderjaska V, Prager EM*, Figueiredo TH, Almeida-Suhett CP*, Miller SL*, and Braga MFM. The Society for Neuroscience covered their paper entitled "ASIC1a Activation Enhances Inhibition in the Basolateral Amygdala and Reduces Anxiety" in a press release. The Press Release was also published in ScienceDaily which is one of the Internet's most popular science news web sites. Since starting in 1995, this award-winning site has earned the loyalty of students, researchers, healthcare professionals, government agencies, educators and the general public around the world. Now with more than 3 million monthly visitors, ScienceDaily generates nearly 15 million page views a month and is steadily growing in its global audience. Please see the press release at https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2014-02/sfn-iba022414.php or you may also contact Dr. Maria Braga to request a pdf copy of the SFN press release.
Below, please find other articles published by Maria's team elucidating new and important mechanisms regulating neuronal excitability in the amygdala, and the discussion of how alterations in these mechanisms play a critical role in anxiety disorders and epilepsy.
NIH Sponsored Selected Publications:
Pidoplichko VI, Aroniadou-Anderjaska V, Prager EM, Figueiredo TH, Almeida-Suhett CP, Miller SL, Braga MF. ASIC1a activation enhances inhibition in the basolateral amygdala and reduces anxiety. J Neurosci. 2014 Feb 26;34(9):3130-41.
Aroniadou-Anderjaska V, Pidoplichko VI, Figueiredo TH, Braga MFM. Oscillatory Synchronous Inhibition in the Basolateral Amygdala and its Primary Dependence on NR2A-containing NMDA Receptors. Neuroscience. 2018 Mar 1;373:145-158.
Pidoplichko VI, Prager EM, Aroniadou-Anderjaska V, Braga MF. α7-Containing nicotinic acetylcholine receptors on interneurons of the basolateral amygdala and their role in the regulation of the network excitability. J Neurophysiol. 2013 Nov;110(10):2358-69.
Aroniadou-Anderjaska V, Pidoplichko VI, Figueiredo TH, Almeida-Suhett CP, Prager EM, Braga MF. Presynaptic facilitation of glutamate release in the basolateral amygdala: a mechanism for the anxiogenic and seizurogenic function of GluK1 receptors. Neuroscience. 2012 Sep 27;221:157-69.
Williams LR, Aroniadou-Anderjaska V, Qashu F, Finne H, Pidoplichko V, Bannon DI, Braga MF. RDX binds to the GABA(A) receptor-convulsant site and blocks GABA(A) receptor-mediated currents in the amygdala: a mechanism for RDX-induced seizures. Environ Health Perspect. 2011 Mar;119(3):357-63.
PROJECT 2: EBBING GABA SUPPLY EXPLAINS WHY MILD TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY EFFECTS SLOW TO SHOW
About three quarters of people who suffer mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI)—such as soldiers who survive explosive device blasts and athletes concussed on the playing field—experience memory loss, lack of concentration, increases in anxiety, and changes in hippocampal function, even where no structural damage can be seen. In a consortium organized and led by Dr. Maria Braga (APG - USUSH) through the multi-institutional Center for Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine (CNRM), research teams from the NIMH (Lee Eiden, PhD, Chief, Section on Molecular Neuroscience and Zheng Li, PhD, Chief, Section on Synapse Development Plasticity) and the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS) (Maria F. Braga, DDS, PhD and Ann Marini, PhD, MD) have worked together to refine our understanding of how mTBI affects the brain. Working with rat models, the researchers were able to show that even one incident of mild controlled cortical impact (mCCI) can affect inhibitory interneurons’ ability to biosynthesize GABA. The resultant decrease in GABAergic tone subsequently disrupted synaptic transmission, which in turn increased anxiety. The experimenters further demonstrated that, because the loss of GABAergic function is gradual, the effects are frequently not observed until some time after an mTBI incident. These findings suggest that bolstering GABAergic neuronal function could possibly slow or even reverse deleterious changes that occur following mTBI.
Additionally, the USUHS and NIMH researchers used multi-read miRNA analysis (Dr. Li’s lab) and transcriptome microarray analysis, carried out by NIMH post-bac IRTA Cameron Waites (Pat Tilmon Scholar in residence 2013-2015; now completing medical training at Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston) to show that mCCI is immediately followed by cytokine-associated changes in non-neuronal brain compartments and in neuronal miRNA—changes that may be linked to later effects of mTBI on neuronal transmission. If the consortium receives support to continue its study of TBI, the researchers propose to test precisely how initial insult to the brain is linked neurochemically with the cascade that leads to decreased GABAergic function over a period of days, and to altered emotion and behavior over a period of weeks. Establishing and understanding causal links such as these is a first step toward the development of more effective treatments—and perhaps even to reversing adverse neuronal effects of traumatic brain injury.
This Research Program was described in an article in BrainWaves (2016), the NIMH in-house organ for disseminating information about intramural research, including collaborative research. You may contact Maria Braga to request a pdf copy of the BrainWaves article.
USUHS-NIMH CNRM-Sponsored Publications:
Figueiredo TH, Harbert CL, Pidoplichko V, Almeida-Suhett CP, Pan H, Rossetti K, Braga MFM, Marini AM. Alpha-Linolenic Acid Treatment Reduces the Contusion and Prevents the Development of Anxiety-Like Behavior Induced by a Mild Traumatic Brain Injury in Rats. Mol Neurobiol. 2018 Jan;55 (1):187-200.
Camila P. Almeida-Suhett, Eric M. Prager, Volodymyr Pidoplichko, Taiza H. Figueiredo, Ann M. Marini, Zheng Li, Lee E. Eiden, Maria F. M. Braga. GABAergic Interneuronal Loss and Reduced Inhibitory Synaptic Transmission in the Hippocampal CA1 Region after Mild Traumatic Brain Injury. Experimental Neurology Nov 2015(273):11–23.
Samal BB, Waites CK, Almeida-Suhett C, Li Z, Marini AM, Samal NR, Elkahloun A, Braga MF, Eiden LE. Acute Response of the Hippocampal Transcriptome Following Mild Traumatic Brain Injury After Controlled Cortical Impact in the Rat J Mol Neurosci. Oct 2015 (57)2:282-303.
Almeida-Suhett CP, Prager EM, Pidoplichko V, Figueiredo TH, Marini AM, Li Z, Eiden LE, Braga MF. Reduced GABAergic Inhibition in the Basolateral Amygdala and the Development of Anxiety-like Behaviors after Mild Traumatic Brain Injury. PLoS One. Jul 21, 2014(9)7:e102627.
Camila P. Almeida-Suhett, Zheng Li, Ann M. Marini, Maria F.M. Braga, and Lee E. Eiden.
Temporal Course of Changes in Gene Expression Suggests a Cytokine-Related Mechanism for Long-Term Hippocampal Alteration after Controlled Cortical Impact. J Neurotrauma Apr 1 2014 (31)7:683-690.
Zhonghua Hu, Danni Yu, Camila Almeida-Suhett, Kang Tu, Ann M. Marini, Lee Eiden,
Maria F. Braga, Jun Zhu, Zheng Li. Expression of miRNAs and Their Cooperative Regulation of the Pathophysiology in Traumatic Brain Injury. PLoS One 2012(7)6:e39357.
PROJECT 3: NEW DRUG STRIKES NERVE AGENT
Nerve agents are deadly chemical weapons that are presently a serious threat to military and civilian populations. Nerve agents have been used in the Iraq-Iran war, against Kurdish civilians, in terrorist attacks in Japan, and most recently, the world has witnessed, once again, the devastating effects of nerve agent attacks against civilians in Syria and in England. Currently FDA-approved medical countermeasures are inadequate in counteracting many of the acute intoxication symptoms, including arresting nerve agent-induced seizures (status epilepticus), and preventing brain damage, which leads to long-term neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders. Dr. Maria Braga and colleagues (APG USUHS) has discovered that Tezampanel (also known as LY- 293,558), an antagonist of the GluK1 Kainate Receptors and AMPA receptors, is very effective against nerve agent-induced seizures and neuropathology. Maria Braga conceived the initial idea in 2006, and obtained support from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) to demonstrate the proof-of-concept. Since then, and with continuous support from NINDS, Maria and her team have conducted extensive pre-clinical studies demonstrating the effectiveness of Tezampanel against these weapons of mass destruction, even when the drug was administered with a significant delay after exposure to a nerve agent. Encouraged by the very promising results of her investigations, Maria convinced Eli Lilly to form a new company (Proniras) to further develop Tezampanel. On Friday, April 25, 2018, it was announced that the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) has awarded a $89.5 million contract to Proniras for the advanced research development of Tezampanel (also known as LY- 293,558), for the treatment of nerve agent induced-seizures that are refractory to benzodiazepines. These further studies are likely to result in the development of a novel, safe and effective therapeutic treatment against nerve agent-induced seizures and brain damage that will enhance our treatment response capabilities during an emergency.
This Research Program was described in an article in DVIDS – Defense Visual Information Distribution Service (2018). DVIDS is a state-of-the-art, 24/7 operation owned by DMA (Defense Media Activity) that provides a timely, accurate and reliable connection between the media around the world and the military serving at home and abroad. Please see the press release at https://www.dvidshub.net/news/289618/new-drug-strikes-nerve-agent or you may contact Maria Braga to request a pdf copy of the DVIDS article.
NIH/DTRA Sponsored Selected Publications:
Figueiredo TH, Apland JP, Braga MFM, Marini AM. Acute and long-term consequences of exposure to organophosphate nerve agents in humans. Epilepsia. 2018 Oct;59 Suppl 2:92-99.
Apland JP, Aroniadou-Anderjaska V, Figueiredo TH, Pidoplichko VI, Rossetti K, Braga MFM. Comparing the Antiseizure and Neuroprotective Efficacy of LY293558, Diazepam, Caramiphen, and LY293558-Caramiphen Combination against Soman in a Rat Model Relevant to the Pediatric Population. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 2018 May;365(2):314-326
Aroniadou-Anderjaska V, Figueiredo TH, Apland JP, Prager EM, Pidoplichko VI, Miller SL, Braga MF. Long-term neuropathological and behavioral impairments after exposure to nerve agents. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2016 Jun;1374(1):17-28.
Prager EM, Aroniadou-Anderjaska V, Almeida-Suhett CP, Figueiredo TH, Apland JP, Rossetti F, Olsen CH, Braga MF. The recovery of acetylcholinesterase activity and the progression of neuropathological and pathophysiological alterations in the rat basolateral amygdala after soman-induced status epilepticus: relation to anxiety-like behavior. Neuropharmacology. 2014 Jun;81:64-74.
Prager EM, Figueiredo TH, Long RP 2nd, Aroniadou-Anderjaska V, Apland JP, Braga MF. LY293558 prevents soman-induced pathophysiological alterations in the basolateral amygdala and the development of anxiety. Neuropharmacology. 2015 Feb;89:11-8.
Prager EM, Pidoplichko VI, Aroniadou-Anderjaska V, Apland JP, Braga MF. Pathophysiological mechanisms underlying increased anxiety after soman exposure: reduced GABAergic inhibition in the basolateral amygdala. Neurotoxicology. 2014 Sep;44:335-43
Figueiredo TH, Aroniadou-Anderjaska V, Qashu F, Apland JP, Pidoplichko V, Stevens D, Ferrara TM, Braga MF. Neuroprotective efficacy of caramiphen against soman and mechanisms of its action. British Journal of Pharmacology 2011 Nov;164(5):1495-505.
Caroline A Browne, PhD
Name: Caroline A Browne, PhD
Research Interests:
Stress Neurobiology
Drug development for psychiatric disorders
Education
University College Cork, Cork, Ireland Ph.D. 2012 Pharmacology
University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA Postdoc 2016 Neuropharmacology
Biography
As a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Pennsylvania, my research focused on examining the pharmacological properties of novel antidepressants suitable for treatment-resistant patients that produce rapid clinical effects, including the mixed opioid analgesic buprenorphine and the NMDA antagonist ketamine. Under the guidance and in collaboration with Dr. Irwin Lucki, I developed a body of work detailing the effects of kappa opioid receptor antagonists and partial agonists in modulating depression, anhedonia and anxiety, ultimately culminating in several peer reviewed publications, including a highly cited review paper on ketamine’s acute and protracted action, which has had over 30000 views. I developed a passion for translational research during my graduate studies at the University College Cork, Ireland, under the excellent supervision of Dr. John F. Cryan. During this time, I conducted a wide range of projects related to stress, anxiety and depression; including evaluation of neurotransmitters and behavior in several rodent strains following chronic dietary manipulation of tryptophan, immunological challenge and stress. Collaborations with other research groups during this time were highly successful and extended my training in molecular biology techniques. As a Senior Research Scientist with GlaxoSmithKline, I held responsibility for the validation and characterization of animal models of sepsis and the discovery of relevant biomarkers to evaluate the success of preclinical trials for BET inhibitors, small molecules targeting epigenetic regulation of inflammatory mediators. Additionally, I established a line of work to assess potential underlying mechanisms mediating cognitive decline and the development of depression following recovery from septic encephalopathy. Prior to moving to the University of Pennsylvania, I spent a brief time with the biotechnology company Alimentary Health screening probiotics as potential therapeutics to alleviate anxiety. This research effort involved the identification of potential probiotics using cell-based screens, and evaluation of these probiotics following immune stimulation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients and healthy controls in double blind phase II clinical trials.
Currently, my research efforts at the Uniformed Services University are focused on discovering physiological and molecular markers of rapid-acting antidepressant compounds. The contribution of pharmacogenetics and sex differences in modulating treatments of psychiatric disorders are central to my research efforts.
Bibliography
- 1. Authement ME, Langlois LD, Shepard RD, Browne CA, Lucki I, Kassis H, Nugent FS. A role for corticotropin-releasing factor signaling in the lateral habenula and its modulation by early-life stress. Science Signaling, 2018 Mar 6; 11(520). pii: eaan6480. PMID: 29511121
- 2. Browne CA, Falcon E, Robinson SA, Berton O, Lucki I. Reversal of Stress-Induced Social Interaction Deficits by Buprenorphine. International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology, 2018, Feb 1;21(2):164-174. PMID: 29020387
- 3. Erickson RL, Browne CA, Lucki I Hair corticosterone measurement in mouse models of type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Physiology & Behavior, 2017, pii: S0031-9384(16)30843-5. PMID: 28188737
- 4. Browne CA, Erickson RL, Blendy JA, Lucki I Genetic variation in the behavioral effects of buprenorphine in female mice derived from a murine model of the OPRM1 A118G polymorphism. Neuropharmacology. 2017 117:401-407 PMID: 28089708
- 5. Robinson SA, Erickson RL, Browne CA, Lucki I. A role for the mu opioid receptor in the antidepressant effects of buprenorphine. Behavioral Brain Research. 2016 Nov 3; 319:96-103. PMID: 27818236
- 6. Falcon E*, Browne CA*, Leon R, Fleites V, Sweeney R, Kirby LG, Lucki I. Antidepressant-like effects of buprenorphine are mediated by kappa opioid receptors. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2016 Aug;41(9):2344-51 PMID: 26979295
- 7. Browne CA, van Nest DS, Lucki I. Antidepressant-like effects of buprenorphine in rats are strain dependent. Behavioral Brain Research. 2015. 278C: p. 385-392. PMID: 25453747
- 8. Browne CA, Hanke J, Rose C, Walsh I, Foley T, Clarke G, Schwegler H, Cryan JF, Yilmazer-Hanke DM, Effect of acute swim stress on plasma corticosterone and brain monoamine levels in bidirectionally selected DxH recombinant inbred mouse strains differing in fear recall and extinction. Stress. 2014. 17(6): p. 471-83. PMID: 25117886
- 9. Arnold SE, Lucki I. Brookshire BR, Carlson GC, Browne CA, Kazi H, Bang S, Choi BR, Chen Y, McMullen MF, Kim SF. High fat diet produces brain insulin resistance, synaptodendritic abnormalities and altered behavior in mice. Neurobiology of Disease. 2014 Mar 29; 67C: 79-87. PMID: 24686304
- 10. Browne CA and Lucki I. Mechanisms mediating the antidepressant-like effects of Ketamine: Screening for Fast-Acting Novel Antidepressants. Frontiers in Pharmacology. 2013 Dec 27; 4:161 PMID: 24409146
Howard J. Bryant, AB, MA, PhD

