Biography
Christopher S. Colwell is a Neuroscientist who has served on the UCLA School of Medicine faculty since he joined the Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences in 1997. He became a Professor in 2008. Dr. Colwell earned his B.S. in Neuroscience from Vanderbilt University in 1985. During this time, he started his research in circadian rhythms under the mentorship of Dr. T. Page. Dr. Colwell earned his Ph.D. in Biology at the University of Virginia in 1991. His thesis work explored the neural mechanisms by which light regulates circadian rhythms. Dr. Colwell continued this line of research during a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Virginia with Dr. G. Block. A second postdoctoral fellowship was carried out on the topics of motor control and excitotoxicity in the laboratory of Dr. M. Levine at UCLA. Dr. Colwell learned how to utilize imaging techniques to measure calcium levels inside neurons while a visiting scientist in the laboratory of Dr. Konnerth at the University of Saarland, Germany. Since Dr. Colwell’s faculty appointment at UCLA, his laboratory’s research has focused on understanding the mechanisms underlying circadian rhythms in mammals. Dysfunction in the timing these daily cycles is a key symptom in a number of neurological and psychiatric disorders. Better understanding the basic biology of this timing system should result in new therapies to improve the quality of life of these patients and the people who care for them.
Biography
Dr. Crosbie-Watson has pioneered work on the function of sarcospan within the dystrophin-glycoprotein complex. Introduction of sarcospan into dystrophin-deficient mice ameliorates muscular dystrophy in a me. The Crosbie lab has generated all the molecular tools and reagents for the study of sarcospan, which are not available elsewhere. Building on expertise in sarcospan and the dystrophin-glycoprotein complex, the Crosbie lab is collaborating with the Baum lab in development of HTS assays to detect alteration in sarcospan expression as a therapy for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Dr. Crosbie has also collaborated with the Spencer group at UCLA to develop and characterize novel methodologies for creating mouse models of muscle disease. In addition to her research, Dr. Crosbie is a dedicated educator. She has trained several HHMI, Beckman, and Dean’s undergraduate and graduate scholars. She successfully mentored a successful recipient of the prestigious Marshall Scholarship. This student was one of only thirteen students to be awarded the Marshall in UCLA?s history. Based on her excellence in classroom instruction, Dr. Crosbie was nominated for a Teaching Distinction Award at UCLA and she is Faculty Director of the Beckman Undergraduate Scholars Program.
Publications
A selected list of publications:
Marshall Jamie L, Crosbie-Watson Rachelle H Sarcospan: a small protein with large potential for Duchenne muscular dystrophy Skeletal Muscle, 2013; 3(1): 1.
Marshall Jamie L, Kwok Yukwah, McMorran Brian J, Baum Linda G, Crosbie-Watson Rachelle H The potential of sarcospan in adhesion complex replacement therapeutics for the treatment of muscular dystrophy The FEBS journal, 2013; 280(17): 4210-29.
Marshall Jamie L, Chou Eric, Oh Jennifer, Kwok Allan, Burkin Dean J, Crosbie-Watson Rachelle H Dystrophin and utrophin expression require sarcospan: loss of alpha7 integrin exacerbates a newly discovered muscle phenotype in sarcospan-null mice Hum. Mol. Genet, 2012; .
Cabrera Paula V, Pang Mabel, Marshall Jamie L, Kung Raymond, Nelson Stanley F, Stalnaker Stephanie H, Wells Lance, Crosbie-Watson Rachelle H, Baum Linda G High throughput screening for compounds that alter muscle cell glycosylation identifies new role for N-glycans in regulating sarcolemmal protein abundance and laminin binding J. Biol. Chem, 2012; 287(27): 22759-70.
Rutkowski Anne, Bonnemann Carsten, Brown Susan, Thorsteinsdattir Salveig, Dominov Janice, Ruegg Markus A, Matter Michelle L, Guttridge Denis, Crosbie-Watson Rachelle H, Kardon Gabrielle, Nagaraju Kanneboyina, Girgenrath Mahasweta, Burkin Dean J Report on the Myomatrix Conference April 22-24, 2012, University of Nevada, Reno, Nevada, USA Neuromusc. Dis. : NMD, 2012; .
Marshall Jamie L, Holmberg Johan, Chou Eric, Ocampo Amber C, Oh Jennifer, Lee Joy, Peter Angela K, Martin Paul T, Crosbie-Watson Rachelle H Sarcospan-dependent Akt activation is required for utrophin expression and muscle regeneration J. Cell Biol, 2012; 197(7): 1009-27.
