Posts classified under: G

Karen Gylys, R.N., Ph.D.

Biography

Karen Hoppens Gylys is a neuroscientist who joined the faculty of the School of Nursing and the Brain Research Institute in 1998. Dr. Gylys earned a B.S. degree in Nursing and a M.S. degree in Human Development at the University of Texas, Dallas. She received her Ph.D. in Neuroscience, with a major in neuropharmacology, at UCLA in 1993, and did postdoctoral work on molecular mechanisms of opioid tolereance in the NPI. Since joining the faculty of the School of Nursing, she has taught pharmacology and research in the School of Nursing and is actively involved in the BRI. Her laboratory research is focused on understanding the dysfunction and loss of synapses that occurs in Alzheimer’s disease (AD), and she has pioneered the use of flow cytometry for the analysis of synaptosomes.  Her projects use primarily human postmortem AD samples and mouse models of the disease.  Research interests include neuroinflammation and APOE risk for AD, the single biggest genetic risk, which can also be also protective.  Recent projects have isolated brain cell types from human postmortem samples in order to study microglial and astrocyte effects on AD progression.  We also have new projects looking at exosome mechanisms in pathology and signaling between cortical cell types.

Publications

A selected list of publications:

Bilousova Tina, Melnik Mikhail, Miyoshi Emily, Gonzalez Bianca L, Poon Wayne W, Vinters Harry V, Miller Carol A, Corrada Maria M, Kawas Claudia, Hatami Asa, Albay Ricardo, Glabe Charles, Gylys Karen H   Apolipoprotein E/Amyloid-β Complex Accumulates in Alzheimer Disease Cortical Synapses via Apolipoprotein E Receptors and Is Enhanced by APOE4 The American journal of pathology, 2019; 189(8): 1621-1636.
Bilousova Tina, Elias Chris, Miyoshi Emily, Alam Mohammad Parvez, Zhu Chunni, Campagna Jesus, Vadivel Kanagasabai, Jagodzinska Barbara, Gylys Karen Hoppens, John Varghese   Suppression of tau propagation using an inhibitor that targets the DK-switch of nSMase2 Biochemical and biophysical research communications, 2018; 499(4): 751-757.
Gylys Karen Hoppens, Bilousova Tina   Flow Cytometry Analysis and Quantitative Characterization of Tau in Synaptosomes from Alzheimer’s Disease Brains Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.), 2017; 1523(3): 273-284.
Gonzalez Bianca, Abud Edsel M, Abud Abigail M, Poon Wayne W, Gylys Karen H   Tau Spread, Apolipoprotein E, Inflammation, and More: Rapidly Evolving Basic Science in Alzheimer Disease Neurologic clinics, 2017; 35(2): 175-190.
Abud Edsel M, Ramirez Ricardo N, Martinez Eric S, Healy Luke M, Nguyen Cecilia H H, Newman Sean A, Yeromin Andriy V, Scarfone Vanessa M, Marsh Samuel E, Fimbres Cristhian, Caraway Chad A, Fote Gianna M, Madany Abdullah M, Agrawal Anshu, Kayed Rakez, Gylys Karen H, Cahalan Michael D, Cummings Brian J, Antel Jack P, Mortazavi Ali, Carson Monica J, Poon Wayne W, Blurton-Jones Mathew   iPSC-Derived Human Microglia-like Cells to Study Neurological Diseases Neuron, 2017; 94(2): 278-293.e9.
Prieto G Aleph, Trieu Brian H, Dang Cindy T, Bilousova Tina, Gylys Karen H, Berchtold Nicole C, Lynch Gary, Cotman Carl W   Pharmacological Rescue of Long-Term Potentiation in Alzheimer Diseased Synapses The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience, 2017; 37(5): 1197-1212.
Zhang Liang, Trushin Sergey, Christensen Trace A, Bachmeier Benjamin V, Gateno Benjamin, Schroeder Andreas, Yao Jia, Itoh Kie, Sesaki Hiromi, Poon Wayne W, Gylys Karen H, Patterson Emily R, Parisi Joseph E, Diaz Brinton Roberta, Salisbury Jeffrey L, Trushina Eugenia   Altered brain energetics induces mitochondrial fission arrest in Alzheimer’s Disease Scientific reports, 2016; 6(4): 18725.
Bilousova Tina, Miller Carol A, Poon Wayne W, Vinters Harry V, Corrada Maria, Kawas Claudia, Hayden Eric Y, Teplow David B, Glabe Charles, Albay Ricardo, Cole Gregory M, Teng Edmond, Gylys Karen H   Synaptic Amyloid-β Oligomers Precede p-Tau and Differentiate High Pathology Control Cases The American journal of pathology, 2016; 186(1): 185-98.
Wang David B, Kinoshita Yoshito, Kinoshita Chizuru, Uo Takuma, Sopher Bryce L, Cudaback Eiron, Keene C Dirk, Bilousova Tina, Gylys Karen, Case Amanda, Jayadev Suman, Wang Hong-Gang, Garden Gwenn A, Morrison Richard S   Loss of endophilin-B1 exacerbates Alzheimer’s disease pathology Brain : a journal of neurology, 2015; 138(Pt 7): 2005-19.
Sokolow Sophie, Henkins Kristen M, Bilousova Tina, Gonzalez Bianca, Vinters Harry V, Miller Carol A, Cornwell Lindsey, Poon Wayne W, Gylys Karen H   Pre-synaptic C-terminal truncated tau is released from cortical synapses in Alzheimer’s disease Journal of neurochemistry, 2015; 133(3): 368-79.
Tai Leon M, Bilousova Tina, Jungbauer Lisa, Roeske Stephen K, Youmans Katherine L, Yu Chunjiang, Poon Wayne W, Cornwell Lindsey B, Miller Carol A, Vinters Harry V, Van Eldik Linda J, Fardo David W, Estus Steve, Bu Guojun, Gylys Karen Hoppens, Ladu Mary Jo   Levels of soluble apolipoprotein E/amyloid-β (Aβ) complex are reduced and oligomeric Aβ increased with APOE4 and Alzheimer disease in a transgenic mouse model and human samples The Journal of biological chemistry, 2013; 288(8): 5914-26.
Sokolow Sophie, Henkins Kristen M, Bilousova Tina, Miller Carol A, Vinters Harry V, Poon Wayne, Cole Gregory M, Gylys Karen Hoppens   AD synapses contain abundant Aβ monomer and multiple soluble oligomers, including a 56-kDa assembly Neurobiology of aging, 2012; 33(8): 1545-55.
Sokolow Sophie, Henkins Kristen M, Williams Iris A, Vinters Harry V, Schmid Ingrid, Cole Gregory M, Gylys Karen H   Isolation of synaptic terminals from Alzheimer’s disease cortex Cytometry. Part A : the journal of the International Society for Analytical Cytology, 2012; 81(3): 248-54.
Arold Stephen, Sullivan Patrick, Bilousova Tina, Teng Edmond, Miller Carol A, Poon Wayne W, Vinters Harry V, Cornwell Lindsey B, Saing Tommy, Cole Gregory M, Gylys Karen Hoppens   Apolipoprotein E level and cholesterol are associated with reduced synaptic amyloid beta in Alzheimer’s disease and apoE TR mouse cortex Acta neuropathologica, 2012; 123(1): 39-52.
Ringman John M, Schulman Howard, Becker Chris, Jones Ted, Bai Yuchen, Immermann Fred, Cole Gregory, Sokolow Sophie, Gylys Karen, Geschwind Daniel H, Cummings Jeffrey L, Wan Hong I   Proteomic changes in cerebrospinal fluid of presymptomatic and affected persons carrying familial Alzheimer disease mutations Archives of neurology, 2012; 69(1): 96-104.

