School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences

Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology

Recent Faculty Publications

An XF, Zhang Y, Winter JC, Li JX, Li J. Effects of imidazoline I(2) receptor agonists and morphine on schedule-controlled responding in rats. Pharmacol Biochem Behav. 2012; 101(3)
Thorn DA, Winter JC, Li JX, Li J. Agmatine attenuates methamphetamine-induced conditioned place preference in rats. Eur J Pharmacol. 2012; 680(1-3)
Biton B, Sethuramanujam S, Picchione KE, Bhattacharjee A, Khessibi N, Chesney F, Lanneau C, Curet O, Avenet P. The antipsychotic drug loxapine is an opener of the sodium-activated potassium channel slack (Slo2.2). J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 2012; 340(3)
Woods R, Vallero RO, Golub MS, Suarez JK, Ta TA, Yasui DH, Chi LH, Kostyniak PJ, Pessah IN, Berman RF, Lasalle JM. Long-lived epigenetic interactions between perinatal PBDE exposure and Mecp2308 mutation. Hum Mol Genet. 2012
Liu Q, Zhang M, Qin WJ, Wang YT, Li YL, Jing L, Li JX, Lawrence AJ, Liang JH, Li J. Septal nuclei critically mediate the development of behavioral sensitization to a single morphine injection in rats. Brain Res. 2012
Lee DW, Notter SA, Thiruchelvam M, Dever DP, Fitzpatrick R, Kostyniak PJ, Cory-Slechta DA, Opanashuk LA. Subchronic polychlorinated biphenyl (Aroclor 1254) exposure produces oxidative damage and neuronal death of ventral midbrain dopaminergic systems. Toxicol Sci. 2012; 125(2)
Yeung ED, Morrison A, Plumeri D, Wang J, Tong C, Yan X, Li J. Alternol exerts prostate-selective antitumor effects through modulations of the AMPK signaling pathway. Prostate. 2012; 72(2)
Garrick MD, Zhao L, Roth JA, Jiang H, Feng J, Foot NJ, Dalton H, Kumar S, Garrick LM. Isoform specific regulation of divalent metal (ion) transporter (DMT1) by proteasomal degradation. Biometals. 2012
Thorn DA, An XF, Zhang Y, Pigini M, Li JX, Li J. Characterization of the hypothermic effects of imidazoline I(2) receptor agonists in rats. Br J Pharmacol. 2012
Sampson C, Zhang Y, Bello FD, Li JX, Li J. Effects of imidazoline I2 receptor ligands on acute nociception in rats. Neuroreport. 2012; 23(2)
Virarkur M Alappat L Bradford PG Awad AB. Role of L-Arginine and Nitric Oxide in CNS Function and Neurodegenerative Disease. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition. 2012
Awad AB, Bradford PG. Garlic Products in Reduction of Cardiovascular Risks Functional Foods and Cardiovascular Disease. 2012
Bradford PG Awad AB. Tamoxifen: Biological Activities and Therapeutic Outcomes. Tamoxifen: Properties, Biological Activity and Health. 2012
Srivastava T., Fortin D., Nygaard S., Kaech S., Sonenberg N., Edelman AM, Soderling T.R.. Regulation of Neuronal mRNA Translation by CaM-kinase I Phosphorylation of eIF4GII. J Neurosci. 2012
Lein PJ, Bonner MR, Farahat FM, Olson JR, Rohlman DS, Fenske RA, Lattal KM, Lasarev MR, Galvin K, Farahat TM, Anger WK. Experimental strategy for translational studies of organophosphorus pesticide neurotoxicity based on real-world occupational exposures to chlorpyrifos. Neurotoxicology. 2012
Ellison CA, Tian Y, Knaak JB, Kostyniak PJ, Olson JR. Human hepatic cytochrome p450-specific metabolism of the organophosphorus pesticides methyl parathion and diazinon. Drug Metab Dispos. 2012; 40(1)
Li JX, Zhang Y, Li J. Emerging drug targets for pain treatment. Eur J Pharmacol. 2012
Hollis F, Gaval-Cruz M, Carrier N, Dietz DM, Kabbaj M, Dietz D. Juvenile and adult rats differ in cocaine reward and expression of zif268 in the forebrain. Neuroscience. 2012; 200
Dietz DM, Nestler EJ, Dietz D. From father to offspring: paternal transmission of depressive-like behaviors. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2012; 37(1)
Dolan JM, Sim FJ, Meng H, Kolega J. Endothelial Cells Express a Unique Transcriptional Profile under Very High Wall Shear Stress Known to Induce Expansive Arterial Remodeling. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol. 2011

Researcher Spotlight

Pesticide Biomarkers

4/13/12

James R. Olson, PhD, has traveled to Egypt to work with cotton laborers exposed to pesticides. His research links genetics, an individual’s degree of exposure to pesticides and effects on health, seeking to improve workplace and environmental health worldwide.
Healing Aging Hearts

