Current Students
Michelle Baladi
Hometown: Okemos, Michigan
Education: BS, Biopsychology - University of Michigan
Laboratory: Dr. Charles France
Presentations:
The effects of food restriction on the discriminative stimulus effects of quinpirole. UTHSCSA Pharmacology Graduate Student Symposium (2008).
Publications:
Jutkiewicz EM, Baladi MG, Rice KC, Woods JH (2005) The convulsive and electroencephalographic changes produced by nonpeptide delta-opioid agonists in rats: Comparison with pentylenetetrazol. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 317(3):1337-48.
Jutkiewicz EM, Park YH, Baladi MG, Gnegy ME (2005) Amphetamine-sensitized rats demonstrate enhanced nicotine-stimulated locomotor activity and dopamine overflow. American Society for Pharmacol and Exp Ther., San Francisco, CA.
Offices:
Co-Chair: Pharmacology Graduate Student Symposium Committee (2007)
Jacob Garza
Hometown: Alice, Texas
Education:
BS, Biology - Texas A&M University - Kingsville
MS, Biology - Texas A&M University - Kingsville
Laboratory: Dr. Xin-Yun Lu
Awards:
UTHSCSA Presidential Ambassador Scholarship (2008)
NIMH F31: NRSA Individual Predoctoral Fellowship - Mechanisms underlying leptin's effects on adult hippocampal neurogenesis (2008-2010)
Travel Award: Society for Neuroscience (2007)
3rd Place Poster: UTHSCSA Pharmacology Graduate Student Symposium (2006)
Presentations:
Leptin regulates adult hippocampal neurogenesis in vivo and in vitro. UTHSCSA Pharmacology Graduate Student Symposium (2008).
RNAi-mediated silencing of the malanocortin-4 receptor in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus increases food intake and body weight. Center for Biomedical Neuroscience (2007) and Society for Neuroscience (2007).
Leptin promotes adult hippocampal neurogenesis. UTHSCSA Pharmacology Graduate Student Symposium (2007).
Leptin reverses chronic stress-induced suppression of hippocampal neurogenesis and behavioral deficits in an animal model of depression. Society for Neuroscience (2006).
Antidepressant behavioral responses and signal transduction pathways in the hippocampus and amygdala of mice induced leptin. Society for Neuroscience (2006) and Center for Biomedical Neuroscience (2006).
Chronic unpredictable stress and leptin: Opposite effects on hippocampal neurogenesis. UTHSCSA Pharmacology Graduate Student Symposium (2006).
Publications:
Garza JC, Guo M, Zhang W, and Lu X-Y (2008). Leptin promotes adult hippocampal neurogenesis in vivo and in vitro. Journal of Biol Chem (in press).
Garza JC, Kim CS, Liu J, Zhang W, and Lu X-Y (2008). AAV-mediated knockdown of MC4R in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus promotes high fat diet-induced hyperphagia and obesity. Journal of Endocrinology (in press).
Ryu KY, Garza JC, Lu X-Y, Barsh GS, Kopito RR (2008). Hypothalamic neurodegeneration and adult-onset obesity in mice lacking the Ubb polyubiquitin gene. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA, 105(10)::4016-21.
Liu J, Garza JC, Truong HV, Henschel J, Zhang W, Lu X-Y (2007). The melanocortinergic pathway is rapidly recruited by acute emotional stress and contributes to stress-induced anorexia and anxiety-like behavior. Endicrinology 148:5531-40.
Offices:
Alternate Member: University of Texas Student Advisory Council (2007-2008)
Peer Advisor: UTHSCSA Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (2006-2007)
Member: Pharmacology Graduate Student Symposium Committee (2006)
Jacob Junco
Hometown: La Vernia, Texas
Education:
BS, Chemistry & Biology - Duke University
Laboratory: Dr. Tom Slaga
Presentations:
Differential effects of promising phytonutrients on critical features of skin tumor promotion in sencar mice. UTHSCSA Pharmacology Graduate Student Symposium (2008).
Jason Justice
Hometown: San Antonio, Texas
Education:
BS, Biology - University of Texas - San Antonio
Laboratory: Dr. David Weiss
Presentations:
Structural and mechanistic elements of picrotoxin inhibition of the alb2g2 GABAa receptor. UTHSCSA Pharmacology Graduate Student Symposium (2008).
Neuroprotective effects of topiramate in the kainic acid model of status epilepticus, American Epilepsy Society (2002).
Publications:
Sanchez R, Justice J, Zhang K (2007) Persistently decreased basal synaptic inhibition of hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons after neonatal hypoxia-induced seizures. Developmental Neuroscience 29:159-167.
Offices:
Member: UTHSCSA Campus Wellness Committee (2008-2009)
GSBS Peer Advisor (2007-2008)
Member: UTHSCSA Infectious Policy and Education Committee (2007-2008)
Alex Martinez
Hometown: El Paso, Texas
Education:
BA, Biology - St. Mary's University
Laboratory: Undecided
Presentations:
Presynaptic response to local tissue hypoxia of neurons within the nucleus of the solitary tract. UTHSCSA Pharmacology Graduate Student Symposium (2008).