Fernando Gómez-Pinilla, Ph.D.

Biography

Mechanisms of Neural Repair Role of Trophic Factors on Activity-dependent Plasticity We are interested on the mechanisms by which environmental factors affect neuronal health. We have found that trophic factors endogenous to the brain and spinal cord can be induced by the practice of select behaviors. We have recently reported that physical activity, learning, and nutritional factors control neurotrophins in the brain. These findings opened the exciting possibility that regulation of trophic factors by behavior can be a pivotal mechanism by which specific experiences can impact the structure and function of the CNS. It may account for the improvement of CNS function after trauma provided by rehabilitative therapies. On the contrary, it may explain the decay in function in aging or degenerative diseases following a lack of stimulation. These two avenues provide direction for my research program: 1) How trophic factors induced by activity can help functional recovery following brain and spinal cord trauma. We are using several exercise models to boost the production of trophic factors in the brain and spinal cord. Our goal is to provide critical information to guide the design of behavioral therapies for the reduction of the severity of insult or disease, and to increase CNS function. 2) We are evaluating the effects of lifestyle on trophic factor production, with resulting effects on circuit remodeling, synaptic function, and cognition. We believe that changes in trophic factor as a result of select experiences can affect neuronal health with profound consequences for cognitive function.

Carlos Grijalva, Ph.D.

Biography

Brain and metabolic mechanisms involved in behavioral and physiological responses related to experimental stressors in rats Research Description: Psychobiology of stress, behavior, and bodily diseases in animal models. Brain and behavioral mechanisms involved in feeding behavior and gastrointestinal functions.

Publications

A selected list of publications:

Ming Guo, M.D., Ph.D.

Biography

Ming Guo, M.D., Ph.D., is P. Gene & Elaine Smith Chair in Alzheimer’s Disease Research and Professor at UCLA Department of Neurology, Molecular and Medical Pharmacology. As a practicing Neurologist, she sees patients with memory disorders, neurodegenerative and neurogenetic disorders, referred from both domestic and international sources. As a researcher, her lab investigates molecular mechanisms of the two most common neurodegenerative disorders, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. Mutations in PINK1 and PARKIN lead to inherited forms of Parkinson’s disease. Her lab is one of the first two labs worldwide to report the function of PINK1, and to discover that PINK1, a mitochondria-localized serine-threonine kinase, and PARKIN, an E3 ubiquitin ligase, act in a common genetic pathway to regulate mitochondrial integrity and mitochondrial quality control. Her work has wide-range implications for controlling processes in aging, and other aging-related diseases including other neurodegenerative disorders, heart disease and metabolic disorders. Dr. Guo is an elected member of the American Neurological Association (ANA), and has received many awards. She is an Alfred P. Sloan Foundation fellow, a McKnight Neuroscience Foundation Brain Disorder Awardee, an Ellison Medical Foundation Senior Scholar in Aging, a Klingenstein-Simon’s Fellow in Neuroscience, and the Klingenstein-Simon Foundation Robert H. Ebert Clinical Scholar. Her work is also supported by the National Institute of Health (NIH) EUREKA (Exceptional Unconventional Research Enabling Knowledge Acceleration) award. In addition, she was selected to receive the ANA Derek Denny Brown Neurological Scholar Award that is given to one or two awardees each year, and the John Walsh Young Investigator Award, which is given to one Assistant or Associate professor every three years for their research creativity at UCLA. Dr. Guo is actively involved in community service. She is Chair of the Board of Scientific Counselors at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NIH/NINDS). She also serves as a member of a Blue Ribbon Panel for the NIH/NINDS, the ANA Scientific Program Advisory Committee, the Society of Neuroscience Program Committee, and the Scientific Advisory Committee of the A.P. Giannini Foundation in California.