Jinwoo Park PhD

Jinwoo Park

Jinwoo Park
PhD

Associate Professor

Department of Biotechnical and Clinical Laboratory Sciences

Jacobs School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences


Specialty/Research Focus

Behavioral pharmacology; Metabolism; Neurobiology; Neuropharmacology; Signal Transduction

Contact Information
314 Farber
3435 Main Street
Buffalo, New York 14214
jinwoopa@buffalo.edu



Professional Summary:

Catecholamines such as dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain play important roles in a wide range of disparate physiological and behavioral processes such as reward, stress, sleep-wake cycle, attention and memory. The catecholamines are also well known for their treatment of neural disorders and many other diseases. Therefore, the examination of the catecholamines is of great importance not only in pharmaceutical formulations but also for diagnostic and clinical processes. The role and contribution of catecholaminergic innervation in the limbic system to biological functions and behavior are still poorly understood, however, due to the complicated functional heterogeneity, the small size of the limbic brain nuclei.

In vivo and in vitro electrochemical measurement at microelectrodes has enabled direct monitoring of neuronal communication by chemical messengers in real time, which provides new insight into the way in which information is conveyed between neurons. Such information enables to study the basis for understanding the mechanisms that regulate it, the behavioral implications of the chemical messengers, and the factors regulate normal and altered chemical communication in various disease states (e.g. cardio vascular disease, degenerative nerve diseases, and drug addiction).

My overall research focuses on two areas. Firstly, the design and implementation of development of new types of electrochemistry-based sensors and ancillary tools to monitor catecholamines and nonelectroactive neurochemicals in a chemically complex environment in the peripheral and central nervous systems of test animals. Secondly, application of the newly developed analytical techniques or existing methodologies for real-time monitoring of the neurochemicals i) to understand role of the neurochemicals in the brain in stress- and reward-related behaviors, ii) define and understand dysfunctions of the central and peripheral nervous systems in disease states by observing fundamental changes in neurochemical transmission in anesthetized and awakened animals.

Education and Training:

  • Fellowship, Neurochemistry, Electrochemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (2011)
  • PhD, Chemistry (Electrochemistry), Michigan State University (2006)

Awards and Honors:

  • Whitehall Foundation Grant Award (2017)
  • Irwin Kopin Traveling Fellowship Award: 10th International Catecholamine Symposium (2012)
  • Travel Stipend, The Invited Early Career Investigators, NIDA (2010)
  • Invited speaker, Nanosymposium, SFN meeting (2010)
  • Travel Stipend, Gordon Research Seminar-Catecholamine (2009)

Grants and Sponsored Research:

  • September 2023–June 2028
    The Role of the Bed Nucleus of the Stria Terminalis-Norepinephrine System in Amphetamine-type Stimulant Use Disorders
    NIH/NIDA
    Role: Principal Investigator
    $3,225,662
  • December 2021–November 2026
    Effects of mesolimbic amylin signaling on macronutrient intake
    NIH/NIDDK
    Role: Co-Investigator
    $1,853,714
  • July 2023–December 2024
    Role of Brain Norepinephrine Circuits in Substance Use Disorders
    SUNY Seed Grant Program
    Role: Principal Investigator
  • June 2019–September 2022
    Decoding Functional Links Between Diencephalic Dopamine Circuits and Neurodegeneration
    Buffalo Blue Sky Program
    Role: Principal Investigator
  • September 2017–August 2022
    Noradrenergic Modulation of Dopaminergic Neuronal Functions
    Whitehall Foundation
    Role: Principal Investigator
    $225,000
  • July 2018–June 2022
    Mapping Heterogeneous Dopamine Signaling in Subregions of the Olfactory Tubercle and Its Effect on Psychostimulant-induced Behaviors
    NIH/NIDA
    Role: Principal Investigator
    $408,034
  • October 2019–September 2021
    Incorporation of Carbon Electrodes onto Flexible Microelectrode Arrays
    Lawrence Livermore Nation Laboratory (LLNL)
    Role: Co-Principal Investigator
    $548,175

Journal Articles:

See all (22 more)

Professional Memberships:

  • The Electrochemical Society (2017–present)
  • American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutic (2012–2019)
  • Society of Neuroscience (2007–present)
  • American Society of Hypertension (2005–2007)
  • Society for Electroanalytical Chemistry (2003–present)

Presentations:

  • "Advantages and Challenges of Carbon-Based Materials as Implantable Neurochemical Sensors in the Autonomic Nervous Systems" The 2022 Gordon Research Conference (GRC) - Neuroelectronic Interfaces (2022)

Service Activities:

  • Undergraduate Academic Advisor; Chair (2022–present)
  • Director of the Biotechnology Undergraduate Program; Director (2020–present)
  • European Research Council (ERC) Consolidator Grant - Neuroscience and Neural Disorders (2020–present)
  • On-site interviewing candidates for the PhD Program in Biomedical Sciences (2019–present)
  • Steering Committee (2019–2020)
  • Faculty Search Committee for Biotechnology & Clinical Laboratory programs (2019–present)
  • Kentucky Science and Engineering Foundation (KSEF)'s University-Industry Research Partnership (UPAIR) (2016–present)
  • Postdoctoral Research Day, Undergraduate Research Day , Translational Research in Addiction Meeting, New York Pharmacology Society Meeting (2014–present)
  • Search Committee for an Analytical Faculty for the Dept. of Chemistry (2013–2014)
  • Faculty Council (2013–present)
  • ACS Chemical Neuroscience, Analyst, Analytical Chemistry, Analytical Methodes, Analytical Chimica Acta, Behavioral Brain Research, Biological Psychiatry, Biosensors & Bioelectronics, Brain Research, Electroanalysis, Frontiers in Psychiatry, Nanoscale, Scientific Reports, the Electrochemical Society, Immunological Investigations, Journal of Neurochemistry, Jornal of Visualized Experiments (JoVE) (2012–present)
  • BCLS Curriculum Committee (2012–present)
  • BCLS Undergraduate and M.S. Graduate Program; Admission committee (2012–present)

School News:

In the Media:


Clinical Specialties:

Clinical Offices:

Insurance Accepted:



Contact Information

314 Farber
3435 Main Street
Buffalo, New York 14214
jinwoopa@buffalo.edu