Matt Rowan
Hometown: College Station, Texas
Education:
BS, Chemistry - Texas A&M University
MS, Forensic Science - George Washington University
Laboratory: Dr. William Clarke
Awards:
Outstanding Student Poster: UTHSCSA Pharmacology Graduate Student Symposium (2008)
Craniofacial Oral-Biology Student Training in Academic Research Training Grant (2007-2011)
Presentations:
17ß-Estradiol rapidly enhances bradykinin responses in sensory neurons in vitro and in vivo. UTHSCSA Pharmacology Graduate Student Symposium (2008).
Non-Opioid Analgesics, UTHSCSA School of Allied Health - Dental Hygiene Lecture (2008).
Peripheral delta opioid receptors (DOR) require priming for functional competence in vivo.
Regulation of mu opioid receptor signaling in trigeminal ganglion neurons by RGD-binding integrins. Society for Neuroscience (2007) and UTHSCSA Pharmacology Graduate Student Symposium (2007).
Publications:
Rowan MP, Ruparel NB, Patwardhan AM, Berg KA, Clarke WP, Hargreaves KM (2008) Peripheral delta opioid receptors require priming for functional competence in vivo. Eur J Pharmacol (submitted).
Offices:
GSBS Peer Advisor (2008-2009)
Chair: Pharmacology Graduate Student Symposium Committee (2007)
Phoebe Scotland
Hometown: Tulameen, British Columbia, Canada
Education:
Hon. BA, Psychology - Okanagan University College - Canada
MA, Experimental Psychology - McGill University - Canada
Laboratory: Dr. Kenneth Hargreaves
Awards:
Excellence in Women's Health Scholarship, Council for Excellence in Women's Health (2008)
Presentations:
Colocalization of TRPV1 and PRL in inflamed hindpaw skin. UTHSCSA Pharmacology Graduate Student Symposium (2008).
Effect of CFA on peripheral prolactin levels in inflamed tissue. Society for Neuroscience (2007) and UTHSCSA Integrated Multidisciplinary Graduate Program Recruitment Poster Session (2008)
Effects of intrathecal DHPG on spontaneous nociceptive behaviors in rats with neuropathy or chronic inflammation. Keystone Symposium: Pain Mechanisms and the Development of Analgesics (2006).
Group I metabotropic glutamate receptors and nociception. Philip R. Bromage Anesthesia Research Day, McGill University (2006).
Publications:
Scotland PE and Coderre TJ (2007) Enhanced 3,5-Dihydroxyphenylglycine-induced sustained nociceptive behaviors in rats with neuropathy or chronic inflammation. Behavioral Brain Research, 184:150-156.
Holder MD and Scotland PE (2005) The effects of static magnetic fields on cold and pressure induced pain. The Scientific Review of Mental Health Practice, 3:30-38.
Offices:
Student Representative: Pharmacology Committee on Graduate Studies (2007-2008)
Alexandra Soto Piña
Hometown: Toluca, Mexico
Education:
BS, Medical Technology - Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México
MS, Biology - Texas A&M University - Kingsville
Laboratory: Dr. Randy Strong
Awards:
Complementary Scholarship for Biological Science, Mexican Board of Education (2008)
Presentations:
Mechanisms of dexamethasone-induced hypertension in fisher 344 rats. UTHSCSA Pharmacology Graduate Student Symposium (2008).
Publications:
Lapiz-Bluhm MD, Soto Piña AE, Hensler JG, Morilak DA (2008) Chronic intermittent cold stress and serotonin depletion induce deficits of reversal learning in an attentional set-shifting test in rats. June 30. [Epub ahead of print].
Ha Van Truong
Hometown: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Education:
BA, Biology - Macalester College
Laboratory: Dr. Alan Frazer
Presentations:
Anatomical and functional interaction between leptin signaling and raphe 5-HT neurons. UTHSCSA Pharmacology Graduate Student Symposium (2008).
Central melancortin signaling mediates behavioral responses to acute emotional stress. Society for Neuroscience (2007).
Dorsal raphe 5-HT neurons express the long form leptin receptor and are activated by leptin. UTHSCSA Pharmacology Graduate Student Symposium (2007).
Publications:
Liu J, Garza JC, Truong HV, Henschel J, Zhang W, Lu X-Y (2007) The melanocortinergic pathway is rapidly recruited by emotional stress and contributes to stress-induced anorexia and anxiety-like behavior. Endocrinology 148:5531-40.
Joseph Walch
Hometown: San Antonio, TX
Education:
BS, Neuroscience - Brigham Young University
Laboratory: Dr. Tom Cunningham
Awards:
MD/PhD Breckenridge Scholar (October 2007 - Present)
2007 Holt Bioethics Essay Award
Offices:
Student International Health Group (2007-2008)
Presentations:
Changes in TRPV4 expression in the supraoptic nucleus (SON) of the rat brain following bile duct ligation (BDL) induced cirrhosis. UTHSCSA Pharmacolgoy Graduate Student Symposium (2008).
Margaret Wey
Hometown: Tainan City, Taiwan
Education: BS, Pharmacy - China Medical College
Laboratory: Dr. Randy Strong
Presentations:
Effect of reduced ALDH1A1 gene expression on midbrain dopamine neurons: Implications for parkinson's disease. UTHSCSA Pharmacology Graduate Student Symposium (2008).