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Professors

Stephanie Leal

Stephanie Leal

Assistant Professor

Email: stephanieleal@ucla.edu
Office: 2802 LSB
Phone:
Website: http://memory.ibp.ucla.edu/

Biography

Dr. Stephanie Leal is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Integrative Biology & Physiology at UCLA, Adjunct Assistant Professor at Rice University, and Director of the Neuroscience of Memory, Mood, & Aging Laboratory. She received her B.S. in Biopsychology from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 2011 and her Ph.D. in Psychological & Brain Sciences from Johns Hopkins University in 2016 working in the lab of Dr. Michael Yassa. She completed an NIH-funded NRSA postdoctoral fellowship from 2016-2019 at the University of California, Berkeley with Dr. William Jagust. Dr. Leal started her laboratory at Rice University in 2019 and recently joined the faculty at UCLA in 2024.

Research Interests

Dr. Leal’s research interests focus on the neurobiological mechanisms underlying episodic memory processing, emotional modulation of memory, and how these mechanisms are altered in aging and disease states. She develops and utilizes sensitive cognitive tasks, advanced neuroimaging techniques, and translates these methods to states of cognitive impairment. Her overarching goal is to understand the factors that modulate episodic memory processing in order to restore the system to normal function in disorders of mood and memory.

Education

2011 – 2016, Ph.D., Psychological & Brain Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
2011 – 2013, M.A., Psychological & Brain Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
2007 – 2011, B.S., Biopsychology, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA

Selected Publications

Phillips, T.*, Castro, M.**, Vas, R.*, Ferguson, L. A.**, Harikumar, A., & Leal, S. L. (2023). Perceived antidepressant efficacy associated with reduced negative and enhanced neutral mnemonic discrimination. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 17:1225836.

Ferguson, L.A.** & Leal, S.L. (2022). Interactions of Emotion and Memory in the Aging Brain: Neural and Psychological Correlates. Curr Behav Neurosci Rep. 9, 47-57.

Leal. S.L., Landau, S.M., Bell, R.K., & Jagust, W.J. (2017). Hippocampal activation is associated with longitudinal amyloid accumulation and cognitive decline. eLife, 6:e22978.

Leal, S.L. & Yassa, M.Y. (2018). Integrating new findings and examining clinical applications of pattern separation. Nature Neuroscience, 21(2):163-173.

Leal, S.L., Tighe, S.K., Jones, Craig K., Yassa, M.A. (2014). Pattern separation of emotional information in hippocampal dentate/CA3. Hippocampus. 24: 1146-1155.

Press and Media

Beau Alward

Beau Alward

Assistant Professor

Email: balward@ucla.edu
Office: 1159 TLSB
Phone:

Biography

Beau Alward got his associates degree at American River Community College before transferring to the University of California, Davis where he earned a BS in Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior. After graduating, he worked as a behavioral therapist for children with Autism for a year and half before starting his PhD with Gregory Ball at Johns Hopkins University. His dissertation work was on the neuroendocrine regulation of birdsong in canaries. Beau did his postdoctoral research on the hormonal control of social dominance in cichlids in Russell Fernald’s lab at Stanford University, where he was an Arnold Beckman Postdoctoral Fellow. Research in his lab aims to understand how steroid hormones modulate social behaviors in the cichlid fish Astatotilapia burtoni.

Research Interests

The Alward lab is interested in how steroid hormones generate social behaviors. Our chosen organism for answering this question is the cichlid fish Astatotilapia burtoni. These fish exhibit dynamic social interactions that can be readily studied in the lab. We combine approaches using molecular genetics, transcriptomics, neurobiology, and behavioral paradigms in both sexes to yield fundamental insights into the hormonal control of behavior.

Education

2011 – 2015, Ph.D., Psychological & Brain Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
Advisor: Gregory Ball, Ph.D.
Dissertation: “Anatomical specificity of the action of testosterone in relation to the regulation of birdsong and the underlying neuroplasticity”

2011 – 2013, M.A., Psychological & Brain Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD

2007 – 2009, B.S., Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior, University of California, Davis, CA
Advisor: Thomas Hahn, Ph.D.