Name: Howard J. Bryant, AB, MA, PhD
Research Interests:
Electrophysiology of Smooth Muscle
Education
1965 M.S. (Physics), San Diego State College, San Diego, California
1973 Ph.D. (Physics), University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona
Representative publications, projects, and/or deployments
- 1965 , NASA Graduate Traineeship , University of Arizona, Department of Physics
- 1972, NIH Post Doctoral Trainee and NIH Post Doctoral Fellow, University of Arizona, College of Medicine, Department of Physiology
- 1976, Research Associate, Marine Biomedical Institute of University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Texas
- 1978, Assistant Professor, Department of Physiology, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD.
- 1985, Associate Professor, Department of Physiology, F. Hebert School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD.
- 2000, Associate Professor, Department of Anatomy, Physiology & Genetics, F. Hebert School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD
Bibliography
- Helina Moges, Xingjia Wu, Jennifer McCoy, M. Vasconcelos, Howard Bryant, Neil E. Grunberg and Juanita J. Anders. Effect of 810 nm Light on Nerve Regeneration After Autograft Repair of Severely Injured Rat Median Nerve. Lasers in Surgery and Medicine, Vol 43, Num 9, 901 - 906, Nov ( 2011).
- Pamnani, MB, Bryant, HJ, Clough, DL ,and Schooley, JF. Increased dietary potassium and magnesium attenuate experimental volume dependent hypertension possibly through endogenous sodium-potassium pump inhibitor. Clin Exp Hypertens. Feb;25(2):103-15, (2003).
- Donald D. Rigamonti, Howard J. Bryant, Osvaldo Bustos, Leon Moore, Helene M. Hoffman. Implementing Anatomic VisualizeR Learning Modules in Anatomy Education, In: The Third Visible Human Project Conference Proceedings, R.A. Banvard, Ed. (ISSN 1524-9008, Published as a CD.) (2000)
- Haddy, F.J., Pamnani, M.B., and Bryant, H.J. Cardiovascular actions of 6-iodo-amiloride. In: Diuretics II Chemistry, Pharmacology and Clinical Applications, Ed. J.B. Puschett, P. 629-631 (1987)
- Gruener, R., Bryant, H.J., Markovitz, D., Huxtable, R. and Bressler, R. Ionic actions of taurine on nerve and muscle membranes: Electrophysiologic studies. In: Taurine, Ed. R. Huxtable and A. Barbeau, Raven Press, New York, (1976)
Barrington G. Burnett, PhD

Name: Barrington G. Burnett, PhD
Research Interests:
Protein degradation, ubiquitin signaling and neurodegeneration
Education
MA (Chemistry) - Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, 2000
BS (Chemistry) - Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, 1998
Biography
Current research projects include (i) elucidating the signaling cascade that modulate the stability of the survival motor neuron (SMN) protein, which is deficient in spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), (ii) investigating the role of proteasome dynamics in traumatic brain injury, (iii) identifying small molecule therapeutics to treat neurological disorders using mouse models and (iv) identifying new genes associated with hereditary neurological disorders. These projects are designed to reveal novel clinical entities and therapeutic targets for treating disorders of the nervous system.
Bibliography
- Moritz KE, McCormack NM, Abera MB, Viollet C, Yauger YJ, Sukumar G, Dalgard CL, Burnett BG. The role of the immunoproteasome in interferon--mediated microglial activation. Scientific Reports, 2017 Aug 24;7(1):9365.
- Abera MB, Xiao J, Nofziger J, Titus S, Southall N, Zheng W, Moritz KE, Ferrer M, Cherry JJ, Androphy EJ, Wang A, Xu X, Austin C, Fischbeck KH, Marugan JJ, Burnett BG. ML372 blocks SMN ubiquitination and improves spinal muscular atrophy pathology in mice. JCI Insight. 2016 Nov 17;1(19):e88427.
- Foran E, Kwon DY, Nofziger JH, Arnold ES, Hall MD, Fischbeck KH, Burnett BG. CNS uptake of bortezomib is enhanced by P-glycoprotein inhibition: Implications for spinal muscular atrophy. Neurobiology of Diseases. 2016; Apr;88:118-24.
- Bricceno KV, Martinez T, Leikina E, Duguez S, Partridge TA, Chernomordik LV, Fischbeck KH, Sumner CJ, Burnett BG. Survival motor neuron protein deficiency impairs myotube formation by altering myogenic gene expression and focal adhesion dynamics. Human Molecular Genetics, 2014; 23(18):4745-57.
- Landouré G, Zhu P, Johnson JO, Bricceno KV, Rinaldi C, Meilleur KG, Sangaré M, Diallo O, Ishiura H, Hein N, Stoll M, Britton A, Züchner S, Fink J, Nicholson G, Durr A, Stevanin G, Biesecker L for the NIH Intramural Sequencing Center, Tsuji S, Traynor BJ, Traoré M, Blackstone C, Fischbeck KH, Burnett BG: Mutation in C19orf12 causes hereditary spastic paraplegia type 43. Human Mutation, 2013; 34(10):1357-60.
- Kwon DY, Dimitriadi M, Cable C, Hart AC, Chitnis A, Fischbeck KH, Burnett BG: The E3 ubiquitin ligase mind bomb 1 ubiquitinates and promotes the degradation of survival of motor neuron protein. Molecular Biology of the Cell, 2012; 24(12):1863-71.
- Bricceno K, Sampognaro PJ, Van Meerbeke JP, Sumner CJ, Fischbeck KH, Burnett BG: Histone deacetylase inhibition suppresses myogenin-dependent atrogene activation in spinal muscular atrophy mice. Human Molecular Genetics 2012; 21, 4448-4459.
- Landouré G, Knight M, Stanescu H, Taye AA, Shi Y, Hernandez D, Elkahloun A, Vincent A, Willcox N, Kleta R, Fischbeck KH, Burnett BG: A candidate gene for autoimmune myasthenia gravis. Neurology, 2012;79:342-347.
- Kwon DY, Motley WW, Fischbeck KH, Burnett BG: Increasing expression and decreasing degradation of smn ameliorate the spinal muscular atrophy phenotype in mice. Human Molecular Genetics 2011;20:3667-3677. (*cover illustration)
Kimberly Byrnes, PhD

Name: Kimberly Byrnes, PhD
Research Interests:
Brain and spinal cord trauma
Inflammation
Education
Postdoctoral Fellowship 2003-2004 Uniformed Services University
PhD 2003 Uniformed Services University
BS 1997 University of Pittsburgh
Representative publications, projects, and/or deployments
- Associate Professor with Tenure, Uniformed Services University 2014
- Assistant Professor, Uniformed Services University 2009
- Research Assistant Professor, Georgetown University 2007
Bibliography
- Von Leden RE, Khayrullina G, Moritz KE, Byrnes KR. Age exacerbates microglial activation, oxidative stress, inflammatory and NOX2 gene expression, and delays functional recovery in a rodent model of spinal cord injury. J Neuroinflammation; 2017, In Press.
- Brabazon F, Wilson CM, Jaiswal S, Frey WH II, Byrnes KR. Intranasal insulin treatment of an experimental model of moderate traumatic brain injury. J Cerebral Blood Flow Metab, 2017. In Press.
- Brabazon F, Wilson CM, Shukla DK, Mathur S, Jaiswal S, Bermudez S, Byrnes KR, Selwyn R. [18F]FDG-PET combined with diffusion MRI enhances the detection of traumatic brain injury in rats. J Neurotrauma. 2017; 34(5):1074-1085.
- Von Leden RE, Yauger YJ, Khayrullina G, Byrnes KR. Central Nervous System Injury and NADPH Oxidase: Oxidative Stress and Therapeutic Targets. J Neurotrauma, 2017; 34(4):755-764.
- von Leden RE, Selwyn RG, Jaiswal S, Wilson CM, Khayrullina G, Byrnes KR. 18F-FDG PET imaging of injured rat spinal cord reveals depressed glucose uptake correlating with lesion volume and functional recovery. Neurosci Letters. 2016; 621:126-32.
- Selwyn RG, Cooney SJ, Khayrullina G, Hockenbury N, Wilson CM, Jaiswal S, Bermudez S, Armstrong RC, Byrnes KR. Outcome after repetitive mild traumatic brain injury is temporally related to glucose uptake profile at time of second injury. J Neurotrauma. 2016; 33:1479-91.
- Khayrullina G, Bermudez S, Byrnes KR. Inhibition of NOX2 reduces locomotor impairment, inflammation and oxidative stress after spinal cord injury. J Neuroinflammation. 2015, 12:172.
- Cooney SJ, Bermudez-Sabogal SL, Byrnes KR. Cellular and temporal expression of NADPH oxidase (NOX) isotypes after brain injury. J Neuroinflammation, 2013 10:155.
Brian M. Cox, Ph.D.

