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Rodrigo Andrade, Ph.D.
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RESEARCH INTERESTS:
Research in the Andrade lab focuses on neuroscience and specifically on the mechanisms underlying neuronal communication/synaptic transmission in the brain. It seeks to address the molecular mechanisms whereby neurotransmitters acting via G protein coupled receptors signal their responses in central neurons. Specifically, it focuses on serotonin and acetylcholine muscarinic receptors in hippocampus and cortex and uses the experimental benefits afforded by these experimental systems to delineate general mechanisms applicable to G protein coupled receptors in a variety of neuronal cell types.
Our approach to this broad research area is to use electrophysiological techniques in brain slices, in combination with pharmacological, molecular biological, and cell imaging approaches, to understand the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying the function of these receptors in central neurons. While this work falls squarely in the area of basic molecular neuroscience, the broader significance of this work lies in its ability to identify molecular targets for therapeutics, while providing a conceptual platform upon which to build an integrated view of the function of acetylcholine and serotonin in the brain. The hope is that this work can bridge advances at the basic science level with preclinical and clinical efforts effort at developing therapeutic approaches to mental disorders.
For a more extensive description of our work, please visit the Andrade Lab website
Selected Recent Publications:
- Beique, J.-C., and R. Andrade (2003) PSD-95 regulates synaptic strength at cortical synapses. J. Physiol (London) 546: 859-867.
- Villalobos, C., Shakkottai, V., Chandy, G., Michelhaugh, S. and R. Andrade (2004) SKCa channels mediate the medium but not the slow calcium-activated afterhyperpolarization in cortical neurons. J. Neuroscience.24: 3537-3542.
- Beique J.-C., Campbell, B., Perring, P., Hamblin, M., Walker, P., L. Mladenovic and R. Andrade (2004) Serotonergic regulation of membrane potential in developing rat prefrontal cortex: Coordinated expression of 5-HT1A, 5-HT2A and 5-HT7 receptors. J. Neuroscience. 24:4807-17.
- Bouhamdan M., Yan H.-D., Yan X.-H., Bannon, M.J. and R. Andrade (2006) Brain-specific RGS9-2 selectively interacts with a-actinin-2 to regulate calcium-dependent inactivation of NMDA receptors. J. Neuroscience. 26: 2522-2530
- Beique J.-C., Imad, M, L. Mladenovic, Gingrich, J.A. and R. Andrade (2007) Mechanism of 5-hydroxytryptamine 2A receptor-mediated facilitation of synaptic activity in prefrontal cortex. Proc. Natl Acad Sci USA 104: 9870-9875.
Search PubMed for publications from the Andrade Lab
Links:
Society for Neuroscience
The serotonin Club
