Researchers Present Findings at Experimental Biology Event

The meetings, a series of scientific research events involving more than 14,000 multidisciplinary participants, took place April 21-25 in San Diego in conjunction with the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (ASPET) annual meeting.

Lakeisha A. Lewter, a doctoral candidate in the neuroscience program, took first place for best presentation in the ASPET Behavioral Pharmacology Division.

She gave a presentation titled “Behavioral Effects of α2/α3 Subtype-Selective GABAA Receptor Positive Allosteric Modulators.”

Lewter is mentored by Jun-Xu Li, MD, PhD, associate professor of pharmacology and toxicology, who was present for the meeting.

Researchers in the laboratories of Margarita L. Dubocovich, PhD, SUNY Distinguished Professor of pharmacology and toxicology and senior associate dean for diversity and inclusion, and Rajendram Rajnarayanan, PhD, also earned honors.

Grant C. Glatfelter, a doctoral candidate in pharmacology and toxicology, and Anthony J. Jones, a doctoral candidate in the neuroscience program, took second and third, respectively, in the best poster award for graduate students in the ASPET Toxicology competition.

Glatfelter’s poster was titled “Carbamate Insecticide Carbaryl Targets Melatonin Receptors and Modulates Circadian Rhythms.”

Jones’ poster was titled “Carbamate Insecticides Bind to a Novel Allosteric Site on hMT1 Melatonin Receptors.”

Glatfelter and Jones both presented in the Neurotoxicology Division.

A poster was also presented titled “The Role of Trace Amine Associated Receptor-1 (TAAR-1) on the Modulation of Circadian Rhythms in Mice.”

Nadin Zejnilovic, who earned her bachelor of science degree in pharmacology and toxicology, was lead author.

Dubocovich, who was also in attendance at the meeting, was a co-author. Other co-authors were Glatfelter and Shannon J. Clough, PhD.

Robert J. Ettaro, a research technician in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, presented his poster “Microinjection of the Neuropeptide Urotensin II Into the Pedunculopontine Tegmentum Leads to an Increased Perception of Sensory Stimuli.”

Steven M. Gertz, who earned a master’s degree in the neuroscience program, presented the poster “Evaluating the Effects of Cholinergic Depletion in the PPTg, LDTg, and VTA on Acoustic Startle Response and Morphine-Related Reward.” He is now a research technician in the Department of Neurosurgery.

Ettaro and Gertz are mentored by Stewart Clark, PhD, assistant professor of pharmacology and toxicology, who was also in attendance at the meeting.

John M. Canty Jr., MD, SUNY Distinguished Professor and Albert and Elizabeth Rekate Professor of medicine and chief of the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, and Brian R. Weil, PhD, research assistant professor of physiology and biophysics, presented a poster in the Cardiac Function, Dynamics and Electrophysiology Division.

Their poster was titled “Persistent Left Ventricular Diastolic Stiffening Despite Cessation of Intermittent Myocardial Stretch in Swine.”

George Techiryan, a pharmacology and toxicology student in the MD-PhD Program, was in attendance and a contributing author on the abstract. Techiryan is mentored by Canty.