Name: Brian M. Cox, Ph.D.
Research Interests:
Neuropharmacology - opiate drugs & substance use disorderds
Traumatic brain injury - mechanisms & biomarkers
Education
B.Sc. in Pharmacolopy, Chelsea College of Science & Technology, University of London, London, United Kingdom, 1962
Biography
For most of his career Dr. Cox's research has focused on characterizing the receptors utilized by opiate drugs and their endogenous ligands, and in defining potential physiological and pathophysiological roles for endogenous opioids and other neuropeptides. His lab is currently studying factors affecting peptide and receptor expression, and changes at the cellular level induced by drugs of abuse, severe stress, or neural injury. He now leads the Biomarkers Group of the USU/NIH Center for Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine, evaluating neurochemical mechanisms underlying traumatic brain injury and potential biomarkers for TBI.
Dr. Cox has been a member of the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (ASPET) since 1976. He served as Secretary/Treasurer of (1997-2000), and was elected President of ASPET for 2009-2010. He chaired the ASPET Board of Publications Trustees from 2002-2007. He has served on the Editorial Boards of the Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (1998 – present), Molecular Pharmacology (1981-1994), and Molecular Interventions (2000-2002). Dr. Cox was a member of the ASPET Scientific Program Committee from 1986-1990 and Chaired the Program Committee from 1990-1996. He served as ASPET’s representative to the Experimental Biology Program Committee from 1991-1994 and served on the Experimental Biology Board from 1996-1999 (as Chairman for 1998-1999). He is currently serving a second term as a member of the Board of Directors of the Federation of American Societies of Experimental Biology.
Dr. Cox was the ASPET representative to the International Advisory Committee for the 1998 International Union of Pharmacology (IUPHAR) Congress in Munich, Germany, and chaired the IUPHAR World Congress of Pharmacology Scientific Program Committee for the 2002 meeting, held in San Francisco, CA. He is also a member of the British Pharmacological Society, the Society for Neuroscience, the AAAS, the American Society for Neurochemistry, and the International Narcotics Research Conference (for which he served as President from 1994-1998).
Representative publications, projects, and/or deployments
- Assistant Dean for Graduate Education, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda MD 20814, since 2014
- Director, Biospecimen Repository, Center for Neuroscience & Regenerative Medicine, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda MD 20814, since 2009
- Professor of Pharmacology, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda MD 20814, since 1981
- Associate Director for Research, Addiction Research Foundation, Stanford, California, 94305, 1977-1981
- Consulting Associate Professor of Pharmacology, Stanford University, Stanford CA, 94305. 1978 - 1981
- Research Associate, Director, Laboratory Research Group, Addiction Research Foundation, Stanford, California, 94305, 1973-1977
- Lecturer (British System) in Pharmacology, Chelsea College, University of London, London, United Kingdom, 1965-1973
- Nicholas Research Fellow, St. Mary's Hospital Medical School, University of London, London, United Kingdom, 1962-1965
Bibliography
- Cox, B.M. and Weinstock, M. Quantitative studies of the antagonism by nalorphine of some of the actions of morphine-like analgesic drugs. Br. J. Pharmac. 22:289-300, 1964.
- Cox, B.M. and Osman, O.H. Inhibition of the development of tolerance to morphine in rats by drugs which inhibit ribonucleic acid or protein synthesis. Br. J. Pharmac. 38:157-170, 1970.
- Cox, B.M., Opheim, K., Teschemacher, H.-J. and Goldstein, A. A peptide-like substance from pituitary that acts like morphine. 2. Purification and properties. Life Sci. 16:1777-1782, 1975.
- Goldstein, A., Cox, B.M., Klee, W.A., and Nirenberg, M. Endorphin from pituitary inhibits cyclic AMP formation in homogenates of neuroblastoma X glioma hybrid cells. Nature 265:362-363, 1977.
- Whitnall, M.H., Gainer, H., Cox, B.M. and Molineaux, C.J. Dynorphin A(1-8) is contained within vasopressin neurosecretory vasicles in rat pituitary. Science 222:1137-1139, 1983.
- Faden, A.I., Molineaux, C.J., Rosenberger, J.G., Jacobs, T.P. and Cox, B.M. Endogenous opioid immunoreactivity in rat spinal cord following traumatic injury. Ann. Neurol. 17:386-390, 1985.
- Werling, L.L., Puttfarcken, P.S. and Cox, B.M. Multiple agonist-affinity states of opioid receptors: regulation of binding by guanyl nucleotides in guinea pig cortical, NG108-15, and 7315c cell membranes. Mol. Pharmacol. 33:423-431, 1988.
- Marti M, Mela F, Fantin M, Zucchini S, Brown JM, Witta J, Di Benedetto M, Buzas B, Reinscheid RK, Salvadori S, Guerrini R, Romualdi P, Candeletti S, Simonato M, Cox BM and Morari M. Blockade of nociceptin/orphanin FQ transmission attenuates symptoms and neurodegeneration associated with Parkinson’s disease. J. Neuroscience 25: 9591-9601, 2005.
- Authement ME, Kodangatil JN, Gouty S, Rusnak M, Symes AJ, Cox BM, Nugent F. Histone deacetylase inhibition rescues maternal deprivation-induced GABAergic metaplasticity through restoration of AKAP signaling. Neuron 86: 1240-1252, 2015.
- Authement M, Kassis H, Langlois L, Gouty S, Dacher M, Sheopard R, Cox BM & Nugent FS. Morphine-induced synaptic abnormalities in the VTA are reversed by HDAC inhibition. J. Neurophysiol. 116(3): 1093-1103, 2016.
Clifton L Dalgard, PhD, CLS
Name: Clifton L Dalgard, PhD, CLS
Research Interests:
Population Genomics
Neuroscience
Regina M Day, Ph.D.
Name: Regina M Day, Ph.D.
Education
Ph.D. Tufts University, Boston, MA, USA
Biography
My laboratory is dedicated to understanding normal tissue repair processes and how the repair process is altered in fibrotic remodeling. Normal tissue regeneration for wound healing is a critical focus of research for the military as well as for the medical field in general. The long term goal of my laboratory is to understand the mechanism of fibrotic repair and to identify therapeutic agents to prevent and/or treat this disease. The lung provides an excellent model system for investigation, since it is uniquely sensitive to chemicals and radiation that produce well-defined stages of injury, inflammation, attempted repair, and repair failure/remodeling. Lung fibrosis is a progressive disease with no treatments and poor prognosis. Our laboratory uses in vivo animal models and in vitro primary cell cultures to systematically elucidate the mechanisms of tissue regeneration and fibrotic remodeling at the molecular, biochemical, cellular, and tissue levels.
Radiation countermeasures for the lung and hematopoietic systems and radiation biology:
• Radiation countermeasures for both the hematopoietic and lung tissues. Radiation-induced lung injury is a late effect of radiation, whereas hematopoietic injuries are an acute radiation injury. Because of the Department of Defense’s interest in protection against both acute and delayed injuries, we were requested to develop a murine model for both the hematopoietic and pulmonary injuries, and to test radiation countermeasures in both systems. My laboratory developed an animal model system incorporating both hematopoietic and lung radiation injuries. We have determined the mechanism of action of captopril protection in both tissues, as a part of the requirement for radiation countermeasure development under the Animal Rule for the FDA. We are currently expanding our testing of captopril in the minipig model of radiation acute injuries.
• My laboratory developed a cell culture system for studying the molecular mechanisms of radiation-induced senescence in normal (non-transformed, non-immortalized) cells. Our research demonstrated for the first time that normal lung and skin cells primarily undergo accelerated senescence, and not apoptosis, in response to radiation. We identified an early cellular response to radiation is the induction of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) and the activation of its receptor (IGF-1R). These novel and provocative observations prompted us to hypothesize that senescence is the precipitating state for radiation pathology.
Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) signaling for tissue repair and suppression of fibrosis:
• My laboratory has identified novel signaling pathways for HGF-induced normal tissue repair mechanisms. HGF expression is required for normal tissue repair, and HGF can redirect repair away from fibrotic remodeling to induce normal tissue regrowth. To understand how HGF can accomplish this, my research team investigated signal transduction mechanisms for HGF suppression of apoptosis in epithelial and endothelial cells that is induced during fibrosis. We next investigated the mechanisms by which HGF expression is suppressed during fibrotic remodeling. We recently uncovered a novel mechanism by which miRNA regulates HGF mRNA half-life under fibrotic conditions. This research led to the identification of potential novel anti-fibrotic treatment strategies.
• My laboratory developed a synthetic peptide based on other proteins that bind the HGF receptor, MET. The structural complexity of the full length HGF structure has prevented its development as a pharmaceutical agent, and full length HGF has not been successfully produced in sufficient quantities for clinical use. A patent was submitted by the USU/HJF JOTT based on these findings. Our laboratory currently aims to improve the design of this protein, to improve stability and increase receptor affinity.
Representative publications, projects, and/or deployments
- 12/2016 – present Vice Chair USUHS School of Medicine Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Therapeutics
- 7/2014- present Professor USUHS School of Medicine Primary Appointment Department of Pharmacology
- 11/2014 Adjunct Professor Georgetown University School of Medicine Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine
- 2/2010- 7/2014 Associate Professor USUHS School of Medicine Primary Appointment Department of Pharmacology
- 7/2004-1/2010 Tenure Track Assistant Professor USUHS School of Medicine Primary Appointment Department of Pharmacology
- 1/2004-6/2004 Research Assistant Professor Georgetown Univ. School of Medicine Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine
- 8/1999-12/2004 Research Assistant Professor Tufts-New England Medical Ctr Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine Div
- Postdoctoral Fellow NIH, NCI, Lab of Cellular, Molecular Biology
Bibliography
- Landauer, M.R., Harvey, A.J., Kaytor, M.D., Day, R.M. (2019) Mechanism and therapeutic window of a genistein nanosuspension to protect against hematopoietic-acute radiation syndrome. J. Radiat. Res. In press.
- McCart, E.A., Lee, Y.H., Jha, J., Mungunsukh, O., Rittase, W.B., Summers, T.A., Muir, J., Day R.M. (2019) Delayed captopril administration mitigates hematopoietic injury in a murine model of total body irradiation. Sci Reports, 9: 2198.
- Bylicky, M.A., Mueller, G.P., Day, R.M. (2019) Radiation resistance of normal human astrocytes: role of non-homologous end joining DNA repair activity. J Radiat Res. 60: 37-50.
- Corey, S.J., Jha, J., McCart, E.A., Rittase, W.B., George, J., Mattapallil, J.J., Mehta, H., Ognoon, M., Bylicky, M.A., Summers, T.A., Day, R.M. (2018) Captopril mitigates splenomegaly and myelofibrosis in the Gata1low murine model of myelofibrosis. J Cell Mol Med, 22: 4274-4282.
- Du, Y., Banas, R.A., McCart, E.A., George, J., Oakley, K., Han, Y., Landauer, M.R., Day, R.M. (2018) Effect of human amnion-derived multipotent progenitor cells on hematopoietic recovery after total body irradiation in C57BL/6 mice. Int J Radiat Res, 16:155-168.
- Zhao*, J., Day*, R.M., Jin, J-Y., Quint, L., Williams, H., Ferguson, C., Yan, L., King, M., Albsheer, A., Matuszak, M., Kong, S-M. (2017) Thoracic radiation-induced pleural effusion and risk factors in patients with lung cancer. Oncotarget, 8: 97623-32.
- McCart, E.A., Lombardini, E., Mog, S.R., Panganiban, R.A.M., Dickson, K.M., Mansur, R.A., Nagy, V., Kim, S-Y., Selwyn, R., Landauer, M.R., Darling, T.N., Day, R.M. (2017) Accelerated senescence in a murine model of radiation-induced skin injury. J Radiat Res, 58: 636-646.
- Brzezniak, C., Oronsky, B., Trepel, J., Summers, T.A. Jr., Cabrales, P., Lee, M.J., Day, R., Jha, S., Caroen, S, Zeman, K, Ferr,y L, Harmer, C, Oronsky, N, Lybeck, M, Lybeck, HE, Brown, JF, Reid, T.R., Carter, C.A. RRx-001 Priming of PD-1 Inhibition in the Treatment of Small Cell Carcinoma of the Vagina: A Rare Gynecological Tumor. Case Rep Oncol. 2017;10:276-280.
- Mungunsukh, O., Lee, Y.H., Bottaro, D.P., Day, R.M. (2016) The hepatocyte growth factor isoform NK2 activates motogenesis and survival but not proliferation due to lack of Akt activation. Cell Signal, 28, 1114-23.
- Barshishat-Kupper, M., McCart E.A., Freedy, J.G., Tipton A.J., Nagy V., Kim, S.-Y., Landauer, M.R., Mueller G.P., Day R.M. (2015) Protein oxidation in the lungs of C57BL/6J mice following X-irradiation. Proteomes, 3, 249-265.
Patricia A. Deuster, PhD, MPH

Name: Patricia A. Deuster, PhD, MPH
Research Interests:
Human Performance, Dietary Supplements, Physical Fitness
Community Engagement, Total Force Fitness
Education
College of William and Mary M.A. 05/1978 Physical Ed/Education
University of Maryland Ph.D. 051982 Nutr Sci & Biochem
USUHS School of Medicine Post-Doc 07/1982 Physiology
USUHS School of Medicine M.P.H. 12/1995 Epidemiology
Biography
Dr. Deuster chairs the Department of Defense (DoD) Dietary Supplement Subcommittee, is a member of the DoD Food and Nutrition Subcommittee, serves on the DoD Human Performance Optimization Committee, the VA/DoD Health Executive Committee Women's Health Work Group, the DoD Nutrition Committee, and the DoD Population Health Working Group. She is a Fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine, a Certified Nutrition Specialist, and has over 200 peer-reviewed papers and numerous book chapters and books relating to human performance with a focus on health, total force fitness, nutrition, dietary supplements, physical performance, and exertional-related health events. In addition she has developed multiple educational materials related to human performance and total force fitness: Visit the CHAMP Human Performance Resource Center (hprc-online.org) and Operation Supplement Safety (OPSS.org) websites. Dr. Deuster is a member of the Order of Military Medical Merit and received the Special Operations Medical Researcher Award from the Special Operations Medical Association in 2014.
Representative publications, projects, and/or deployments
- 2012 - Present Director, Consortium for Health and Military Performance, A Defense Center of Excellence, Department of Military and Emergency Medicine, USUHS, Bethesda, MD
- 2000 - Present Professor of Military and Emergency Medicine, USUHS, Bethesda, MD
- 1989 - 2000 Associate Professor of Military and Emer Medicine & Neuroscience, USUHS, Bethesda, MD
Bibliography
- Van Wagoner RM, Eichner A, Bhasin S, Deuster PA, Eichner D. Chemical Composition and Labeling of Substances Marketed as Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators and Sold via the Internet. JAMA. 2017;318(20):2004-2010.
- Russell A, Deuster PA. Human Performance Optimization and Precision Performance: The Future of Special Operations Human Performance Efforts. J. Spec. Oper. Med. 2017;17(1):80-89.
- Nelson DA, Deuster PA, Kurina LM. Sickle Cell Trait and Rhabdomyolysis among U.S. Army Soldiers. N. Engl. J. Med. 2016;375(17):1696.
- Higgins JP, Babu K, Deuster PA, Shearer J. Energy Drinks: A Contemporary Issues Paper. Curr Sports Med Rep. 2018 Feb;17(2):65-72.
- de la Motte SJ, Gribbin TC, Lisman P, Murphy K, Deuster PA. Systematic Review of the Association Between Physical Fitness and Musculoskeletal Injury Risk: Part 2-Muscular Endurance and Muscular Strength. J. Strength Cond. Res. 2017;31(11):3218-3234
- Cohen PA, Travis JC, Keizers PHJ, Deuster P, Venhuis BJ. Four experimental stimulants found in sports and weight loss supplements: 2-amino-6-methylheptane (octodrine), 1,4-dimethylamylamine (1,4-DMAA), 1,3-dimethylamylamine (1,3-DMAA) and 1,3-dimethylbutylamine (1,3-DMBA). Clin. Toxicol. (Phila.). 2017:1-6.
- Kazman JB, Scott JM, Deuster PA. Using item response theory to address vulnerabilities in FFQ. Br J Nutr. 2017 Sep;118(5):383-391.
- Givens ML, Deuster PA, Kupchak BR. CHAMP Symposium on Androgens, Anabolic Steroids, and Related Substances: What We Know and What We Need to Know. Mil. Med. 2016;181(7):680-686.
- Magee CD, Witte S, Kwok RM, Deuster PA. Mission Compromised? Drug-Induced Liver Injury From Prohormone Supplements Containing Anabolic-Androgenic Steroids in Two Deployed U.S. Service Members. Mil. Med. 2016;181(9):e1169-1171.
- Chatham-Stephens K, Taylor E, Chang A, et al. Hepatotoxicity associated with weight loss or sports dietary supplements, including OxyELITE Pro - United States, 2013. Drug Test Anal. 2017;9(1):68-74.
Martin L Doughty, Ph.D.
Name: Martin L Doughty, Ph.D.
Research Interests:
Neuroscience
Molecular and Cell Biology
Education
1990 BSc with honours in Biological Sciences, Birmingham, United Kingdom
Biography
Representative publications, projects, and/or deployments
- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/myncbi/collections/bibliography/49487758/?reload=settingSaved
Ying-Hong Feng, M.D., Ph.D

Name: Ying-Hong Feng, M.D., Ph.D
Research Interests:
Receptor structure-function & signaling; Epigenome editing & transcription regulation
Translational research in neurodegenerative diseases, mood disorder, cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases
Education
1990-1994, Ph.D., Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
1994-1997, Postdoctoral, Molecular Cardiology, Cleveland Clinic Foundation
Biography
Representative publications, projects, and/or deployments
- Feng YH, Li X, Zeng R, Gorodeski GI. Endogenously Expressed Truncated P2X7 Receptor Lacking the C-Terminus is Preferentially Upregulated in Epithelial Cancer Cells and Fails to Mediate Ligand-Induced Pore Formation and Apoptosis. Nucleosides Nucleotides Nucleic Acids. 25:1271-6 (2006)
- Feng YH, Li X, Zeng R, Gorodeski GI. Endogenously expressed truncated P2X7 receptor lacking the C-terminus is preferentially upregulated in epithelial cancer cells and fails to mediate ligand-induced pore formation and apoptosis. Nucleosides Nucleotides Nucleic Acids. 25(9-11):1271-6 (2006)
- Chen M, Wang T, Liao ZX, Pan XL, Feng YH, Wang H. Nicotine-induced prenatal overexposure to maternal glucocorticoid and intrauterine growth retardation in rat. Exp Toxicol Pathol. 59: 245-51 (2007)
- 30. Zhang X, Wang G, Dupre DJ, Feng Y, Robitaille M, Lazartigues E, Feng YH, Hebert TE, Wu G. Rab1 GTPase and dimerization in the cell surface expression of angiotensin II type 2 receptor. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 330(1):109-17 (2009)
- 31. Guo J, Li ZC and Feng YH. Expression and activation of the reprogramming transcription factors. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 390(4):1081-6 (2009)
- 32. Zhang J, Villacorta L, Chang L, Fan Z, Hamblin M, Zhu T, Chen CS, Cole MP, Schopfer FJ, Deng CX, Garcia-Barrio MT, Feng YH, Freeman BA, Chen YE. Nitrated oleic acid inhibits Angiotensin II-induced hypertension. Circ Res, 107(4):540-8 (2010)
- 34. Day RD, Lee YH, Han L, Kim YC, Feng YH. Angiotensin II activates AMPK for execution of apoptosis through energy-dependent and -independent mechanisms. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol, 301(5):L772-81 (2011)
- 35. Wang TT, Chen M, Liu L, Cheng H, Yan YE, Feng YH*, Wang H. Nicotine induces a single CpG methylation in the StAR promoter: a potential mechanism for reduced StAR expression and cortisol production. Toxicol and Applied Pharmacol. 257(3):328-37 (2011) *Co-senior author
- 37. Wang H, Yin H, Yan F, Sun M, Du L, Peng W, Li Q, Feng Y, Zhou Y. Folate-mediated mitochondrial targeting with doxorubicin-polyrotaxane nanoparticles overcomes multidrug resistance. Oncotarget. 6(5):2827-42 (2015).
- 38. Li K, Pang J, Cheng H, Wei-Peng Liu WP, Chen MK, Yun Luo Y, Di JM, Zhang H, Huang WT, Li LY, Shao CK, Feng YH*, Gao X. Manipulation of prostate cancer metastasis by locus-specific modification of the CRMP4 promoter region using chimeric TALE DNA methyltransferase and demethylase. Oncotarget. 6(12):10030-44 (2015) *Co-senior author
Bibliography
- Feng YH, Saad Y and Karnik SS. Reversible Inactivation of AT2 Angiotensin II Receptor from Cysteine-Disulfide Bond Exchange. FEBS Letters 484, 133-138 (2000)
- Feng YH, Sun Y, and Douglas JG. G??-Independent Constitutive Association of Gs? with SHP-1 and Angiotensin II Receptor AT2 Is Essential in AT2-mediated Activation of SHP-1. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 99:12049-12054 (2002)
- Wang Q, Li X, Wang L, Feng YH, Zeng R, Gorodeski GI. Anti-apoptotic effects of estrogen in normal and in cancer human cervical epithelial cells. Endocrinology 145:5568-79 (2004)
- Wang Q, Wang L, Feng YH, Li X, Zeng R, Gorodeski GI. P2X7-receptor-mediated apoptosis of human cervical epithelial cells. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol. 287:C1349-58 (2004)
- Wang L, Feng YH, Gorodeski GI. EGF facilitates epinephrine inhibition of P2X7-receptor pore formation by modulating 2-adrenoceptor internalization and recycling: a signaling network. Endocrinology 146:164-74 (2005)
- Feng YH, Zhou LY, Sun Y, and Douglas JG. Functional Diversity of AT2 Receptor Orthologues in Closely related Eutherian. Kidney Intl 67:1731-8 (2005)
- eng YH, Wang L, Wang Q, Li X, Zeng R, Gorodeski GI. ATP ligation stimulates GRK-3 - mediated phosphorylation and -arrestin-2- and dynamin-dependent internalization of the P2X7-receptor. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol. 288:C1342-56 (2005)
- Feng YH, Zhou L, Qiu R, and Robin Zeng. Single mutations at Asn295 and Leu305 in the cytoplasmic half of TM7 of the AT1 receptor induce promiscuous agonist specificity for angiotensin II fragments - A PSEUDO-CONSTITUTIVE ACTIVITY. Mol Pharmacol 68:347-55 (2005)
- Feng YH, Ding Y, Ren S, Xu C, Karnik SS. Unconventional homologous internalization of the AT1 receptor induced by G protein-independent signals. Hypertension 46:419-25 (2005)
- Feng YH, Li X, Wang L, Zhou L, Gorodeski GI. A truncated P2X7 receptor variant (P2X7-j) endogenously expressed in cervical cancer cells antagonizes the full-length P2X7 receptor through hetero-oligomerization. J Biol Chem. 281:17228-37 (2006)
Yuanyi Feng, MD, PhD