2005 – 2007, A.A. Biology, American River Community College, Sacramento, CA

Selected Publications

  1. Dussenne, M., Alward, B. A. (2024). Expression of novel androgen receptors in three GnRH neuron subtypes in the cichlid brain. Journal of Neuroendocrinology, e13429.
  2. Jackson, L.R., Alward, B. A. (2024). Sexually dimorphic control of aggression by androgen signaling in a cichlid. Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology, 592,
  3. Howard, M., Ramsaroop, M., Hoadley, A., Jackson, L.R., Lopez, M.S, Saenz, L., & Alward, B. A. (2024). Female cichlids mate with novel androgen receptor mutant males that lack coloration. Hormones and Behavior, 163,
  4. Lopez, M.S., Alward, B.A. (2024) Androgen receptor alpha regulates aromatase expression in the ventromedial hypothalamus of male cichlids. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1532, 73-82.
  5. Alward, B.A., Hoadley, A.P., Jackson, L.R., Lopez, M.S. (2023) Genetic dissection of steroid-hormone modulated social behavior: novel paralogous genes are a boon for discovery. Hormones and Behavior, 147,
  6. Alward, B.A., Laud, V.A., Skalnik, C.J., York, R.A., Juntti, S.A., Fernald, R.D. (2020).  Modular genetic control of social status in a cichlid fish. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 17, 28167-28174.

Valerie Tornini

Valerie Tornini

Assistant Professor

Email: vtornini@ibp.ucla.edu
Office: 4365A LSB
Phone:
Website: https://www.torninilab.org/

Biography

I was born and raised in Port Chester, NY, and received my B.S. in biology and A.B. in religion from Duke University. I completed my doctoral training in developmental and stem cell biology and earned my PhD from Duke University, where I investigated how cells in a complex adult tissue coordinately regenerate a patterned structure after injury, primarily using the adult zebrafish fin as a model. I next did my postdoctoral training in the Department of Genetics at Yale School of Medicine, this time using embryonic and larval zebrafish (more info below). Integral to my scientific contributions and philosophies are mentoring, multilingual community engagement, and efforts that prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion in science. Beyond my professional commitments, I enjoy traveling, playing volleyball and tennis, and spending time in nature with her dog. I am thrilled to start my faculty career through UCLA’s Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) Infrastructure Initiative in the Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology and the Institute for Society and Genetics.

Research Interests

Dr. Valerie Tornini is a developmental biologist who investigates the cellular and molecular mechanisms of cell specification and specialization in development, particularly of the brain. Her work focuses on understanding the evolving roles of chromatin regulators (including those implicated in autism) and of micropeptides (or sORF-encoded proteins) in vertebrate development. By using zebrafish and other comparative animal models, she is taking candidate and discovery approaches to investigate the gene regulatory networks that establish the cellular diversity of the developing brain. This includes the application of genome engineering, single-cell technologies, behavioral analyses, and pharmacological approaches. Her lab’s current work spans multiple areas, including identifying roles for novel micropeptides in neurodevelopment; chromatin regulators in vertebrate development and behavior; non-neuronal regulation during development and aging; the evolution of vertebrate brain cell states; and bioethics, neuroethics, and genetics.

Education

BS, Biology, Duke University
AB, Religion, Duke University
PhD, Cell Biology, Duke University
Postdoctoral Fellowship, Department of Genetics, Yale School of Medicine

Duncan Leitch

Duncan Leitch

Assistant Professor

Duncan Leitch

Email: dleitch@ucla.edu
Office: LSB 4835
Phone:
Website: https://leitch.ibp.ucla.edu/

Biography

Dr. Duncan Leitch grew up in Memphis, TN. He completed undergraduate degrees in mathematics and neuroscience, followed by a PhD in systems neuroscience with Dr. Kenneth Catania (Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, US). His doctoral thesis focused on comparative mechanosensory neurophysiology with a particular focus on novel sensory organs in diverse vertebrates. Following grad school, he was a postdoctoral fellow at the University of California – San Francisco with Dr. David Julius, where he studied the molecular basis of the unusual sense of electroreception in elasmobranch fishes. He and colleagues identified novel mutations in voltage-gated calcium and sodium channels that mediated neural responses to low threshold electrical fields using physiological, genetic, and behaviourally analyses. His lab studies diverse sensory adaptations in vertebrates, using transcriptomic, physiological, and behavioural approaches to identify mechanisms of nervous system adaptation. These novel projects include looking at sensory system organization in diverse reptile, amphibian, and fish taxa.

Education

B.S., Mathematics, Vanderbilt University, 2006
B.S., Neuroscience, Vanderbilt University, 2006
Ph.D., Neuroscience, Vanderbilt University, 2013
Post-doctoral fellowship, UC San Francisco, 2019

Selected Publications

Leitch, D.B. and A. Gaede (2021). Specialized somatosensory systems revealed: comparative structure, function, and transduction through cutaneous receptors of the body. In J. Kaas (Ed.), The Senses: A Comprehensive Reference. Elsevier Oxford.