4/12/12

Ji Li, PhD, studies the molecular mechanisms of coronary artery disease, the most common cause of age-related cardiovascular disease. He seeks novel strategies to boost patients’ tolerance of cardiac stressor events and prevent their loss of cardiac resilience.
Addiction: Rewiring the Brain

12/6/11

David Dietz, PhD, investigates cellular changes by which drugs “hijack” the central nervous system’s reward circuitry, causing addiction. He studies how differences in individuals’ molecular and behavioral plasticity mediate susceptibility to drug abuse and relapse.
Improving Breast Cancer Treatments

4/13/12

Rajendram Rajnarayanan, PhD, studies interactomes of the human estrogen receptor, which is expressed in 70 percent of breast cancers. His lab seeks to design molecules to improve the effects of tamoxifen, a drug commonly prescribed to treat breast cancer.
Diabetes

4/13/12

Suzanne Laychock, PhD, is investigating the cellular mechanisms regulating insulin secretion in pancreatic cells. Her group has used pancreatic cells in primary culture to develop in vitro systems that mimic aspects of Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes.
The Neuropharmacology of Melatonin

4/13/12

Margarita L. Dubocovich, PhD, works to elucidate melatonin’s mechanism of action and role in modulating circadian rhythms. Her lab develops novel molecules targeting melatonin receptors to treat depression, sleep disorders and cardiovascular disease.
The Genomics of Myelination

4/12/12

Fraser J. Sim, PhD, studies the molecular mechanisms controlling stem and progenitor cell fate in the human brain. His lab seeks to develop novel drug- and cell-based therapies for repair and regeneration in demyelinating diseases, such as multiple sclerosis.

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Core Facilities

Stem Cell Engraftment and In Vivo Analysis

4/24/12

Engrafts stem cells into mice and other model systems; quantifies cell engraftment, migration and differentiation, and analyzes the behavior consequences of neural engraftment.
Molecular Interactions

4/24/12

Allows investigators to analyze the kinetics of protein-protein and protein-ligand interactions.
X-Ray Photoelectron Emission Microscopy

4/24/12

Houses a transmission electron microscope as well as light microscopes; consults with investigators and assists with equipment operation.
Stem Cell Sequencing/Epigenomics Analysis

4/24/12

Characterizes and identifies epigenetic and transcription signatures of stem cells and their derived progeny using Next-Gen sequencing.
Flow Cytometry and Cell Sorting

4/24/12

Hosts analytical fluorescence-activated flow cytometers/cell sorters (FACS) and a state-of-the art high-speed cell sorter.
Next Generation Sequencing and Expression

4/24/12

Offers high-throughput, next-generation sequencing and gene-expression analysis services, including 3’-expression, miRNA, exon and gene arrays.
Scanning Transmission X-Ray Microscopy

4/24/12

Provides facilities and technical assistance for processing and analyzing samples using electron microscopy.
Histology Core

4/24/12

Performs all procedures related to tissue preservation and histological analysis, including training on cryostat use and other protocols.
Gene Targeting and Transgenics

4/24/12

Provides transgenic approaches for the systematic dissection of the genetic, molecular, cellular and physiological mechanisms underlying complex biological processes.
Health Sciences Instrument Shops

4/24/12

Fabricates custom equipment and repairs and modifies instruments to researchers’ needs.
Proteomics/Mass Spectrometry

4/24/12

Identifies proteins in cell or tissue extracts using several different liquid chromotography/mass spectrometry based approaches.
Standard DNA Sequencing

4/24/12

Carries out Sanger sequencing on a fee-for-service basis on instrumentation that typically provides reads of >600bp.
Protein Production and Crystallization

4/24/12

Supports automated crystallization trials in a 1,536-well format, providing a key step in determining atomic scale molecular structures.
Proteomics/Maldi-Tof

4/24/12

Allows identification of differentially expressed proteins via peptide mass fingerprinting.
Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Generation

4/24/12

Helps investigators generate induced pluripotent stem cells from human skin fibroblasts using lentiviral vectors.
Clinical Flow Cytometry

4/24/12

Provides multiparameter flow cytometry services for clinical diagnosis and follow-up, and to basic and clinical researchers.
Stem Cell Culture, Banking and Training

4/24/12

Maintains and banks stem cells, and provides stem cells and training to interested researchers.
Confocal Microscopy/Cellular Imaging

4/24/12

Contains a Zeiss LSM-510 Meta NLO laser scanning confocal microscope attached to a Zeiss-inverted microscope upgraded to multiphoton capability.
Toxicology Research Center

4/24/12

Analyzes xenobiotics and other metabolites, and supports OSHA-sponsored educational activities.
Biochemistry Stockroom

4/24/12

Supplies the school and affiliated research programs with biochemical reagents.
Positron Emission Tomography

4/24/12

Utilizes advanced PET radiopharmaceuticals/tracers and the latest PET/CT imaging technology to explore a wide variety of clinical and research questions.

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Recent Faculty Publications

Research and Facilities