Name: Yuanyi Feng, MD, PhD
Research Interests:
Cerebral cortical neurogenesis
Genome stability and cell differentiation; neuroprogenitor vascular interaction
Education
PhD: Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
Postdoc Training: Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
Representative publications, projects, and/or deployments
- 2017 - Associate Professor, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences-F. Edward Hébert School of Medicine
- 2006 - 2017 Assistant Professor, Department of Neurology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
- 2002 - 2006 Instructor, Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School
- Current grant support: R01, NIH/NINDS, Functions of filamin in brain development and diseases (2015 - 2020)
Bibliography
- Lanctot, A.A., Guo, Y., Le Y., Edens, B.M., Nowakowski, R.S., and Feng, Y. 2017. Loss of Brap Results in Premature G1/S Phase Transition and Impeded Neural Progenitor Differentiation. Cell Rep. 20(5): 1148-60
- Houlihan, S.L.*, Lanctot, A.A.*, Guo, Y. and Feng, Y. 2016. Upregulation of neurovascular communication through filamin abrogation promotes ectopic periventricular neurogenesis. eLife,5: e17823. *These authors contributed equally
- Houlihan, S.L. & Feng, Y. 2014. The scaffold protein Nde1 safeguards the brain genome during S phase of early neural progenitor differentiation. eLife 3: e03297.
- Lanctot, A.A., Peng, C., Pawlisz, A.S., Joksimovic, M., and Feng, Y. 2013. Spatially-dependent Dynamic MAPK Modulation by the Nde1-Lis1-Brap Complex Patterns Mammalian CNS. Dev. Cell 25: 241-55 *featured article; F1000 recommend article
- Pawlisz, A.S. and Feng, Y. 2011. Three-dimensional Regulation of Radial Glial Functions by Lis1-Nde1 and Dystrophin Glycoprotein Complexes. PLoS Biol. 9(10):e1001172
- Alkuraya, F.S*, Cai, X*., Emery, C., Mochida, G. H., Al DosariM. S., FelieJ. M., Hill, R.S., Barry, B.J., Partlow, J.N., Gascon, G. G., Kentab, A., Jan, M., Shaheen, R., Feng, Y., †, and Walsh, C.A† 2011. NDE1 is mutated in extreme microcephaly, and is required for cell cycle progression through phosphorylation on its C-terminus. Am J Hum Genet. 88: 536-47 *These authors contributed equally; † Co-corresponding author
- Pawlisz, A.S., Mutch, C., Wynshaw-Boris, A., Chenn, A., Walsh, C.A. and Feng, Y. 2008. LIS1-Nde1 Dependent Neuronal Fate Control Determines Cerebral Cortical Size and Lamination. Hum Mol Genet. 17: 2441-55
- Feng, Y., Chen, M.H., Moskowitz, I., Mendonza,A.M., Vidali, L., Nakanura, F., Kwiatkowski, D.J., and Walsh, C.A. 2006. Filamin A is Required for Cell-Cell Contact in Vascular Development and Cardiac Morphogenesis. Proc Natl Acad Sci. 103: 19836-41
- Feng, Y. and Walsh, C.A. 2004. Mitotic Spindle Regulation by Nde1 (mNudE) Controls Cerebral Cortical Size. Neuron, 44: 279-93 * Featured article; F1000 recommended article
- Feng, Y., Olson, E.C., Stukenberg, P.T., Flanagan, L.A., Kirschner, M.W. and Walsh, C.A. 2000. Interactions Between LIS1 and mNudE, a Central Component of the Centrosome, are Required for CNS Lamination. Neuron 28: 665-679; * Featured article
Zygmunt Galdzicki, Ph.D., M.Sc.
Name: Zygmunt Galdzicki, Ph.D., M.Sc.
Research Interests:
Neuroscience
Molecular and Cell Biology
Education
Academy of Medicine, Wroclaw, Poland, Ph.D.
Laboratory of Neurosciences, NIA, NIH, Postdoctoral
Biography
1987 Research Fellow, postdoctoral studies in electrophysiology under supervision of Dr. Franco Conti, Institute of Cybernetics and Biophysics, CNR, Genova- Camogli, Italy.
1990-1994 Visiting Associate, Laboratory of Neurosciences, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD.
1994-1999 Chief, Unit on Cell Pathophysiology, Laboratory of Neurosciences, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD.
2000-2004 Assistant Professor Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Genetics, USUHS, School of Medicine, Bethesda MD.
2004-2012 Associate Professor Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Genetics, USUHS, School of Medicine, Bethesda MD.
2012-present Professor, Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Genetics (Primary appointment), Neuroscience and Molecular and Cell Biology Program (Secondary appointments), USUHS, School of Medicine, Bethesda MD.
Representative publications, projects, and/or deployments
- L. Chakrabarti, T.K. Best, N.P. Cramer, R.S. Carney, J.T. Isaac, Z. Galdzicki, T.F. Haydar, Olig1 and Olig2 triplication causes developmental brain defects in Down syndrome. Nat Neurosci. 2010, 13(8):927-34.
- J. Keck-Wherley, D. Grover, S. Bhattacharyya, X. Xu, D. Holman, E.D. Lombardini, R. Verma, R. Biswas, Z. Galdzicki, Abnormal microRNA expression in Ts65Dn hippocampus and whole blood: contribution to Down syndrome phenotypes, Developmental Neuroscience 2011, 33(5):451-67.
- N. Cramer, Z Galdzicki From abnormal hippocampal synaptic plasticity in Down syndrome mouse models to cognitive disability in Down syndrome. Neural Plast. 2012:101542. doi: 10.1155/2012/101542.
- JA Rusiecki, C Byrne, Z Galdzicki, V Srikantan, L Chen, M Poulin, L Yan, A Baccarelli PTSD and DNA methylation in select immune function gene promoter regions: a repeated measures case-control study of U.S. military service members, Front Psychiatry. 2013 Jun 24;4:56.
Bibliography
- Olmos-Serrano JL, Kang HJ, Tyler WA, Silbereis JC, Cheng F, Zhu Y, Pletikos M, Jankovic-Rapan L, Cramer NP, Galdzicki Z, Goodliffe J, Peters A, Sethares C, Delalle I, Golden JA, Haydar TF, Sestan N., Down Syndrome Developmental Brain Transcriptome Reveals Defective Oligodendrocyte Differentiation and Myelination, Neuron. 2016 Mar 16;89(6):1208-22.
- Logue OC, Cramer NP, Xu X, Perl DP, Galdzicki Z., Alterations of functional properties of hippocampal networks following repetitive closed-head injury. Exp Neurol. 2016 Mar;277:227-43.
- Cramer NP, Xu X, F Haydar T, Galdzicki Z., Altered intrinsic and network properties of neocortical neurons in the Ts65Dn mouse model of Down syndrome. Physiol Rep. 2015 Dec;3(12).
- Cramer NP, Xu X, Christensen C, Bierman A, Tankersley CG, Galdzicki Z., Strain variation in the adaptation of C57Bl6 and BALBc mice to chronic hypobaric hypoxia. Physiol Behav. 2015, 143:158-65.
- C. Harashima, D.M. Jacobowitz, J. Witta, R.C. Borke, T.K. Best, R.J. Siarey, Z. Galdzicki, Abnormal expression of the G-protein-activated inwardly rectifying potassium channel 2 (GIRK2) in hippocampus, frontal cortex, and substantia nigra of Ts65Dn mouse: a model of DS, J of Comp.Neurobiology 2006 494(5):815-833.
- R.J. Siarey, A. Kline-Burgess, M. Cho, A. Balbo, T.K. Best, C. Harashima, E. Klann, Z. Galdzicki Altered signaling pathways underlying abnormal hippocampal synaptic plasticity in the Ts65Dn mouse model of Down Syndrome, J Neurochem. 2006 98(4):1266-1277.
- T.K. Best, R.J. Siarey, Z. Galdzicki Ts65Dn, a mouse model of Down syndrome, exhibits increased GABAB induced potassium current. J Neurophysiol. 2007 97: 892-900.
- Olson LE, Roper RJ, Sengstaken CL, Peterson EA, Aquino V, Galdzicki Z, Siarey R, Pletnikov M, Moran TH, Reeves RH. Trisomy for the Down syndrome 'critical region' is necessary but not sufficient for brain phenotypes of trisomic mice. Hum Mol Genet., 2007, 16: 774-782.
- L. Chakrabarti, Z. Galdzicki, T.F. Haydar Defects in embryonic neurogenesis and initial synapse formation in the forebrain of the Ts65Dn mouse model of Down syndrome. J Neurosci. 2007 27:11483-11495.
- K-H. Baek, A. Zaslavsky , R.C. Lynch, C. Britt, Y. Okada, R.J. Siarey, M.W. Lensch, I.H. Park, S.S. Yoon, T. Minami, J.R. Korenberg, R. Reeves, J. Folkman, W.C. Aird, Z. Galdzicki, S. Ryeom, Down's syndrome suppression of tumour growth and the role of the calcineurin inhibitor DSCR1. Nature 2009; 459:1126-30.
Neil E Grunberg, PhD

Name: Neil E Grunberg, PhD
Research Interests:
Leadership
Stress, PTS, TBI, Addictive Behaviors
Education
M.A. (1977), M.Phil. (1979), and Ph.D. (1980) degrees in Physiological and Social Psychology, Columbia University
Doctoral training in Pharmacology, Columbia University’s College of Physicians & Surgeons under a National Research Service Award (1976-79).
Biography
Dr. Grunberg earned baccalaureate degrees in Medical Microbiology and Psychology from Stanford University (1975); earned M.A. (1977), M.Phil. (1979), and Ph.D. (1980) degrees in Physiological and Social Psychology from Columbia University; and received doctoral training in Pharmacology at Columbia University’s College of Physicians & Surgeons under a National Research Service Award (NRSA, 1976-79). Dr. Grunberg helps train physicians, psychologists, and nurses to serve in the Armed Forces or Public Health Service, and scientists for research positions. He has published 200 papers addressing behavioral medicine, stress, and leadership. Dr. Grunberg has received awards from the U.S. Surgeon General, CDC, FDA, American Psychological Association, NIH, Society of Behavioral Medicine, and USU. He has served as President of the USU Faculty Senate and has chaired USU committees including: Strategic Planning; Manpower; Health, Safety, and Wellness; Appointment, Promotions, and Tenure. Outside USU, he has chaired Working Groups for the MacArthur Foundation and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. In 2015, Dr. Grunberg was selected as a Presidential Leadership Scholar (PLS).
Dr. Grunberg and his research group (see www.usuhs.edu/faculty/grunberg) study leadership, stress (psychological and physical, including mTBI and PTSD), and appetitive behaviors (including nicotine, alcohol, caffeine, and food consumption). His teaching includes topics in leadership, social psychology, psychobiology, behavioral neuroscience, and sports psychology.
Dr. Grunberg has supervised 36 doctoral dissertations in Medical Psychology, Clinical Psychology, and Neuroscience, and has served on many master and doctoral degree committees. He currently is training a GSN Ph.D. student. In addition, he mentors faculty members in MEM in his role as MEM Director of Faculty Development.
Representative publications, projects, and/or deployments
- Fellow, American Psychological Association, Academy of Behavioral Medicine Research, Society of Behavioral Medicine
- Member, Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco, Association of Psychological Science, Sigma Xi, Society for Neuroscience, Academy of Medicine of Washington, D.C.
- Scientific consultant to Maryland Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Resource Center, Maryland Smoking Cessation Quitline (MD Quit), and Maryland State Mental Health and Substance Abuse treatment programs
- Editorial board of Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior, and contributing reviewer to F1000 (an electronic biomedical research journal source).
- American Psychological Association's Outstanding Contributions to Health Psychology (1989)
- Centers for Disease Control Awards (1988, 1990), US Surgeon General's Medallion (1990), US FDA Research Award (2005)
- USU Outstanding Biomedical Graduate Educator Award (1999, 2008), USU Center for Health Disparities Building Partnerships for Better Health Award (2006), USU Carol J. Johns Award to enhance USU programs, faculty, and reputation (2007) USU Cinda Helke Award for Graduate Student Advocacy (2008)
- United States Presidential Leadership Scholar (2015)
- F1000 Faculty Member of the Year (2016) in Pharmacology & Drug Discovery
- Co-chair/co-founder (2020), Healthcare Leadership Community, International Leadership Association
Bibliography
- O'Connor, F.G., Grunberg, N.E., Kellermann, A.L., & Schoomaker, E. (2015). Leadership education and development at the Uniformed Services University. Military Medicine, 180(4S), 147-152.
- Yarnell, A.M., Barry, E.S., Mountney, A., Shear, D., Tortella, F., & Grunberg, N.E. (2016). The revised neurobehavioral severity scale (NSS-R) for rodents. Current Protocols in Neuroscience, 75: 9.52.1-9.52.16.
- Eklund, K.E., Barry, E.S., Grunberg, N.E. (2017). Gender and Leadership. In A. Alvinius (Ed.), Gender Differences in Different Contexts. InTech, 129-150.
- Yarnell, A.M., & Grunberg, N.E. (2017). “Developing ‘Allostatic leaders’: A Psychobiosocial Perspective,” in M. Clark & C.W. Gruber (Eds.), Leader Development Deconstructed, Cham, Switzerland: Springer International Publishing, 23-50.
- Grunberg, N.E., Barry, E.S., Kleber, H.G., McManigle, J.E., & Schoomaker, E.B. (2018). Charting a course for leader and leadership education and development in American medical schools. MedEdPublish, 7(1), 37-40, https://doi.org/10.15694/mep.2018.0000037.1.
- Grunberg, N.E., Barry, E.S., Callahan, C.W., Kleber, H.G., McManigle, J.E., & Schoomaker, E.B. (2018). A conceptual framework for leader and leadership education and development. International Journal of Leadership in Education. Pp 1- 7.
- Callahan, C., & Grunberg, N.E. (2019). Military medical leadership. In O’Connor, F., Schoomaker, E., & Smith, D. (Editors). Fundamentals of military medical practice. Washington, DC: Borden, 51-66.
- Grunberg, N.E., & Barry, E.S. (2019). Effective communication. In J.F. Quinn, & B.A. White (Eds.), Cultivating Leadership in Medicine. Dubuque, IA: Kendall Hunt Publishing Company, 77-89.
- Barry, E.S., & Grunberg, N.E. (2019). Healthcare teams. In J.F. Quinn & B.A. White (Eds.), Cultivating leadership in medicine. Dubuque, IA: Kendall Hunt Publishing Co., 117-130.
- Lowe, J.B., Barry, E.S., & Grunberg, N.E., (2020). Improving leader effectiveness across multi-generational workforces. Journal of Leadership Studies. 14(1), 1-7. https://doi.org/10.1002/jls.21681.
Sharon L Juliano, B.A., OTR, PhD