Leitch, D.B.  and D. Julius (2019). Electrosensory transduction: comparisons across structure, afferent response properties, and cellular physiology. In B.A. Carlson and J. Sisneros (Eds.), Electroreception: Fundamental Insights from Comparative Approaches. Springer New York.

Bellono, N*, Leitch, D.B*., Julius, D.J., “Molecular tuning of electroreception in sharks and skates”,  Nature, 558:122-126, 2018. Cover article.

Bellono, N*, Leitch, D.B*., Julius, D.J., “Molecular basis of ancestral vertebrate electroreception”,  Nature, 543:391-396, 2017.

Leitch, D.B. and K.C. Catania. “Structure, innervation, and response properties of integumentary sensory organs in crocodilians”, J Exp Biol, 215, 4217-4230, 2012. Cover article. 

Catania, K.C., Leitch, D.B., Gauthier, D. “Function of the appendages in tentacle snakes (Erpeton tentaculatus)”, J Exp Biol, 213, 359-67, 2010. Cover article.

Kacie Deters

Kacie Deters

Assistant Professor

Email: kdeters@g.ucla.edu
Office: 1014 TLSB
Phone:
Website: https://deterslab.ibp.ucla.edu/

Biography

Dr. Kacie Deters earned her B.S. in Biology from the University of Alabama, Birmingham. She had little research experience and was curious if this was the path she wanted to pursue. After a year of figuring out what would make her happy, she ultimately completed her M.S. in Biology from CSU Dominguez Hills in 2012. Science turned into a passion Kacie wanted to explore more. In 2017, she earned her Ph.D. in Medical Neuroscience at the Indiana University School of Medicine focusing on genetic and imaging characteristics of tauopathies, including Alzheimer’s disease. Kacie then completed her first postdoc in 2021 at Stanford University with Dr. Elizabeth Mormino where she first began to explore ethnic and racial disparities existed in AD biomarkers. COVID hit, and Kacie decided to take a second postdoc, which she completed in 2022 at the University of California, San Diego in the Department of Neurosciences with Dr. Sarah Banks. While at UCSD, Kacie expanded her training to understand racial bias that exists in neuropsychological assessments. While at UCLA, Kacie’s lab will focus is on ethnic and racial disparities in predictors (genetic; neuroimaging; neuropsychological assessments; social/environmental factors) for cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias in older adults, primarily from the Black community.

Research Interests

Although Black communities are plagued by health disparities, science has continued to center white populations in research. While research into ethnic and racial disparities studies has identified a number of population differences for disease risk factors, it is also important to understand within group heterogeneity in order to elucidate mechanisms underlying cognitive decline. Understanding the intersection of risk factors that drive cognitive decline and dementia in the Black population is critical to accurately assess, predict, and develop interventions for cognitive health. Thus, my goal is understanding the intersection and contributions of genetics and social/environmental factors to cognitive decline and AD. Research will utilize a number of techniques including genetic, neuroimaging, neuropsychological assessments, social and environmental factors, and fluid based biomarkers.

Education

B.S., Biology, University of Alabama, Birmingham 2008
M.S., Biology, California State University, Dominguez Hills 2012
Ph.D., Medical Neuroscience at the Indiana University School of Medicine 2017

Selected Publications

Deters KD, Napolioni V, Sperling RA, Greicius MD, Mayeux R, Hohman T, and Mormino EC. Amyloid PET imaging in self-identified non-Hispanic Blacks from the Anti-Amyloid in Asymptomatic Alzheimer’s Disease (A4) Study. Neurology. 2021. DOI: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000011599. Highlighted with an editorial.

Deters KD, Mormino EC, Yu L, Lutz M, Bennett DA, and Barnes LL. TOMM40-APOE haplotypes are associated with cognitive decline in non-demented Blacks. Alzheimer’s & Dementia. 2021. https://doi.org/10.1002/alz.12295

Avila JF, Rentería MA, Jones RN, Vonk JM, Turney I, Sol K, Nika Seblova N, Arias F, Hill-Jarrett T, Levy SA, Meyer O, Racine AM, Tom SE, Melrose RJ, Deters K, Medina LD, Carrión CI, Díaz-Santos M, Byrd DR, Chesebro A, Colon J, Igwe KC, Maas B, Brickman AM, Schupf N, Mayeux R, and Jennifer Manly J. Education Differentially Contributes to Cognitive Reserve Across Racial/Ethnic Groups. Alzheimer’s & Dementia. 2020. https://doi.org/10.1002/alz.12176

Winer JR, Deters KD, Kennedy G, Jin M, Goldstein-Piekarski A, Poston KL, Mormino EC. Short and long sleep duration are associated with distinct aging pathways. JAMA Neurol. 2021 Aug 30; doi: 10.1001/jamaneurol.2021.2876.