Merveille Anne-Christine, Davis Erica E, Becker-Heck Anita, Legendre Marie, Amirav Israel, Bataille Géraldine, Belmont John, Beydon Nicole, Billen Frédéric, Clément Annick, Clercx Cécile, Coste André, Crosbie Rachelle, de Blic Jacques, Deleuze Stephane, Duquesnoy Philippe, Escalier Denise, Escudier Estelle, Fliegauf Manfred, Horvath Judith, Hill Kent, Jorissen Mark, Just Jocelyne, Kispert Andreas, Lathrop Mark, Loges Niki Tomas, Marthin June K, Momozawa Yukihide, Montantin Guy, Nielsen Kim G, Olbrich Heike, Papon Jean-François, Rayet Isabelle, Roger Gilles, Schmidts Miriam, Tenreiro Henrique, Towbin Jeffrey A, Zelenika Diana, Zentgraf Hanswalter, Georges Michel, Lequarré Anne-Sophie, Katsanis Nicholas, Omran Heymut, Amselem Serge CCDC39 is required for assembly of inner dynein arms and the dynein regulatory complex and for normal ciliary motility in humans and dogs Nature genetics, 2011; 43(1): 72-8.
Kim Michelle H, Kay Danielle I, Rudra Renuka T, Chen Bo Ming, Hsu Nigel, Izumiya Yasuhiro, Martinez Leonel, Spencer Melissa J, Walsh Kenneth, Grinnell Alan D, Crosbie Rachelle H Myogenic Akt signaling attenuates muscular degeneration, promotes myofiber regeneration and improves muscle function in dystrophin-deficient mdx mice Hum. Mol. Genet, 2011; 20(7): 1324-38.
Solares-Pérez Alhondra, Alvarez RocÃo, Crosbie Rachelle H, Vega-Moreno Jesús, Medina-Monares Joel, Estrada Francisco J, Ortega Alicia, Coral-Vazquez Ramón Altered calcium pump and secondary deficiency of gamma-sarcoglycan and microspan in sarcoplasmic reticulum membranes isolated from delta-sarcoglycan knockout mice Cell calcium, 2010; 48(1): 28-36.
Nelson Stanley F, Crosbie Rachelle H, Miceli M Carrie, Spencer Melissa J Emerging genetic therapies to treat Duchenne muscular dystrophy Current opinion in neurology, 2009; 22(5): 532-8.
Peter Angela K, Ko Christopher Y, Kim Michelle H, Hsu Nigel, Ouchi Noriyuki, Rhie Suhn, Izumiya Yasuhiro, Zeng Ling, Walsh Kenneth, Crosbie Rachelle H Myogenic Akt signaling upregulates the utrophin-glycoprotein complex and promotes sarcolemma stability in muscular dystrophy Human molecular genetics, 2009; 18(2): 318-27.
Peter Angela K, Marshall Jamie L, Crosbie Rachelle H Sarcospan reduces dystrophic pathology: stabilization of the utrophin-glycoprotein complex The Journal of cell biology, 2008; 183(3): 419-27.
Bekker Janine M, Colantonio Jessica R, Stephens Andrew D, Clarke W Thomas, King Stephen J, Hill Kent L, Crosbie Rachelle H Direct interaction of Gas11 with microtubules: implications for the dynein regulatory complex Cell motility and the cytoskeleton, 2007; 64(6): 461-73.
Peter Angela K, Miller Gaynor, Crosbie Rachelle H Disrupted mechanical stability of the dystrophin-glycoprotein complex causes severe muscular dystrophy in sarcospan transgenic mice Journal of cell science, 2007; 120(Pt 6): 996-1008.
Miller Gaynor, Wang Emily L, Nassar Karin L, Peter Angela K, Crosbie Rachelle H Structural and functional analysis of the sarcoglycan-sarcospan subcomplex Experimental cell research, 2007; 313(4): 639-51.
Colantonio Jessica R, Bekker Janine M, Kim Sarah J, Morrissey Kari M, Crosbie Rachelle H, Hill Kent L Expanding the role of the dynein regulatory complex to non-axonemal functions: association of GAS11 with the Golgi apparatus Traffic (Copenhagen, Denmark), 2006; 7(5): 538-48.
Peter Angela K, Crosbie Rachelle H Hypertrophic response of Duchenne and limb-girdle muscular dystrophies is associated with activation of Akt pathway Experimental cell research, 2006; 312(13): 2580-91.
Miller Gaynor, Peter Angela K, Espinoza Erica, Heighway Jim, Crosbie Rachelle H Over-expression of Microspan, a novel component of the sarcoplasmic reticulum, causes severe muscle pathology with triad abnormalities Journal of muscle research and cell motility, 2006; 27(8): 545-58.
Yi Christopher E, Bekker Janine M, Miller Gaynor, Hill Kent L, Crosbie Rachelle H Specific and potent RNA interference in terminally differentiated myotubes The Journal of biological chemistry, 2003; 278(2): 934-9.
Crosbie Rachelle H, Dovico Sherri A, Flanagan Jason D, Chamberlain Jeffrey S, Ownby Charlotte L, Campbell Kevin P Characterization of aquaporin-4 in muscle and muscular dystrophy The FASEB journal : official publication of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology, 2002; 16(9): 943-9.