Name: Sharon L Juliano, B.A., OTR, PhD
Research Interests:
Traumatic Brain Injury
Toxic effects on neural development
Education
Occupational Therapy Advanced Degree - U of Pennsylvania
Doctor of Philosophy - U of Pennsylvania
Representative publications, projects, and/or deployments
- Flexnor Award for Outstanding Research, Institute for Neurological Sciences Philadelphia, PA, 1981.
- Recipient of Cajal Club, Cortical Explorer Award for Excellence in Research, 1992.
- Simpson Award, given by iiFAR (Incurably ill for Animal Research), 1992.
- Distinguished Service Medal, awarded by the Department of Defense for service to USUHS, 1998.
- Simpson Award, given by iiFAR (Incurably ill for Animal Research), 1992.
- Henry Wu Award for Excellence in Research, USUHS, Bethesda MD, 2011.
- Outstanding Service Medal, awarded by the Department of Defense for service to USUHS & CNRM, Bethesda MD 2012.
- Award for Education in Neuroscience, awarded by the Society for Neuroscience, 2012.
- Chair, USCRC (IBRO North American Regional Committee), 2013- present.
- Organizer Teaching Tools Workshops in Africa, 2008-2017
Bibliography
- Schwerin SC, Hutchinson EB, Radomski KL, Ngalula KP, Pierpaoli CM, Juliano SL. Establishing the ferret as a gyrencephalic animal model of traumatic brain injury: Optimization of controlled cortical impact procedures. J Neurosci Methods. 2017 May 9. pii: S0165-0270(17)30129-2. doi: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2017.05.010. [Epub ahead of print].
- Elizabeth B. Hutchinson, Alexandru V. Avram, M. Okan Irfanoglu, C. Guan Koay, Alan S. Barnett, Miki E. Komlosh, Evren Ozarslan, Susan C. Schwerin, Sharon L. Juliano and Carlo M. Pierpaoli. Cross-model analysis of noise, experimental design and model parameters for diffusion MRI in the fixed mouse brain. Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, in press.
- Trentini, J.F., O’Neill, J.T., Juliano, S.L., Prenatal CO exposure results in abnormal migration of interneurons into the cerebral cortex, Neurotoxicology. Mar;53:31-44. doi: 10.1016/j.neuro.2015.11.002. Epub 2015 Nov ‘’’’;12. 2016.
- Poluch, S. and Juliano, S.L. Fine tuning of neurogenesis is essential for the evolutionary expansion of the cerebral cortex, Cerebral Cortex, 25: 346-64, 2015.
- Abbah, J., Braga M. F., and Juliano, S. L. Targeted disruption of layer 4 during development increases GABAA receptor neurotransmission in the neocortex, J Neurophysiol, Jan;111(2):323-35, 2014.
- Abbah, J. and Juliano, S.L. Altered kinetic behavior underlies redistribution of interneurons in a model of cortical dysplasia: the influence of elevated GABAA activity, Cerebral Cortex, 24: 2297-308, 2014.
- Poluch, S. and Juliano, S.L., Distinct populations of radial glial cells respond differently to reelin and neuregulin1 in a ferret model of cortical dysplasia, PLoSOne. Oct 28;5(10):e13709, 2010.
- Corbin, J., Gaiano, N., Juliano, S.L., Poluch, S., Stancik, E., Haydar, T. Regulation of neural progenitor cell development in the nervous system. J. Neurochem. 106:2272-87, 2008.
- Poluch, S., Jablonska, B., and Juliano, S.L. Alteration of tangential migration and GABA phenotype in a ferret model of cortical dysplasia. Cerebral Cortex, Epub 2007 Apr 18; 18:78-92, 2008.
- Poluch, S. and Juliano, S.L. A normal radial glial scaffold is necessary for tangential migration during neocortical development. Glia, 55: 822-830, 2007.
Jason Lees, PhD
Name: Jason Lees, PhD
Research Interests:
Determining new targets for therapy of autoimmune disease
T cell biology and trafficking
Education
2004 Ph.D. Immunology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
Biography
Representative publications, projects, and/or deployments
- W.M. Keck Postdoctoral Program in Molecular Medicine at Washington University Fellowship: W.M. Keck Postdoctoral Program in Molecular Medicine Washington University School of Medicine
- National Multiple Sclerosis Society Fellowship
Bibliography
- Clark AA, Nurmukhambetova S, Li X, Munger SD, Lees JR#. Odorants specifically modulate chemotaxis and tissue retention of CD4+ T cells via cyclic adenosine monophosphate induction. Journal of Leukocyte Biology, 2016 Oct;100(4):699-70
- Li X, Lees JR. Pre-existing central nervous system lesions negate cytokine requirements for regional experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis development. Immunology, 2013 Mar;138(3):208-15.
- Lees JR, Golumbek PT, Sim J, Russell JH. Regional CNS responses to IFN-gamma determine lesion localization patterns during EAE pathogenesis. Journal of Experimental Medicine 2008 Oct 27; 205(11):2633-42
Irwin Lucki, Ph.D.
Name: Irwin Lucki, Ph.D.
Research Interests:
Neuropharmacology
Antidepressant drugs
Education
1976 M.A. University of Iowa, Psychology
1979 Ph.D. University of Iowa, Biopsychology
Postgraduate Training:
1979-1981 Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Psychopharmacology Training Program, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania
Biography
Cryan, J.F., Valentino, R.J. and Lucki, I. Assessing substrates underlying the behavioral effects of antidepressants using the modified rat forced swimming test. Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews, 2005, 29:547-569.
Valentino, R.J., Lucki, I. and Van Bockstaele, E. Corticotropin-releasing factor in the dorsal raphe nucleus: Linking stress coping and addiction. Brain Research, 2010, 1314:29-37. PMC2819581
Ho, N., Sommers, M.S. and Lucki, I. Effects of diabetes on hippocampal neurogenesis: Links to cognition and depression. Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews, 2013, 37:1346-1362. PMC3788092
Browne, C.A. and Lucki, I. Mechanisms mediating the antidepressant-like Lucki, I. The spectrum of behaviors influenced by serotonin. Biological Psychiatry, 1998, 44:151-162.
Page, M.E., Cryan, J.F., Sullivan, A., Dalvi, A. and Lucki, I. Behavioral and neurochemical effects of EMD 68843: A combined selective inhibitor of serotonin reuptake and partial 5-HT1A receptor agonist. Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, 2002, 302:1-8.
Carr, G.V. and Lucki, I. The role of serotonin receptor subtypes in treating depression: A review of animal studies. Psychopharmacology, 2011, 213:265-287. PMC3374933
Carr, G.V., Schechter, L.E. and Lucki, I. Antidepressant and anxiolytic effects of
selective 5-HT6 receptor agonists in rats. Psychopharmacology, 2011, 213:499-507. PMC2910165
effects of ketamine: Screening for fast-acting novel antidepressants. Frontiers in Neuropharmacology, 2013, 4:161, 1-18. PMC3873522.
Mayorga, A.J., Dalvi, A., Page, M.E., Zimov-Levinson, S., Hen R. and Lucki, I. Antidepressant-like behavioral effects in 5-HT1A and 5-HT1B receptor mutant mice. Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, 2001, 298:1101-1107.
Cryan, J.F., O’Leary, O.F., Jin, S.-H., Friedland, J.C., Ouyang, M., Hirsch, B.R., Page, M.E., Dalvi, A., Thomas, S.A. and Lucki, I. Norepinephrine deficient mice lack responses to antidepressant drugs, including SSRIs. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2004, 101:8186-8191.
O’Leary, O.F., Bechtholt, A.J., Crowley, J.J., Valentino, R.J. and Lucki, I. The role of noradrenergic tone in the dorsal raphe nucleus of the mouse in the acute behavioral effects of antidepressant drugs. European Neuropsychopharmacology, 2007, 17:215-226.
Balu, D.T., Turner, J.R., Brookshire, B.R., Hill, T.E., Blendy, J.A. and Lucki, I. Brain monoamines and responses to antidepressant drugs in MRL/MpJ versus C57BL/6J and mice. Neuropharmacology, 2013, 67:503-510. PMC437180
Cryan, J.F., Markou, A. and Lucki, I. Assessing antidepressant-like activity in laboratory animals: Recent developments and future needs. Trends in Pharmacological Sciences, 2002, 23(5): 238-245.
Crowley, J.J. and Lucki, I. Opportunities to discover genes regulating depression and antidepressant response from rodent behavioral genetics. Current Pharmaceutical Design, 11:157-169, 2005.
Bechtholt, A.J., Valentino, R.J. and Lucki, I. Overlapping and distinct brain regions associated
with the anxiolytic effects of chlordiazepoxide and chronic fluoxetine. Neuropsychopharmacology, 2008, 33:2117-2130.
Carr, G.V., Bangasser, D.A., Bethea, T., Young, M., Valentino, R.J. and Lucki, I. Antidepressant-like effects of kappa opioid receptor antagonists in Wistar-Kyoto rats. Neuropsychopharmacology, 2010, 35(3):752-63. PMC2813986
Price, M. L., Curtis, A.L., Kirby, L.G., Valentino, R.J. and Lucki, I. Biphasic effects of corticotropin-releasing factor on brain serotonergic activity. Neuropsychopharmacology, 1998, 18:492-502.
Price, M.L. and Lucki, I. Regulation of serotonin release in the lateral septum and striatum by corticotropin-releasing factor. Journal of Neuroscience, 2001, 21:2833-2841.
Howard, O., Carr, G.V., Hill, T.E., Valentino, R.J. and Lucki, I. Differential blockade of CRF-evoked behaviors by depletion of norepinephrine and serotonin. Psychopharmacology, 2008, 199:569-82. PMC2744742
Snyder, K.P., Hill-Smith, T.E., Lucki, I. and Valentino, R.J. Corticotropin-releasing factor in the rat dorsal raphe nucleus promotes different forms of behavioral flexibility depending on social stress history. Neuropsychopharmacology, 2015, 40:2517-25. PMCID in process.
Carr, G.V., Bangasser, D.A., Bethea, T., Young, M., Valentino, R.J. and Lucki, I. Antidepressant-like effects of kappa opioid receptor antagonists in Wistar-Kyoto rats. Neuropsychopharmacology, 2010, 35(3):752-63. PMC2813986
Falcon, E., Maier, K., Robinson, S.A. and Lucki, I. Effects of buprenorphine on behavioral tests for antidepressant and anxiolytic drugs in mice. Psychopharmacology, 2015, 232:907-915. PMC4326609
Browne, C.A., van Nest, D. and Lucki, I. Antidepressant-like effects of buprenorphine in rats are strain dependent. Behavioural Brain Research, 2015, 278:385-392. PMC4382376
Falcon, E., Browne, C.A., Leon, R.M., Fleites, V.C., Sweeney, R., Kirby, L.G. and Lucki, I. Antidepressant-like effects of buprenorphine are mediated by kappa opioid receptors. Neuropsychopharmacology, 2016, 41(9):2344-2351. PMC4946065
A full bibliography of over 170 peer-reviewed publications is available at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/myncbi/irwin.lucki.1/bibliography/45296221/public/?sort=date&direction=ascending.
Representative publications, projects, and/or deployments
- 2007 - present, Principal Field Editor, Psychopharmacology
- 1995 - present, Editorial Advisory Board, Neuropsychopharmacology
- 2014 – present, Editorial Advisory Board, Neurobiology of Stress
- Buprenorphine for Depression and Anxiety.PI. NIMH, R01 MH92412, 2012-2018. Total direct costs = $1,250,000. The goal of this grant is to examine animal models supporting the development of buprenorphine for the clinical treatment of depression and anxiety.
- Kappa Receptor Antagonists as Rapid Acting Antidepressants. PI. NIMH, R01 MH105623, 2016-2020. Total direct costs = $1,000,000. The goal of this grant is to study animal models supporting the development of novel kappa receptor antagonists for the clinical treatment of mood disorders.
- Training Program in Neuropsychopharmacology. NIMH, T32 MH14654-34-38, 1978-2021. I was Training Program Director at the University of Pennsylvania 1992-2016.
- Regulation of Hippocampal Neurogenesis by Antidepressants. PI. NIMH, R01 MH86599, 2009-2015.
- Biology of Serotonin in Brain; Program Project Grant: Irwin Lucki, Ph.D., Program Director (1994-2007). NIMH, PO1-MH-48125.
- Regulation of Neurogenesis by Stress and Antidepressants. Program Director. National Cooperative Drug Discovery Group involving University of Pennsylvania and Wyeth Neuroscience. U01-MH 72832, 2005-2009.
Bibliography
- 2016- present Professor (with tenure) and Chair, Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Therapeutics, Uniformed University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda MD
- 2016-present Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Uniformed University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda MD
- 1996-2016 Professor of Psychology in Psychiatry (with tenure), Depts. of Psychiatry and Pharmacology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia PA
- 1990-1996 Associate Professor of Psychology in Psychiatry (with tenure), Depts. of Psychiatry and Pharmacology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia PA
- 1989-1990 Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia PA
- 1984-1990 Assistant Professor of Psychology in Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia PA
- 1981-1984 Research Associate, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia PA
Ann M. Marini, Ph.D., M.D.

Name: Ann M. Marini, Ph.D., M.D.
Research Interests:
neuroprotection, neurodegeneration, traumatic brain injury, nutraceuticals, neuroplastic effects
Biography
Joseph T McCabe, B.A., M.S., M.Phil., Ph.D.

Name: Joseph T McCabe, B.A., M.S., M.Phil., Ph.D.
Research Interests:
Traumatic Brain Injury
Behavioral Neuroscience
Education
Rutgers College Bachelor of Arts June 1974
New Brunswick, New Jersey
University of Wisconsin Master of Science in December 1976
Oshkosh, Wisconsin Clinical Psychology
City University of New York Master of Philosophy July 1983
New York, New York Doctor of Philosophy in
Neuropsychology
Biography
Representative publications, projects, and/or deployments
- The Rockefeller University Postdoctoral Fellow (1983-July 1985), Research Associate (July 1985-June 1987), Assistant Professor (July 1987-August 1989)
- Program Director for Neuroprotection and Modeling, The Center for Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine, USUHS, 2008-present
- Professor of Neuroscience (Secondary) August 1998-present
- Professor of Molecular & Cell Biology (Secondary) August 1998-present
- First recipient of the University’s, F. Edward Hébert School of Medicine, Outstanding Biomedical Graduate Educator Award, May 16, 1998
- USUHS President’s Outstanding Service Medal, May 21, 2012
- F. Edward Hébert School of Medicine Impact Award, 2015
Bibliography
- McCabe, J.T., Moratz, C., Liu, Y., Egan, R., Chen, H., Liu, J., Budinich, C., Burton, E. E., Danquah, J.K., Myers, M. Animal models for the study of military-related, blast-induced traumatic brain injury. IEEE Xplore, Biomedical Sciences and Engineering Conference (BSEC), 25-26 May 2010, 1–4, Digital Object Identifier: 10.1109/BSEC.2010.5510803, Date of Current Version: 15 July 2010
- Budinich, C.S., Chen, H., Lowe, D., Rosenberger, J.G., Bernstock, J.D., McCabe, J.T. Mouse brain PSA-NCAM levels are altered by graded controlled cortical impact injury, Neural Plasticity, 2012, Volume 2012, Article ID 378307, 13 pages, doi:10.1155/2012/378307
- Budinich, C.S., Tucker, L.B., Lowe, D., Rosenberger, J.G., McCabe, J.T. Short and long-term motor and behavioral effects of diazoxide and dimethyl sulfoxide administration in the mouse after traumatic brain injury. Pharmacology, Biochemistry & Behavior, 2013, 108, 66-73. DOI information: 10.1016/j.pbb.2013.04.001.
- McCabe JT, Moratz C, Liu Y, Burton E, Morgan A, Budinich C, Lowe D, Rosenberger J, Chen H, Liu J, Myers M. High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) exposure as a model for mechanically-induced mild brain injury in mice. Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology, 2014, 40, 965-978.
- Guo, H., Liu, J., VanShura, K., Chen, H., Flora, M.N., Myers, T.M., McDonough, J.H., McCabe, J.T. N-Acetyl-aspartyl-glutamate and inhibition of glutamate carboxypeptidases protects against soman-induced neuropathology. NeuroToxicology, 2015, 48, 180-191
- Tucker, L.B., Fu, A.H., McCabe, J.T. Performance of male and female C57BL/6J mice on motor and cognitive tasks commonly used in pre-clinical traumatic brain injury research. Journal of Neurotrauma, 2016, 33, 880-894
- Tucker, L.B., Burke, J.F., Fu, A.H., McCabe, J.T. Neuropsychiatric symptom modeling in male and female C57BL/6J mice following experimental traumatic brain injury. Journal of Neurotrauma, 2017, 34, 890-905
- Tucker, L.B. and McCabe, J.T. Behavior of male and female C57BL/6J mice is more consistent with repeated trials in the elevated zero maze than in the elevated plus maze. Frontiers in Behavioural Neuroscience, 2017, 11 (Article 13) https://doi.org/10.3389/fnbeh.2017.00013
- Velosky, A.G., Tucker, L.B., Fu, A.H., Liu, J., McCabe, J.T. Cognitive performance of male and female C57BL/6J mice after repetitive concussive brain injuries. Behavioural Brain Research, 2017, 324, 115-124
- Kim, Y., Fu, A., Tucker, L., Liu, J. and McCabe, J.T. Characterization of controlled cortical impact devices by high speed image analysis. Journal of Neuroscience Research, 2018, doi: 10.1002/jnr.24099. [Epub ahead of print]
David Mears, Ph.D.