Pearl Quijada

Pearl Quijada

Assistant Professor

Email: pquijada@ucla.edu
Office: 1013D TLSB
Phone: (310) 825-2099

Biography

Pearl received her BS in Biology from UC Riverside. To further explore interests in research and medicine, she pursued a Master’s degree in Cell and Molecular Biology at San Diego State University (SDSU) where she also served as a Human Anatomy Teaching Assistant for 3 years. At SDSU, she gained research technical expertise in cardiac pathophysiology and the development of cellular therapies to treat cardiac ischemic injury in the lab of Dr. Mark Sussman. After receiving her PhD from SDSU and UCSD, she began a postdoctoral fellowship under the mentorship of Dr. Eric Small at the University of Rochester where she studied novel mechanisms of epicardium-directed coronary vasculature formation during cardiac development and disease. Continuing her passion for teaching, she was awarded an Outstanding Postdoctoral Mentor Award during her postgraduate training. Transitioning to UCLA and returning to her family, community, and home in Los Angeles – her research lab will focus on evaluating novel cellular and paracrine signaling programs that stimulate angiogenesis in cardiac development, discoveries which may be used to promote cardiac remodeling and repair in the heart after myocardial infarction.

Research Interests

The epicardium is composed of a single cell layer that encapsulates the heart during embryogenesis. The epicardium also serves as a rich source of mesenchymal cells and growth factors that support both cardiomyocyte and coronary vasculature development. Although the function of the epicardium is invariably linked to the growth of the primitive coronary plexus, the cellular and molecular mechanisms that regulate cell autonomous and cell non-autonomous functions of the epicardium remain unclear. To facilitate the identification of the epicardium’s role in embryonic angiogenesis, our lab utilizes transgenic mouse models and single-cell transcriptomic sequencing to discover novel epicardium-directed guidance cues required for arterio-venous specification and maturation. As compared to the fetal heart, the adult myocardium is unable to undergo angiogenesis in response to ischemic injury, which ultimately leads to cardiac functional decline. By using information acquired from our studies during development, we are investigating the effects of secreted factors from the epicardium to promote angiogenesis and repair after ischemic injury in the adult heart.

Education

B.S., University of California, Riverside 2006
M.S., San Diego State University 2010
Ph.D., San Diego State University and University of California, San Diego 2015

Selected Publications

Quijada, P., Trembley, M.A., Small, E.M. The Role of Epicardium During Heart Development and Repair. Circ Res. Jan 31;126(3):377-394 (2020).

 

Quijada, P., Misra, A., Velasquez, L.S., Burke, R.M., Lighthouse, J.K., Mickelsen, D.M., Dirkx, R.A. Jr., Small, E.M. Pre-existing fibroblasts of epicardial origin are the primary source of pathological fibrosis in cardiac ischemia and aging. J Mol Cell Cardiol. 129:92-104 (2019).

 

Quijada, P., Salunga, H.T., Hariharan, N., Cubillo, J., El-Sayed, F., Moshref, M., Bala, K.M., Emathinger, J., De La Torre, A., Ormachea, L., Alvarez, R., Gude, N.A., Sussman, M.A. (2015) Cardiac stem cell hybrids enhance myocardial repair. Circ Res. 117(8):695-706 (2015).

 

Quijada, P., Hariharan, N., Cubillo,J., Bala, K.M., Ormachea, L., Bers, D.M., Sussman, M.A., Poizat, C. Nuclear Calcium/Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase II Signaling Enhances Cardiac Progenitor Cell Survival and Cardiac Lineage Commitment. J Biol Chem. 290(42):25411-26 (2015).

 

Quijada, P., Toko, H., Fischer, K.M., Bailey, B., Reilly, P., Hunt, K.D., Gude, N.A., Avitabile, D., Sussman, M.A. Preservation of myocardial structure is enhanced by pim-1 engineering of bone marrow cells. Circ Res. 111(1):77-86 (2012).

Stephanie Correa

Stephanie Correa

Associate Professor
Vice Chair of Undergraduate Education

Email: stephaniecorrea@ucla.edu
Office: 2028 TLSB
Phone: (310) 825-1559
Website: http://www.correalab.org/

Biography

Stephanie Correa earned a BA in Biology from Pomona College and a PhD in Neurobiology and Behavior from Cornell University. Her dissertation research with Elizabeth Adkins-Regan and Patricia Johnson tested the effects of ovarian steroids on sex determination in birds. Her postdoctoral research at Boston University Medical Center identified strain differences in the testis determination pathway in mice. Postdoctoral research with Holly Ingraham at UCSF identified neurons in the hypothalamus that regulate physical activity and body weight in female mice. Research in her lab aims to understand sex differences in the regulation of temperature and energy balance. Before having twin daughters in 2016, Dr. Correa used to enjoy yoga and sleep.