Crosbie RH, Dovico SA, Flanagan JD, Chamberlain JS, Ownby CL, Campbell KP Characterization of aquaporin-4 in muscle and muscular dystrophy FASEB J. , 2002; 16(9): 943-9.
Crosbie Rachelle H, Barresi Rita, Campbell Kevin P Loss of sarcolemma nNOS in sarcoglycan-deficient muscle The FASEB journal : official publication of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology, 2002; 16(13): 1786-91.
Crawford GC, Faulkner JA, Crosbie RH, Campbell KP, Froehner SC, Chamberlain JS Assembly of the Dystrophin Associated Protein Complex Does Not Require the Dystrophin C-terminal Domain, J. Cell Biol, 2000; 150: 1411-1422.
Holt KH, Crosbie RH, Venzke DP, Campbell KP Biosynthesis of dystroglycan: processing of a precursor propeptide FEBS letters. , 2000; 468(1): 79-83.
Crosbie RH et al. Molecular and Genetic Characterization of Sarcospan:Insights into Sarcoglycan-Sarcospan Domains Hum. Mol. Genet, 2000; 9: 2019-2027.
Crosbie RH News and Views: NO Vascular Control in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, Nature Med, 2000; 7: 27-29.
Crosbie RH, Lebakken CS, Holt KH, Venzke DP, Straub V, Lee JC, Grady RM, Chamberlain JS, Sanes JR, Campbell KP Membrane targeting and stabilization of sarcospan is mediated by the sarcoglycan subcomplex J. Cell Biol. , 1999; 145(1): 153-65.
Crosbie RH, Yamada H, Venzke DP, Lisanti MP, Campbell KP Caveolin-3 is Not an Integral Component of the Dystrophin-Glycoprotein Complex, FEBS Lett, 1998; 427: 279-282.
Duclos F, Straub V, Moore SA, Venzke DP, Hrstka RF, Crosbie RH, Durbeej M, Lebakken CS, Ettinger AJ, van der Meulen J, Holt KH, Lim LE, Sanes JR, Davidson BL, Faulkner JA, Williamson R, Campbell KP Progressive Muscular Dystrophy in alpha-Sarcoglycan Deficient Mice, J. Cell Biol, 1998; 142: 1461-1471.
Crosbie RH, Straub V, Yun HY, Lee JC, Rafael JA, Chamberlain JS, Dawson VL, Dawson TM, Campbell KP mdx muscle pathology is independent of nNOS perturbation Hum. Mol. Genet, 1998; 7(5): 823-9.
Crosbie RH, Heighway J, Venzke DP, Lee JC, Campbell KP Sarcospan: The 25kDa Transmembrane Component of the Dystrophin-Glycoprotein Complex, J. Biol. Chem, 1997; 272: 31221-31224.
Campbell KP, Crosbie RH NEWS AND VIEWS: Utrophin to the Rescue, Nature, 1996; 384: 308-309.
Crosbie RH, Chalovich JM, Reisler E Flexation of caldesmon: effect of conformation on the properties of caldesmon J. Muscle Res. Cell Mot. , 1995; 16(5): 509-18.
Crosbie RH, Miller C, Chalovich JM, Rubenstein PA, Reisler E Caldesmon, N-terminal yeast actin mutants, and the regulation of actomyosin interactions Biochemistry. , 1994; 33(11): 3210-6.
Crosbie RH, Miller C, Cheung P, Goodnight T, Muhlrad A, Reisler E Structural connectivity in actin: effect of C-terminal modifications on the properties of actin Biophysical J. , 1994; 67(5): 1957-64.
Crosbie RH, Chalovich JM, Reisler E Interaction of caldesmon and myosin subfragment 1 with the C-terminus of actin Biochem. Biophys. Res. Comm. , 1992; 184(1): 239-45.
Crosbie R, Adams S, Chalovich JM, Reisler E The interaction of caldesmon with the COOH terminus of actin J. Biol. Chem. , 1991; 266(30): 20001-6.
Biography
Denson G. Fujikawa is a neurologist and neuroscientist who has been a member of the UCLA faculty since he joined the Department of Neurology in as a clinical instructor in 1981. Dr. Fujikawa is at the Sepulveda VA Ambulatory Care Center. He became an Adjunct Professor in 1996, and has been a Staff Neurologist at Sepulveda since 1983. Dr. Fujikawa earned his A.B. degree magna cum laude in psychology at Harvard University, and his M.D. degree at the University of Southern California School of Medicine. He did two years of general surgery residency at Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center in New York, two years of of neurosurgery residency at UCLA Medical Center, then switched to neurology, completing his residency at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center in 1981. He then spent two years as a research fellow in Dr. Claude Wasterlain’s Epilepsy Research Laboratory at Sepulveda. He spends half his time in clinical neurology, training UCLA neurology residents, with a subspecialty interest in epilepsy, and half his time doing basic research on in vivo mechanisms of naturally occurring apoptotic and pathologically induced necrotic neuronal death.