Name: David Mears, Ph.D.
Research Interests:
Neuroscience
Medical Education
Education
B.S., Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, 1989
Representative publications, projects, and/or deployments
- Chair, Council of Module Directors, USU School of Medicine, 2017-
- Dean's Faculty Teaching Award, USU School of Medicine, 2016
- Outstanding Civilian Educator Award, USU School of Medicine, 2013
Bibliography
- Mears D, Pollard HB. Network science and the human brain: using graph theory to understand the brain and one of its hubs, the amygdala, in health and disease. J. Neurosci. Res. 94(6):590-605, 2016
- Llanos P, Valencia M, Barrientos G, Hidalgo C, Mears D. Glucose-dependent insulin secretion in pancreatic β-cells requires Ca2+ signals generated by redox stimulation of ryanodine receptors. PLOS 1 10(6): e0129238. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0129238, 2015
- Mears D, Zimliki CL, Atwater I, RojasE, Glassman M, Leighton X, Pollard HB, Srivastava M. The Anx7(+/-) knockout mutation alters electrical and secretory responses to Ca2+-mobilizing agents in pancreatic β-cells. Cell Physiol. Biochem 29:697-704, 2012.
- Verma R, Xu X, Jaiswal MK, Olsen C, Mears D, Caretti G, Galdzicki Z. In vitro profiling of epigenetic modifications underlying heavy metal toxicity of tungsten-alloy and its components. Toxicol. Appl. Pharmacol. 253:178-87, 2011.
- Contreras-Ferrat AE, Toro B, Bravo R, Parra V, Vásquez C, Ibarra C, Mears D, Chiong M, Jaimovich E, Klip A, Lavandero S. An inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate (IP3) receptor pathway is required for insulin-stimulated glucose transporter 4 translocation and glucose uptake in cardiomyocytes. Endocrinology 151:4665-77, 2010.
- Atwater I, Guajardo M, Caviedes P, Jeffs S, Parrau D, Valencia M, Romero C, Arriagada C, Caamaño E, Salas A, Olguin F, Atlagich M, Maas R, Mears D, Rojas E. Isolation of viable porcine islets by selective osmotic shock without enzymatic digestion. Transplant Proc. 42:381-6, 2010.
Fereshteh S. Nugent, Ph.D.

Name: Fereshteh S. Nugent, Ph.D.
Research Interests:
Synaptic plasticity, Reward Pathway, Drug Addiction, Neuropsychiatric Disorders
Early Life Stress, Novel Antidepressants
Education
Postdoctoral, Neuroscience, Brown University
Biography
Since the discovery of synaptic plasticity as the cellular correlate of learning and memory, strong overlaps between neural and cellular substrates of learning, drug addiction and stress-related disorders have been recognized. Yet it remains a major challenge to identify the neural circuits and synaptic mechanisms contributing to abnormalities in dopamine signaling induced by addictive drugs and adverse early life experiences. The major focus of my laboratory is the elucidation of synaptic mechanisms underlying reward learning, drug addiction and neuropsychiatric disorders such as depression, with particular emphasis on the midbrain dopamine system originating from the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and its control by the lateral habenula (LHb). Research in our laboratory also explores effects of severe early life stress and traumatic brain injury on synaptic transmission and plasticity of distinct VTA/LHb circuits to identify the neural circuits and molecular mechanisms contributing to abnormalities in dopamine signaling induced by adverse early life experiences. The main technique in Nugent laboratory is whole cell patch clamp recording, optogenetics, DREADDs, epigenetic and Western blot techniques. We also use a variety of other complementary techniques such as immunohistochemistry and behavioral techniques in collaboration with other laboratories.
Nugent Lab
Postdoctoral Fellows: Dr. Ludovic Langlois, Dr. Sarah Simmons
Graduate Students: William Flerlage
Lab Alumni
Dr. Matthieu Dacher (Université Pierre et Marie Curie, France), Dr. Jayaraj N. Kodangattil, Dr. Haifa Kassis, Dr. Michael Authement (NIAAA), Dr. Ryan Shepard (NINDS)
Representative publications, projects, and/or deployments
- 2019-2023 Nominated and appointed Regular Member/Reviewer for NMB NIH Study Section
- Associate Editor for Frontiers in Synaptic Neuroscience
- Editorial Board Member for Journal of Neuroscience Research
- 2015 USU Hébert School of Medicine Dean Impact Award for outstanding contributions in research, education and service
- Selected as a mentor for the 2018 NIDA Summer Research Internship Program
- 2018 USU Hébert School of Medicine Dean Impact Award for outstanding contributions in research, education and service
- 2019 USU Hébert School of Medicine Dean Recognition for contributions to Neuroscience Module
- 2019 USU Hébert School of Medicine Dean Impact Award for outstanding contributions in research, education and service
- 2019 Recipient of the 2019 Henry C. Wu Award for Excellence in Basic Science at USU
Bibliography
- Shepard RD, Langlois LD, Authement ME, Nugent FS. Histone deacetylase inhibition reduces ventral tegmental area dopamine neuronal hyperexcitability involving AKAP150 signaling following maternal deprivation in juvenile male rats. J Neuro Res., 00:1–11(2020)
- Shepard R.D., Langlois, L.D., Browne C.A., Berenji A., Lucki L., and Nugent F.S., Ketamine Reverses Lateral Habenula Neuronal Dysfunction and Behavioral Immobility in the Forced Swim Test Following Maternal Deprivation in Late Adolescent Rats. Front. Synaptic Neurosci., 10:39 (2018)
- Authement M.E., Langlois L. D., Shepard R.D., Browne C.A., Lucki L., Kassis H., and Nugent F.S., A role for corticotrophin releasing factor signaling in the lateral habenula and its modulation by early life stress, Science Signaling, 11:520 (2018)
- Langlois, L.D. and Nugent F.S. Opiates and plasticity in ventral tegmental area, Invited Review, ACS Chemical Neuroscience, 20;8(9):1830-1838 (2017)
- Authement M.E., Kodangattil J.N.,Gouty,S., Rusnak, M., Symes A.J., Cox B.M., and Nugent F.S., Histone deacetylase inhibition rescues maternal deprivation-induced GABAergic metaplasticity through restoration of AKAP signaling, Neuron, 86: 1240–1252 (2015)
- Dacher, M. A., Gouty, S., Dash, S., Cox, B.M., and Nugent, F.S., A-kinase anchoring protein-calcineurin signaling in long-term depression of GABAergic synapses, Journal of Neuroscience, 33:2650-60 (2013) Nugent, F.S., Penick, E.C., Kauer, J.A., Opiates block long-term potentiation of GABAergic synapses. Nature, 466: 1086-1095 (2007)
Harvey B Pollard, M.D., Ph.D.
Name: Harvey B Pollard, M.D., Ph.D.
Research Interests:
Cystic Fibrosis
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
Education
Rice University, Houston, TX B.A. 1964 Biology
University of Chicago, Chicago, IL M.D. 1969 Medicine
University of Chicago, Chicago, IL Ph.D. 1973 Biochemistry
Biography
Representative publications, projects, and/or deployments
- M.D. University of Chicago School of Medicine,
- Ph.D. (Biochemistry) Department of Biochemistry, University of Chicago School of Medicine,
- Research Associate, Laboratory of Chemical Biology, NIAMDD, National Institutes of Health
- Post Doctoral Trainee, Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics, Oxford University
- Senior Investigator Reproduction Research Branch, NICHD,
- Senior Investigator, Clinical Hematology Branch, NIADDK,
- Laboratory Chief, Laboratory of Cell Biology and Genetics,NIADDK,
- Professor and Chair of the Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, USUSOM, USUHS
- Professor and Chair of the Department of Anatomy, Physiology & Genetics, USUSOM, USUHS
- Director of the Collaborative Health Initiative Research Program (CHIRP) and The American Genome Center (TAGC)
Bibliography
- Dalgard C, Eidelman O, Jozwik C, Olsen CH, Srivastava M, Biswas R, e EudyY,.Rothwell SW, Mueller GP, Yuan P, Drevets WC, Manji HK, Vythlingam M, Charney DS. Neumeister A, Ursano RJ, Jacobowitz DM, Pollard HB, and Bonne O., The MCP-4/MCP-1 Ratio in Plasma is a Candidate Circadian Biomarker for Chronic Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Translational Psychiatry, 7(2):e1025 doi:10.1038/tp2016.285, 2017, 2016.
- Dalgard CL, Polston KF, Sukumar G, Mallon CT, Wilkerson MD, Pollard HB. MicroRNA Expression Profiling of the Armed Forces Health Surveillance Branch Cohort for Identification of "Enviro-miRs" Associated With Deployment-Based Environmental Exposure. J Occup Environ Med. 2016 Aug;58(8 Suppl 1):S97-S103. doi: 10.1097/ JOM.0000000000000764., 2016
- . Pollard HB, Shivakumar C, Starr J, Eidelman O, Jacobowitz DM, Dalgard CL, Srivastava M, Wilkerson MD, Stein MB, Ursano RJ. "Soldier's Heart": A Genetic Basis for Elevated Cardiovascular Disease Risk Associated with Post-traumatic Stress Disorder. Front Mol Neurosci. 2016 Sep 23;9:87, 2016
- Wang H, Cebutaru L, Yang QF, Jozwik C, Pollard BS, Pollard HB and Guggino WB. CFTR controls the activity of the NFκB by enhancing the degradation of TRADD. Cell Physiol.Biochem. , 40(5): 1063-1078, 2016. 2016.
- . Singh VK, Newman VL, Romaine PL, Hauer-Jensen M, Pollard HB. Use of biomarkers for assessing radiation injury and efficacy of countermeasures.
- . Mears D, Pollard HB. Network science and the human brain: Using graph theory to understand the brain and one of its hubs, the amygdala, in health and disease.
- Veit G, Avramescu RG, Chiang AN, Houck SA, Cai Z, Peters KW, Hong JS, Pollard HB, Guggino WB, Balch WE, Skach WR, Cutting GR, Frizzell RA, Sheppard DN, Cyr DM, Sorscher EJ, Brodsky JL, Lukacs GL. From CFTR biology toward combinatorial pharmacotherapy: expanded classification of cystic fibrosis mutations. Mol Biol Cell. 2016 Feb 1;27(3):424-33. doi: 10.1091/mbc.E14-04-0935.PMID: 26823392
- . Caohuy H, Yang Q, Eudy Y, Ha TA, Xu AE, Glover M, Frizzell RA, Jozwik C, Pollard HB. Activation of 3-phosphoinositide-dependent kinase 1 (PDK1) and serum- and glucocorticoid-induced protein kinase 1 (SGK1) by short-chain sphingolipid C4-ceramide rescues the trafficking defect of ΔF508-cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (ΔF508-CFTR). J Biol Chem. 2014 Dec 26;289(52):35953-35968. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M114.598649. Epub 2014 Nov 10.
- . Kumar P, Bhattacharuyya S, Peters KW, Glover ML, Sen A, Cox RT, Bhattacharyya A, Kundu S, Caohuy H, Frizzell RA, Pollard HB and Biswas R. Functional rescue of [ΔF508]CFTR in native cystic fibrosis cells by miR-16. Gene Ther. 22(11): 908-916, 2015
- Dalgard CL, Jacobowitz DM, Singh V, Saleem KS, Ursano RJ, Starr JM, and Pollard HB. A novel analytical brain block tool to enable functional annotation of discriminatory transcript biomarkers among discrete regions of the fronto-limbic circuit in primate brain.. Brain Research 1600:42-58, 2015.
Sylvie Poluch, Ph.D.
Name: Sylvie Poluch, Ph.D.
Education
1999 Diploma of Advanced Studies in Cellular and Molecular Endocrinology, University of Sciences, Montpellier, France.
1997 Master in Cellular Biology and Physiology, University of Sciences, Reims, France.
1996 Bachelor of Science in Cellular Biology and Physiology, University of Sciences, Reims, France.
Bibliography
- Poluch S & Juliano S. 2015. Fine-tuning of neurogenesis is essential for the evolutionary expansion of the cerebral cortex. Cerebral Cortex, 25:346-364. Cover featured article.
- Trousse F, Poluch S, Pierani A, Dutrieux A, Bock H, Nagasawa T, Verdier M & Rossel M. 2015. The CXCR7 receptor controls positioning of a subpopulation of Cajal-Retzius cells. Cerebral Cortex, 10:3446- 3357.
- Poluch S & Juliano S. 2010. Populations of radial glial cells respond differently to reelin and neuregulin1 in a ferret model of cortical dysplasia. PLOS One. 10:e13709.
- Poluch S, Jablonska B & Juliano S. 2008. Alteration of interneuron migration in a ferret model of cortical dysplasia. Cerebral Cortex, 18:78-92.
- Poluch S & Juliano S. 2007. A normal radial glial scaffold is necessary for tangential migration during neocortical development. Glia, 55:822-830.
- Poluch S & König N. 2002. AMPA receptor activation induces GABA release from neurons migrating tangentially in the intermediate zone of embryonic rat neocortex. Eur J Neurosci, 16:350-354.
Brian C. Schaefer, Ph.D.

