
Studies of the mechanisms of action and regulation of hormones and neurotransmitters at the cellular and molecular levels constitute the main goals our of research activities. G protein-coupled receptors (GPCR) mediate the actions of signaling molecules from unicellular organisms to man. We have used adrenergic and dopamine receptors to characterize the structure/function and regulation mechanisms of these prototypes of G protein-coupled receptors. Another approach has been to characterize the nature of neurotransmitter transporters for dopamine, serotonin and other neurotransmitters in an attempt to understand their function in normal and pathological neurotransmission. Another goal of our laboratory is to define the genes and pathways involved in the reinforcing properties of drugs of abuse using both forward and reverse genetic approaches. Our laboratory uses biochemical, molecular biology and gene targeting approaches to examine these questions.
Education and Training
- University of Miami, Ph.D. 1973
Associated Faculty Labs
Selected Grants and Awards
- Pharmacological Sciences Training Grant
- Neurobiology Training Program
- Exploiting Biased Agonism at the Ghrelin Receptor (GHSR 1a) for Opioid Addiction
- Mechanistic studies of Mas receptor activation and its role in aortic aneurysm formation
- Duke Training Grant in Nephrology
- Exploiting Dopamine Receptor Functional Selectivity as an Approach to Treat Parkinson's Symptoms
- Managing L-DOPA Induced Dyskinesias by Targeting Dopamine D1 Receptor Biased Signaling
- A novel functionally selective drug for the treatment of cocaine abuse by antagonism of the beta-arrestin signaling arm of the Ghrelin Receptor
- Development of SBI-553, an allosteric modulator of NTR1, for the treatment of substance use disorders
- A fully biological platform for monitoring mesoscale neural activity
- Translational Research in Surgical Oncology
- Super-resolution Imaging via Multiple Modalities with the Zeiss Elyra 7
- Leveraging Functional Selectivity in the Neurotensin Receptor 1-Mediated Treatment of Addiction
- Multidisciplinary Heart and Vascular Diseases
- New Methods for Synthesis and Studies of Bioactive Nitrogen-Containing Molecules
- Establishing the molecular and cellular mechanisms of Lgr5 signaling for controlling cancer stem cell behavior
- Organization and Function of Cellular Structure
- Pharmacological Sciences Training Program
- How Does Huntingtin Control Synaptic Development?
- Unmasking a Role for Cortical Dopamine D4 Receptors in Controlling Circuit Dynamics and Behavior
- Akt/GSK-3 Signaling Cascade and the Actions of Dopamine
- Control of Excitatory Synapse Formation by Huntingtin
- Simultaneous and Bidirectional Chemogenetic Control of Mesolimbic and Nigrostriatal Circuits
- Pharmacology Industry Internships for Ph.D. Students
- Biased Agonism at Neurotensin Receptor 1 for the Treatment of Methamphetamine Addiction
- Drug Abuse: Discovering Ligands for Pertinent GPCRs
- Basic predoctoral training in neuroscience
- Dissecting the Distinct Arrestin Signaling Capabilities of the Short and Long Dopamine D2 Receptors as a Paradigm for Psychostimulant Addiction Treatment
- Cellular and Molecular Signatures of Functionally-Selective D2R Ligands
- A Cancer Rainbow Mouse for Simultaneous Assessment of Multiple Oncogenes
- The 5-HT theory of depression tested in a naturalistic model of 5-HT deficiency
- NARSAD Prize - Marc Caron / Nikhil Urs
- Screening and identification of beta-arrestin biased dopamine receptor ligands for PD symptom therapy.
- Chemical Biology Approaches to Combat Parkinson's Disease and Dyskinesia
- Ultra-resolution imaging of brain circuitry and its development in mental health
- Role of domaine D2 receptor biased signaling in antipsychotic responsive behaviours in genetically engineered mouse models
- Beta-arrestin Regulation of Ghrelin Signaling in Modulating Addictive Behavior
- Cancer Biology Training Grant
- Validation of a novel mouse model of dyskinesia in Parkinson's disease
- Training in Fundamental &Translational Neuroscience
- Consequences of naturalistic serotonin deficiency for suicide-related social endophenotypes in mice
- Deciphering Drug Abuse Induced Mechanisms of Cellular Plasticity
- Clinical Oncology Research Career Development Program
- Novel high-throughput screening for modifiers of TorsinA pathology
- A Cancer Rainbow Mouse for the Simultaneous Assessment of Multiple Oncogenes
- Whole brain multimodal microscopy of an apoptosis reporter mouse
- Negative regulation of NF-kB by optineurin in primary open angle glaucoma
- Discovering Ligands for a5-a3-b4 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors.
- Non-invasive Chemical Genetic Control of Neuronal Activity
- The impact of serotonin deficiency on adult hippocampal neurogenesis, antidepressant-like responses, and stress vulnerability in mice
- Agilent Direct Drive 9.4T MRS/MRI Console
- Beta-catenin modulates dopamine dependent signal transduction and behavior.
- Role of beta-arrestin-2 signaling complexes in the actions of psychostimulants
- Small molecule screen to enhance epithelial repair
- Small Molecule Agonsists for the Neurotensin 1 Receptor
- IsoCyte Laser Scanning Plate Cytometer for High-throughput, High-content Assays
- Behavioral and Synaptic Consequences of MeCP2 Phosphorylation
- The Role of MafB in Mammalian Testis Morphogenesis
- Pharmacometabolomics Research Network
- Toxicant evaluation in mice with selective dopamine transporter overexpression
- Drug Abuse: Discovering Ligands for Pertinent GPCRs
- An ENU Mutagenesis Screen for Genes of Addiction
- Dopamine Receptor Regulation by GRKs in Drug Abuse
- Dopamine Receptors: Characterization And Regulation
- Elucidating the actions of acetylcholine in the brain
- Molecular studies of osmotic neural sensing
- Arrestins in G Protein-Coupled Receptor Trafficking
- Genetic Analysis of Dopaminergic Reward Mechanisms
- Molecular fingerprinting of GPCR ligands in Cancer
- GRK/Beta-arrestin in Sonic hedgehog signaling.
- Proteomic/Genetic Approaches to Monoamine Transporters
- Same
- Dopamine & Glutamate Pathways in Models of Schizophrenia
- Cell/Molecular Regulation of Human Dopamine Transporter
- Same
- Novel secretin receptor interacting proteins (Small Grant Program)
- Morphine Sensitivity in GRK and Arrestin Knockout Mice
- Presynaptic Dopamine Mechanisms After Chronic Cocaine
- Crc/Pe For The Study Of Depression
- Comprehensive Cancer Center Core Support Grant
- Comprehensive Cancer Center Core Support Grant
- Dopamine Receptors: Characterization And Regulation
- Dopamine Receptors: Characterization And Regulation
- Dopamine Receptors - Characterization And Regulation
- Pesticides And Dopaminergic Function
- Molecular Properties Of Cardiac Adrenergic Receptors
- An Investigation Of The Specificity Of Novel Ligans For Me
- Dopamine Receptors: Characterization & Endocrine Regula.
- Dopamine Receptors: Characterization & Endocrine Regulati.
- Dopamine Receptors: Characterization & Endocrine Regulatio
- Dopamine Receptors: Characterization And Endocrine Regulat
- Dopamine Receptors: Characterization/Endocrine Regulation
Department Affiliation
- Department of Cell Biology