Elizabeth Fernandez, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor/Research

Personal Statement:

Aging is the main risk factor for neurodegenerative diseases. Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a disorder of the brain that leads to shaking (tremors) and difficulty with walking, movement, and coordination. My studies are focused to test the role of impaired detoxification of biogenic aldehydes and reactive oxygen species in the Gpx1/Aldh1a1 double KO model of Parkinson’s disease and whether the use of aldehyde trapping agents and N-acetylcysteine, separately and/or together will revert the effects, and could provide a new therapeutic approach to intervention in Parkinson ’s disease.
The objectives in these studies are to examine the role of two genes, aldehyde dehydrogenase 1a1 (Aldh1a1) and the glutamate peroxidase 1 (Gpx1), each of whose expression is notably reduced in the nigrostriatal pathway in Parkinson’s disease, and the effects of the aldehyde trapping agent-hydralazine- and or the glutathione precursor N-acetylcysteine in preventing or attenuating the progression of Parkinson’s disease.

Education

Ph.D., Cellular & Molecular Pharmacology and Physiology
University of Nevada
Reno, Nevada

Research

• aging	• elderly
• Alzheimer’s	• Parkinson’s
• rapamycin	• simvastatin
• resveratrol	• Aldh1
• Gpx1

Awards & Accomplishments

VA 1 I01 BX001641-01A1 – 10/01/2012-09/30/2017 (Active)
Merit Review Medical Research Program – Detoxification of Biogenic Aldehydes in Parkinson’s disease – Department of Veterans Affairs
(Fernandez, Co-I / Strong, PI)
The goals of these studies is to test the hypothesis that elevated levels of biogenic aldehydes are involved in the pathophysiology of Parkinson’s disease. We are using aldehyde trapping agents to test the hypothesis that biogenic aldehydes may be therapeutic targets in this disease
NIA 1U01-AG022307 – 04/15/2004-06/30/2014 (Active)
Center for Testing Potential Anti-Aging Interventions (NIA-Aging Interventions Testing Center)
(Fernandez, Co-I / Strong, PI – Program Director)
This is one of three national centers funded by the National Institute on Aging whose purpose is to test interventions for which therapeutic targets have been identified that have been shown to modulate the aging process
VISN17 – 10/01/2008-09/30/2012 (Completed)
Research Program – The role of Aldh1a1 and Gpx1 Deficiency in Parkinson’s disease – Department of Veterans Affairs
(Fernandez,PI)
We investigated possible contributions of ALDH and GPX to the pathophysiology of Parkinson’s disease

Affiliations

Subcommittee for Research Safety – Chairperson South Texas Veterans Health Care System, Research and Development (2010-2011)
Subcommittee for Research Safety – Co-Chairperson South Texas Veterans Health Care System (2009-2010)

Publications

Liu, Y., Diaz, V., Fernandez, E., Strong, R., Ye, L., Baur, JA., Lamming, DA., Richardson, A. and Salmon, AB. (2014) Rapamycin-induced metabolic defects are reversible in both lean and obese mice. Aging Sep;6(9):742-54 PMCID: PMC4221917
Tardif, S., Ross, C., Bergman, P., Fernandez, E., Javors, M., Salmon, A., Spross, J., Strong, R. and Richardson, A. (2014) Testing Efficacy of Administration of the Antiaging Drug Rapamycin in a Nonhuman Primate, the Common Marmoset. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. Jul 19. pii: glu101
Harrison, DE., *Strong, R., Allison, DB., Ames, BN., Astle, CM., Atamna, H., Fernandez, E., Flurkey, F., Javors, MA., Nadon, NL., Nelson, JF., Simpkins, JW., Smith, D., Wilkinson, JE. and *Miller, RA. (2014) Acarbose, 17-α-estradiol, and nordihydroguaiaretic acid extend mouse lifespan preferentially in males. Aging Cell. Apr;13(2):273-82. doi: 10.1111/acel.12170. Epub 2013 Nov 19 PMCID: PMC3954939
Miller, RA., *Harrison, DE., Astle, CM., Fernandez, E., Flurkey, K., Han, M., Javors, MA., Li, X., Nadon, NL., Nelson, JF., Pletcher, S., Van Roekel, S., Salmon, AB., Sharp, ZD., Winkleman, L. and *Strong, R. (2014) Rapamycin-Mediated Lifespan Increase in Mice is Dose and Sex-Dependent and Metabolically Distinct from Dietary Restriction. Aging Cell. Jun;13(3):468-77. doi: 10.1111/acel.12194. Epub 2014 Feb 9 PMCID: PMC4032600
Bai, X., Fermandez, E.*, Gould, G. and Strong, R.* (2013) Homozygous Deletion of Glutathione Peroxidase 1 and Aldehyde Dehydrogenase 1a1 Genes Is Not Associated with Schizophrenia-Like Behavior in Mice. J Biochem Pharmacol Res. Dec 1;1(4):228-235 PMCID: PMC3909525