Name: Brian C. Schaefer, Ph.D.
Research Interests:
Immunology, Host Defenses
Cell Mechanisms of Disease, Cell Injury and Repair
Education
B.S. in Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 1989
Biography
Representative publications, projects, and/or deployments
- Uniformed Services University Biomedical Instrumentation Center (BIC) Faculty Advisory Committee – Chair, 2009 - present
- National Institutes of Health CMIB (Cell and Molecular Immunology-B) study section, ad hoc member, 2011 - current
- Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology Cell Death and Survival Section, Editorial Board, 2013 - current
Bibliography
- Traver M, Paul S and Schaefer BC. T cell receptor activation of NF-κB in effector T cells: visualizing signaling events within and beyond the cytoplasmic domain of the immunological synapse. The Immune Synapse: Methods and Protocols, Methods in Molecular Biology, Cosima T. Baldari and Michael L. Dustin (ed.), 2017; 1584:101- 127.
- Lagraoui M, Sukumar G, Latoche JR, Maynard S, Dalgard CL, and Schaefer BC. Salsalate treatment following traumatic brain injury reduces inflammation and promotes a neuroprotective and neurogenic transcriptional response with concomitant functional recovery. Brain, Behavior and Immunity, 2017; 61:96-109.
- Paul S and Schaefer BC. Visualizing TCR-Induced POLKADOTS Formation and NF-κB Activation in the D10 T-Cell Clone and Mouse Primary Effector T Cells. NF-κB: Methods and Protocols, Methods in Molecular Biology, Michael J. May (ed.), 2015; 1280:219- 38.
- Paul S, Traver MK, Kashyap AK, Washington MA, Latoche JR, and Schaefer BC. T cell receptor signals to NF-kappaB are transmitted by a cytosolic p62-Bcl10-Malt1-IKK signalosome. Science Signaling. 2014; 7:ra45.
- Paul S, Kashyap AK, Jia W, He Y-W, Schaefer BC. Selective autophagy of the adaptor protein Bcl10 modulates T cell receptor activation of NF-kappaB. Immunity. 2012; 36:947-58.
- Lagraoui M, Latoche JR, Cartwright NG, Sukumar G, Dalgard CL, Schaefer BC. Controlled cortical impact and craniotomy induce strikingly similar profiles of inflammatory gene expression, but with distinct kinetics. Front Neurol. 2012; 3:155.
- Kingeter LM, Paul S, Maynard SK, Cartwright NG, and Schaefer BC. Cutting Edge: T cell receptor ligation triggers digital activation of NF-kappaB. J. Immunol. 2010; 185:4520-4.
- Langel FD, Jain NA, Rossman JS, Kingeter LM, Kashyap AK, and Schaefer BC. Multiple protein domains mediate interaction between Bcl10 and Malt1. J. Biol. Chem. 2008; 283: 32419-31.
- Kingeter LM and Schaefer BC. Loss of PKCθ, Bcl10, or Malt1 selectively impairs proliferation and NF-κB activation in the CD4+ T cell subset. J. Immunol. 2008; 181:6244-54.
- Rossman JS, Stoicheva NG, Langel FD, Patterson GH, Lippincott-Schwartz J, and Schaefer BC. POLKADOTS are foci of functional interactions between cytosolic intermediates in T cell receptor-induced activation of NF-kappaB. Mol. Biol. Cell 2006; 17:2166-76.
Frank Shewmaker, Ph.D.

Name: Frank Shewmaker, Ph.D.
Research Interests:
Molecular and Cell Biology Graduate Program
Education
Ph.D., Biochemistry, Tulane University
Post-Doctoral Training, Laboratory of Biochemistry & Genetics, National Institute of Diabetes & Digestive & Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Bibliography
Jeremy Thomas Smyth, Ph.D.

Name: Jeremy Thomas Smyth, Ph.D.
Education
Ph.D., Molecular and Cellular Biology and Animal Sciences (2004), University of Massachusetts, Amherst
Post-doctoral Training, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health
Representative publications, projects, and/or deployments
- Smyth, J. T., T. A. Schoborg, Z. J. Bergman, B. Riggs and N. M. Rusan (2015). Proper symmetric and asymmetric endoplasmic reticulum partitioning requires astral microtubules. Open Biology 5(8).
- Smyth, J. T., A. M. Beg, S. Wu, J. W. Putney, Jr. and N. M. Rusan (2012). Phosphoregulation of STIM1 leads to exclusion of the endoplasmic reticulum from the mitotic spindle. Current Biology 22(16): 1487-1493.
- Smyth, J. T., J. G. Petranka, R. R. Boyles, W. I. DeHaven, M. Fukushima, K. L. Johnson, J. G. Williams and J. W. Putney, Jr. (2009). Phosphorylation of STIM1 underlies suppression of store-operated calcium entry during mitosis. Nature Cell Biology 11(12): 1465-1472.
- Smyth, J. T., W. I. DeHaven, G. S. Bird and J. W. Putney, Jr. (2007). Role of the microtubule cytoskeleton in the function of the store-operated Ca2+ channel activator STIM1. Journal of Cell Science 120: 3762-3771.
- Grigoriev, I., S. M. Gouveia, B. van der Vaart, J. Demmers, J. T. Smyth, S. Honnappa, D. Splinter, M. O. Steinmetz, J. W. Putney, Jr., C. C. Hoogenraad and A. Akhmanova (2008). STIM1 is a MT-plus-end-tracking protein involved in remodeling of the ER. Current Biology 18(3): 177-182.
Aviva J Symes, Ph.D.

Name: Aviva J Symes, Ph.D.
Research Interests:
Traumatic brain injury
Role of renin angiotensin system in the brain after injury
Education
Ph.D. Biochemistry/Molecular Biology, University College London, UK
Post-doctoral training: Massachusetts General Hospital/ Harvard Medical School, Boston.
Biography
My lab aims to understand the mechanisms through which the brain responds to traumatic injury and more specifically to delineate the pathways through which detrimental neuroinflammatory cascades can be altered to enhance recovery after injury. The initial lesion can produce significant tissue damage and breakdown of the blood brain barrier. These immediate effects lead to activation of many secondary cascades involving interplay between endogenous surviving neurons and glia, and infiltrating cells and molecules from the bloodstream. Injury therefore leads to acute neuroinflammatory cascades, and also to more chronic inflammatory effects. Indeed, activated microglia have been documented in postmortem brains many years after the initial insult. Our lab focuses on understanding the molecular signaling cascades that occur after injury in addition to testing potential therapeutics to enhance recovery from injury. We currently utilize several different rodent models of traumatic brain injury (TBI), with assays ranging from behavioral through molecular to understand the complex interactions that occur after injury, and to determine how manipulations may impact on functional recovery. We also utilize primary cell cultures to tease apart the molecular signaling pathways that contribute to inflammation after injury.
Angiotensin receptor blockers as potential therapeutics for TBI
Angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) are widely used FDA-approved anti-hypertension drugs with a favorable side effect profile that have been used as a mechanism for reducing the amount of TGF-β signaling in several different organ systems. In the CNS, ARBs have also been shown to be neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory and protective of the cerebral blood flow (CBF). The brain possesses its own renin angiotensin system, with many different components of the system expressed in the different cell types in the brain. However, in addition to acting as antagonists at the Angiotensin II receptor 1 (AT1R) some ARBs also possess potent PPARγ agonist activity that enhances their anti-inflammatory action. We have demonstrated that the ARB candesartan, lessens inflammation, reduces lesion volume, limits glial reactivity, increases neuronal survival and improves motor and cognitive recovery up to 28 days after injury. These beneficial effects are seen when low-dose candesartan is administered up to 6 hours after injury, a clinically acceptable therapeutic window. Our data suggest that both AT1 receptor antagonism and PPARγ agonism contribute to the efficacy of ARB treatment after TBI and it is this multimodal action by a single drug that makes it a strong candidate for TBI clinical trials. We are pursuing translational studies for candesartan for brain injury in addition to investigating the consequences of TBI on the endogenous renin-angiotensin system in the brain.
TGF-β signaling after injury
TGF-β is an injury induced cytokine that has complex roles in the central nervous system. After brain injury TGF-β can promote astrogliosis and enhance the deposition of molecules inhibitory to regeneration in the glial scar. Yet TGF-β is also neuroprotective indicating the sometimes conflicting roles of this cytokine. We have shown that after a penetrating brain injury mice that lack expression of the TGF-β signaling molecule Smad3, form a glial scar more quickly, with a smaller scar, than wild type mice. However, we also found that Smad3 null mice have more pronounced neuronal loss after injury. Thus, global interference with TGF-β signaling is not a desirable therapeutic option. Further, TGF-β is anti-inflammatory in some contexts – so chronic repression of TGF-β signaling pathways may enhance inflammation. In primary microglial cultures we have shown that inflammatory pathways downregulate TGF-β receptor expression, allowing for prolonged enhancement of the inflammatory activated state.
Bibliography
- Bone morphogenetic protein-2-mediated pain and inflammation in a rat model of posterolateral arthrodesis. Mitchell K, Shah JP, Dalgard CL, Tsytsikova LV, Tipton AC, Dmitriev AE, Symes AJ. BMC neuroscience. 2016; 17(1):80. PubMed [journal]PMID: 27905881 PMCID: PMC5134101
- Neurorestoration after traumatic brain injury through angiotensin II receptor blockage. Villapol S, Balarezo MG, Affram K, Saavedra JM, Symes AJ. Brain : a journal of neurology. 2015; 138(Pt 11):3299-315. PubMed [journal]PMID: 26115674 PMCID: PMC4731413
- Runx1 promotes proliferation and neuronal differentiation in adult mouse neurosphere cultures. Logan TT, Rusnak M, Symes AJ. Stem cell research. 2015; 15(3):554-564. PubMed [journal]PMID: 26473321
- Hepatic expression of serum amyloid A1 is induced by traumatic brain injury and modulated by telmisartan. Villapol S, Kryndushkin D, Balarezo MG, Campbell AM, Saavedra JM, Shewmaker FP, Symes AJ. The American journal of pathology. 2015; 185(10):2641-52. PubMed [journal]PMID: 26435412 PMCID: PMC4607758
- . Temporal patterns of cortical proliferation of glial cell populations after traumatic brain injury in mice. Susarla BT, Villapol S, Yi JH, Geller HM, Symes AJ. ASN neuro. 2014; 6(3):159-70. PubMed [journal]PMID: 24670035 PMCID: PMC4013687
- LPS antagonism of TGF-β signaling results in prolonged survival and activation of rat primary microglia. Mitchell K, Shah JP, Tsytsikova LV, Campbell AM, Affram K, Symes AJ. Journal of neurochemistry. 2014; 129(1):155-68. PubMed [journal]PMID: 24251648
- Temporal dynamics of cerebral blood flow, cortical damage, apoptosis, astrocyte-vasculature interaction and astrogliosis in the pericontusional region after traumatic brain injury. Villapol S, Byrnes KR, Symes AJ. Frontiers in neurology. 2014; 5:82. PubMed [journal]PMID: 24926283 PMCID: PMC4044679
- Smad3 deficiency increases cortical and hippocampal neuronal loss following traumatic brain injury. Villapol S, Wang Y, Adams M, Symes AJ. Experimental neurology. 2013; 250:353-65. PubMed [journal]PMID: 24120438
- TGF-β superfamily gene expression and induction of the Runx1 transcription factor in adult neurogenic regions after brain injury. Logan TT, Villapol S, Symes AJ. PloS one. 2013; 8(3):e59250. PubMed [journal]PMID: 23555640 PMCID: PMC3605457
- Candesartan, an angiotensin II AT₁-receptor blocker and PPAR-γ agonist, reduces lesion volume and improves motor and memory function after traumatic brain injury in mice. Villapol S, Yaszemski AK, Logan TT, Sánchez-Lemus E, Saavedra JM, Symes AJ. Neuropsychopharmacology : official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology. 2012; 37(13):2817-29. PubMed [journal]PMID: 22892395 PMCID: PMC3499714
Robert J Ursano, M.D.

Name: Robert J Ursano, M.D.
Research Interests:
PTSD
Disaster Psychiatry
Education
M.D., Yale University, 1973
Psychiatry Resident, Wilford Hall USAF Medical Center, 1973-75
Postdoctoral Fellow (Psychiatry) Yale University & Yale
USAF Primary Course in Aerospace Medicine, Brooks Air Force Base Texas, 1977
Washington Psychoanalytic Institute, 1980-1986 (graduated)
Biography
Dr. Ursano served as the Department of Defense representative to the National Advisory Mental Health Council of the National Institute of Mental Health and is a past member of the Veterans Affairs Mental Health Study Section and the National Institute of Mental Health Rapid Trauma and Disaster Grant Review Section. He is a Distinguished Life Fellow in the American Psychiatric Association. He is a Fellow of the American College of Psychiatrists.Dr. Ursano was the first Chairman of the American Psychiatric Association’s Committee on Psychiatric Dimensions of Disaster. This work greatly aided the integration of psychiatry and public health in times of disaster and terrorism. Dr. Ursano was an invited participant to the White House Mental Health Conference in 1999. He has received the Department of Defense Humanitarian Service Award and the highest award of the International Traumatic Stress Society, The Lifetime Achievement Award, for “outstanding and fundamental contributions to understanding traumatic stress.” He is the recipient of the William C. Porter Award from the Association of Military Surgeons of the United States, and a frequent advisor on issues surrounding psychological response to trauma to the highest levels of the US Government and specifically to the Department of Defense leadership.
Dr. Ursano has served as a member of the National Academies of Science, Institute of Medicine, Committee on Psychological Responses to Terrorism, Committee on PTSD and Compensation and the Committee on Nuclear Preparedness; and the National Institute of Mental Health Task Force on Mental Health Surveillance After Terrorist Attack. In addition he is a member of scientific advisory boards to the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Disease Control. In 2012, Dr. Ursano was awarded the William C. Menninger Memorial Award for distinguished contributions to the Science of Mental Health by the American College of Physicians. In 2014, Dr. Ursano and Dr. Matthew Friedman of the VA National Center for PTSD co-founded The Leahy-Friedman National PTSD Brain Banksupported through Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT). It is the first human brain bank dedicated to PTSD. This joint effort of many people was a 12 year project developing concepts, pilot data and support. Dr. Ursano has more than 300 publications. He is co-author or editor of eight books.
Professional Honors and Recognition
2016 Joseph Tupin Visiting Professor and Invited Lectureship, University of California, Davis
2015 Pellegrino Lectureship, Eastern Virginia Medical University
2014 Uniformed Services University James J. Leonard Award for Excellence in Research
2012 American College of Physicians: William C Menninger Memorial Award for Distinguished Contributions to Mental Health
2008-11 Appointed Mental Health Advisory Subcommittee, National Bioterrorism Science Advisory Board, to Secretary of Health and Human Services
2008-11 Appointed Board of Scientific Counselors, Coordinating Office for Terrorism Preparedness and Emergency Response (name changed to Office of Public Health Readiness), CDC, Department of Health and Human Services
2009 AAP Presidential Citation for Contributions to Psychiatric Education, Association of Academic Psychiatry
Representative Biography of over 400 publications
1. Disaster Medicine. Since its inception in 1987, the Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress (CSTS) has developed research, training, and consultation programs to mitigate the impact of trauma from exposure to war, disasters, terrorism, community violence, and public health threats. The CSTS has helped to define and advance the integration of disaster psychiatry and military psychiatry. CSTS has been involved in nearly every major disaster our nation has experienced in the past nearly 30 years.
a) Ursano, R. J., Fullerton, C. S., Weisaeth, L., & Raphael, B. (Eds.). (2017). Textbook of Disaster Psychiatry (2nd Ed.). Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press. doi: 10.1017/9781316481424
b) Fullerton, C. S., Mash, H. B. H., Benevides, K. N., Morganstein, J. C., & Ursano, R. J. (2015). Distress of routine activities and perceived safety associated with post-traumatic stress, depression, and alcohol use: 2002 Washington, D.C, Sniper Attacks. Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness, 9(5), 509-515. doi: 10.1017/dmp.2015.67
c) Fullerton, C. S., McKibben, J. B. A., Reissman, D. B., Scharf, T., Kowalski-Trakofler, K. M., Shultz, J. M., & Ursano, R. J. (2013). Posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, alcohol and tobacco use in public health workers following the 2004 Florida hurricanes. Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness, 7(1), 89-95. doi: 10.1017/dmp.2013.6
d) Grieger, T. A., Fullerton, C. S., & Ursano, R. J. (2003). Posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, alcohol use, and perceived safety thirteen months following the terrorist attack on the Pentagon. Psychiatric Services, 54(10), 1380-1383.
2. Risk and protective factors for psychological and behavioral outcomes following traumatic events. Studies examining military and civilian populations exposed to traumatic events has led to research that seeks to identify risk factors for adverse psychological and behavioral outcomes, including posttraumatic stress and depressive symptoms, problematic alcohol use, and suicidal behaviors, as well as protective factors that promote resilience following trauma exposure.
a) Ursano, R. J., Kessler, R. C., Naifeh, J. A., Herberman Mash, H., Fullerton, C. S., Bliese, P. D., Zaslavsky, A. M., Ng, T. H. H., Aliaga, P. A., Wynn, G. H., Dinh, H. M., McCarroll, J. E., Sampson, N. A., Kao, T. C., Schoenbaum, M., Heeringa, S. G., & Stein, M. B. (2017). Risk of suicide attempt among Soldiers in Army units with a history of suicide attempts. JAMA Psychiatry. doi: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2017.1925
b) Ursano, R. J., Kessler, R. C., Stein, M. B., Naifeh, J. A., Aliago P. A., Fullerton, C. S., Wynn, G. H., Vegella P. L., Ng, T., Zhang, B. G., Wryter, C. L., Sampson N. A., Kao, T. C., Colpe, L. J., Schoenbaum, M., McCarroll J. E., Cox, K. L., & Heeringa, S., & on behalf of the Army STARRS collaborators (2016). Deployment, mental health, and suicide attempts among U.S. Army soldiers: Risk factors, methods, and time, JAMA Psychiatry, 73(7), 741-749. doi: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2016.0600
c) Fink, D. S., Lowe, S., Cohen, G. H., Sampson, L. A., Ursano, R. J., Gifford, R. K., Fullerton, C. S., & Galea, S. (2016). Trajectories of posttraumatic stress symptoms after civilian or deployment traumatic event experiences. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice and Policy, 9(2), 138-146. doi: 10.1037/tra0000147
d) Campbell-Sills, L, Ursano, R. J., Kessler, R. C., Sun, X., Heeringa, S. G., Nock, M. K., Sampson, N.A., Jain, S., and Stein, M.B. (in press). Prospective risk factors for post-deployment heavy drinking and alcohol or substance use disorder among U.S. Army soldiers. Psychological Medicine.
3. Identifying biomarkers for posttraumatic stress disorder. Our study of the neuroscience and neurobiology of stress and trauma has translated into health care applications for military and civilian populations, with a specific focus on posttraumatic stress disorder, mild traumatic brain injury, and suicide and suicide-related behaviors. Recent research has focused on genetic biomarkers, cortisol levels, and telomere length. Biomarker research has involved the purification of DNA from saliva samples and blood samples collected from Soldiers, and genotyping the DNA for several target genes including BDNF and FKBP5.
a) Stein, M. B., Chen, C.-Y., Ursano, R. J., Cai, T., Gelernter, J., Heeringa, S. G., Jain, S., Jensen, K. P., Maihofer, A. X., Mitchell, C., Nievergelt, C. M., Nock, M. K., Neale, B. M., Polimanti, R., Ripke, S., Sun, X., Thomas, M. L., Wang, Q., Ware, E. B., Borja, S., Kessler, R. C., & Smoller, J. W. (2016). Genome-wide Association Studies of posttraumatic stress disorder in 2 cohorts of U.S. Army Soldiers. JAMA Psychiatry, 73(7), 695-704. doi: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2016.0350.
b) Zhang, L., Hu, X. Z., Benedek, D. M., Fullerton, C. S., Forsten, R. D., Naifeh, J. A., Li, X., Li, H., Benevides, K. N., Smerin, S., Le, T., Choi, K., & Ursano, R. J. (2014). The interaction between stressful life events and leukocyte telomere length is associated with PTSD. Molecular Psychiatry, 19(8), 855-856. doi: 10.1038/mp.2013.14
c) Choi, K., Le, T., Xing, G., Johnson, L. R., & Ursano, R. J. (2011). Analysis of kinase gene expression in the frontal cortex of suicide victims: Implications of fear and stress. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, 5, 46. doi: 10.3389/fnbeh.2011.00046
d) Zhang, L., Su, T. P., Choi, K., Webster, M., Li, C. T., Chung, M. Y., Chen, Y. S., Bai, Y., Chou, Y., Barker, J., Barrett, J. E., Li, X., H., Benedek, D. M., & Ursano, R. J. (2011). P11 (S100A10) as a potential biomarker of psychiatric patients at risk of suicide. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 45(4), 435-441. doi: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2010.08.01
4. Translating empirical findings to recommendations for intervention. CSTS laboratory and clinical research actively identifies effective interventions for trauma and stress-related disorders and suicidal behaviors.
a) Ursano, R. J., Goldenberg, M., Zhang, L., Carlton, J., Fullerton, C. S., Li, H., Johnson, L., & Benedek, D. M. (2010). Posttraumatic stress disorder and traumatic stress: From bench to bedside, from war to disaster. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1208, 72-81. doi: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.2010.05721.x
b) Forbes, D., Creamer, M., Bisson, J., Cohen, J., Crow, B., Foa, E., Friedman, M., Keane, T., Kudler, H., & Ursano, R. J. (2010). A guide to guidelines for the treatment of PTSD and related conditions. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 23(5), 537-562. doi: 10.1002/jts.20565
c) Benedek, D. M. & Ursano, R. J. (2009). Understanding PTSD: From phenomenology to clinical practice. Focus, 7(2), 160-175.
d) Ursano, R. J., Zhang, L., Li, H., Johnson, L., Carlton, J., Fullerton, C. S. & Benedek, D. M. (2009). PTSD and traumatic stress from gene to community and bench to bedside. Brain Research, 1293, 2-12.
5. Suicidal behaviors and predictive modeling. Army STARRS (2009-2015) and STARRS-LS (2014-2019) were designed to comprehensively examine the mental health and resilience of Soldiers, and is the largest research study ever conducted among military personnel. One of the studies was an historical cohort study of more than 1.6 million Soldiers on active duty from 2004-2009. The Army STARRS/STARRS-LS research includes questionnaires, neurocognitive tests, blood collection, state-of-the-art genetic and other biomarker assays, and linking these data to existing Army/DoD records, producing large and risk datasets to serve the goals of the study as well as broader goals involving other mental health outcomes.
a). Kessler, R. C., Stein, M. B., Petukhova, M. V., Bliese, P., Bossarte, R. M., Bromet, E. J., Fullerton, C. S., Gilman, S. E., Ivany, C., Lewandowski-Romps, L., Bell, A. M., Naifeh, J. A., Nock, M. K., Reis, B. Y., Rosellini, A. J., Sampson, N. A., Zaslavsky, A. M., Ursano, R. J., & Army STARRS Collaborators (2017). Predicting suicides after outpatient mental health visits in the Army Study to Assess Risk and Resilience in Servicemembers (Army STARRS). Molecular Psychiatry, 22(4), 544-551. doi: 10.1038/mp.2016.110
b) Ursano, R. J., Kessler, R. C., Stein, M. B., Naifeh, J. A., Nock, M. K., Aliaga, P. A., Fullerton, C. S., Wynn, G. H., Ng, T. H. H., Dinh, H. M., Sampson, N. A., Kao, T. C., Schoenbaum, M., McCarroll, J. E., Cox, K. L., & Heeringa, S. G., on behalf of the Army STARRS collaborators (2016). Medically documented suicide ideation among U.S. Army Soldiers. Suicide & Life-Threatening Behavior. doi: 10.1111/stlb.12316
c) Ursano, R. J., Kessler, R. C., Herringa, S. G., Cox, K. L., Naifeh, J. A., Fullerton, C. S., Sampson, N. A., Kao, T., Aliaga, P. A., Vegella, P. A., Mash, H., Buckley, C., Colpe, L. J., Schoenbaum, M., & Stein, M. B. (2015). Non-fatal suicidal behaviors in U.S. Army administrative records, 2004-2009: Results from the Army Study to Assess Risk and Resilience in Servicemembers (Army STARRS). Psychiatry, 78(1), 1-21. doi: 10.1080/00332747.2015.1006512
d) Nock, M. K., Stein, M. B., Heeringa, S. G., Ursano, R. J., Colpe, L. J., Fullerton, C. S., Hwang, I., Naifeh, J. A., Sampson, N. A., Schoenbaum, M., Zaslavsky, A. M., & Kessler, R. C. (2014). Prevalence and correlates of suicidal behavior among soldiers: Results from the Army Study to Assess Risk and Resilience in Servicemembers (Army STARRS). JAMA Psychiatry, 71(5), 514-522.
Representative publications, projects, and/or deployments
- see biography below
T John Wu, PhD
Name: T John Wu, PhD
Education
Major: Zoology
University of Texas at Austin
Doctor of Philosophy (May 1991)
Field of Study: Physiology of Reproduction
Texas A&M University
College Station, TX
Postdoctoral Fellow (1991 - 1994)
Field of Study: Neuroendocrinology
Columbia University
New York, NY
Postdoctoral Fellow (1994 - 1999)
Field of Study: Molecular Neuroendocrinology
Mount Sinai School of Medicine
New York, NY
Yumin Zhang, MD, PhD
Name: Yumin Zhang, MD, PhD
Research Interests:
Modulation of endocannabinoid signaling in neurological diseases
Key words: Traumatic Brain Injury, Neuropathic pain, Multiple Sclerosis, Endocannabinoids, Eicosanoids
Education
• Ph.D. Biochemistry, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
• Postdoctoral Fellow: Neurology, Children’s Hospital/Harvard Medical School
Bibliography
- • Tanaka M, Sackett S and Zhang Y. Endocannabinoid Modulation of Microglial Phenotypes in Neuropathology. Front Neurol. 2020 Feb 14;11:87.
- • Tanaka M, Yagyu K, Sackett S and Zhang Y. Anti-inflammatory effects by pharmacological inhibition of knockdown of fatty acid amide hydrolase in BV2 microglia cells. Cells 2019, 8(5), 491
- • Selvaraj P, Wen J, Tanaka M and Zhang Y. Therapeutic effect of a novel fatty acid amide hydrolase inhibitor PF04457845 in the repetitive closed head injury mouse model. Journal of Neurotrauma 2019 May 15;36(10):1655-1669.
- • Tanaka M, Li H, Zhang X, Singh J, Dalgard C, Wilkerson M, and Zhang Y. Region- and time-dependent gene regulation in a PTSD-like mouse model by RNA-seq analysis. Molecular Brain 2019 Mar 28;12(1):25.
- • Jones M, Wen J, Selvaraj P, Tanaka M, Moran S and Zhang Y. Therapeutic effect of the substrate selective COX-2 inhibitor IMMA in the animal model of chronic constriction injury. Frontiers in Pharmacology 2018; 9:1481.
- • Wen J, Jones M, Tanaka M, Selvaraj P, Symes AJ, Cox B, Zhang Y. WWL70 protects against chronic constriction injury-induced neuropathic pain in mice by cannabinoid receptor-independent mechanisms. J Neuroinflammation. 2018; 15(1):9.
- • Tanaka M, Moran S, Wen J, Affram K, Chen T, Symes AJ, Zhang Y. WWL70 attenuates PGE2 production derived from 2-arachidonoylglycerol in microglia by ABHD6-independent mechanism. J Neuroinflammation. 2017; 14(1):7.
- • Wen J, Ariyannur P.S., Ribeiro R, Tanaka M, Moffett J.R., Kirmani B.F., Namboodiri A.M.A. and Zhang Y. Comparative effects of melatonin and N-acetylserotonin in the EAE model of multiple sclerosis. J Neuroimmune Pharmacol. 2016; 11:763-773.
- • Wen J, Ribeiro R, Tanaka M and Zhang Y. Activation of CB2 receptor is required for the therapeutic effect of ABHD6 inhibition in the experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. Neuropharmacology 2015; 99:196-209.
- • Tchantchou F, Tucker LB, Fu AH, Bluett RJ, McCabe JT, Patel S and Zhang Y. The fatty acid amide hydrolase inhibitor PF-3845 promotes neuronal survival, attenuates inflammation and improves functional recovery in mice with traumatic brain injury. Neuropharmacology 2014; 85:427-439.
Lei Zhang, M.D.
Name: Lei Zhang, M.D.
Research Interests:
Psychiatry
PTSD and biomarkers
Education
Biography
1. To identify gene networks or pathways of PTSD.
2. To investigate the novel molecular regulatory mechanism of stress and PTSD in vivo and in vitro. His research will provide useful information, which might help translational research, from bench to bed.
Bibliography
- Zhang L., Li H., Su T.P., Barker J.L., Maric D., Fullerton C.S., Webster M.J., Hough C.J., Li X., Traumatic Stress Brain Study Group and Ursano R.J. Post-traumatic stress disorder-associated p11 is up-regulated in the forebrain by glucocorticoid acting via two specific glucocorticoid response elements in the promoter, Neurosci., 2008,153:1126–1134
- Zhang L., Su T.ung-Ping Su, Choi K., Webster M.J., Li C.T., Chung M.Y. Chen Y.S., Bai Y.M., Chou Y. H., Barker J.L., Barrett J.E., Li X.X., Li H., Benedek D. M. and Ursano R. P11 (S100A10) as a potential biomarker of psychiatric patients at risk of suicide. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 2011, 45, 435-441
- Su T., Zhang L., Chung M., Chen Y., Bi Y., Chou Y., Barker J., Barrett J.E., Maric D., Li X., Li H., Webster M., Benedek D., Carlton J. and Ursano R.J. Levels of the potential biomarker p11 in peripheral blood cells distinguish patients with PTSD from those with other major psychiatric disorders. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 2009. 43:1078-1085 (Corresponding author)
- Zhang, L., Tung-Ping Su, Kwang Choi, Webster Maree, Cheng-Ta Li, Ming-Yi Chung, Ying-Sheue Chen, Ya-Mei Bai, Yuan-Hwa Chou, Jeffery L. Barker, James E. Barrett, Xiao Xia Li, He Li, David M. Benedek, Robert Ursano. P11 expression and PET in bipolar disorders. Journal of Psychiatric Research. 2011, 1-6
- Zhang L., Xian-Zhang Hu, David M. Benedek, Carol S. Fullerton, Robert D. Forsten, James A. Naifeh, Xiaoxia Li, He Li, K. Nikki Benevides, Stanley Smerin, Thien Le, Kwang Choi & Robert J. Ursano. The interaction between stressful life events and leukocyte telomere length is associated with PTSD. Molecular Psychiatry, 2014,1-2
- Lei Zhang, He Li, Xianzhang Hu, David M. Benedek, Carol S. Fullerton, Robert D. Forsten, James A. Naifeh, Xiaoxia Li, Hongyan Wu, Kirster Benevides, Thien Le, Stanley Smerin, Dale W. Russell & Robert J. Ursano. Mitochondria-focused gene expression profile reveals common pathways and CPT1B dysregulation in both rodent stress model and human subjects with PTSD. Translational Psychiatry. (2015) 5, e580, 1-8, 2015
- Zhang L., DM Benedek, CS Fullerton, RD Forsten1, JA Naifeh, XX Li, XZ Hu, H Li, M Jia , GQ Xing, KN Benevides, & RJ Ursano. PTSD risk is associated with BDNF Val66Met and BDNF over-expression. Molecular Psychiatry 2014, 19, 8–10
- Lei Zhang, Xiaoxia Li, Xian-Zhang Hu. Post-traumatic stress disorder risk and brain-derived neurotrophic factor Val66Met. World J Psychiatr. 2016, 6(1): 1-6.