Research Interests

The Correa lab is broadly interested in understanding how reproductive hormones affect temperature and energy balance. In women, the menopausal transition is associated with hot flashes and increased visceral body fat. Our research aims to understand how estrogens act on the hypothalamus to alter temperature homeostasis and metabolic health. These studies can help us better understand weight gain and hot flashes in postmenopausal women. To understand the mechanisms by which estrogen alters the homeostasis, we focus on the following broad questions: How does the brain regulate temperature and energy balance? How do homeostatic neural circuits differ between males and females? How are homeostatic circuits modulated by estrogens? We use genetically engineered mice and new viral tools to define the neurons that drive estrogen-responsive and sex-specific changes in energy balance. This approach allows us to dissect the effects of estrogen on distinct neuronal populations with spatial, molecular, and temporal specificity. Ultimately, we hope to identify avenues for developing targeted, non-hormonal treatments for hot flashes and obesity.

Education

B.A., Biology, Pomona College 2000
Ph.D., Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University 2007

Selected Publications

van Veen, J. E.*, Kammel, L. G.*, Bunda, P. C., Shum, M., Reid, M. S., Massa, M. G., Arneson, D. V., Park, J. W., Zhang, Z., Joseph, A. M., Hrncir, H., Liesa, M., Arnold, A. P., Yang, X., and Correa, S. M. Hypothalamic oestrogen receptor alpha establishes a sexually dimorphic regulatory node of energy expenditure. Nature Metabolism, 2: 351–363 (2020).

Kammel, L. G. and Correa, S. M. Selective sexual differentiation of neuron populations may contribute to sex-specific outputs of the ventromedial hypothalamus. Journal of Neuroendocrinology, 32: e12801 (2020).

Herber C. B.*, Krause, W. C.*, Wang, L., Bayrer, J. R., Li, A., Schmitz, M., Fields, A., Ford, B., Zhang, Z., Reid, M. S., Nomura, D. K., Nissenson, R. A., Correa S. M.#, and Ingraham, H. A.# Estrogen signaling in arcuate Kiss1 neurons suppresses a sex-dependent female circuit promoting dense strong bones. Nature Communications, 10: 163 (2019).

Correa, S. M., Newstrom, D. W., Warne J. P., Flandin, P., Cheung, C. C., Pierce, A. A., Lin-Moore, A. T., Xu, A. W., Rubenstein, J. L. and H. A. Ingraham, An Estrogen-Responsive Module in the Ventromedial Hypothalamus Selectively Drives Sex-Specific Activity in Females, Cell Reports, 10 : 62-74 (2015).

Correa, S. M., Washburn, L. L., Kahlon, R. S., Musson, M. C., Bouma, G. J., Eicher, E. M. and Albrecht, K. H., Sex Reversal in C57BL/6J XY Mice Caused by Increased Expression of Ovarian Genes and Insufficient Activation of the Testis Determining Pathway, PLoS Genetics, 8 (4): 1002569-1002588 (2012).

Correa, S. M.#, Horan, C. M., Johnson, P. A., Adkins-Regan, E., Copulatory Behaviors and Body Condition Predict Post-Mating Female Hormone Levels, Fertilization Success, and Primary Sex Ratios in Japanese Quail, Hormones and Behavior, 59 : 556-564 (2011).

Correa, S. M.#, Adkins-Regan, E., and Johnson, P. A., High Progesterone During Avian Meiosis Biases Sex Ratios Toward Females, Biology Letters, 1 : 215-218 (2005).

 

Claudio Villanueva

Claudio Villanueva

Associate Professor

Email: cvillanueva@g.ucla.edu
Office: 27-200K CHS
Phone: (310) 825-4369
Website: https://sites.lifesci.ucla.edu/ibp-villanuevalab/

Biography

Professor Villanueva completed his undergraduate training at Cal State San Bernardino where he studied hormonal regulation of sodium uptake across the abdominal epithelium. He was fascinated by the way multicellular organisms’ sense and adapt to the surrounding environment. This early training sparked his interest in Integrative Physiology. As a Ph.D. student at UCSF, he trained at the Gladstone Institute of Cardiovascular Disease, where he studied lipid metabolism. He investigated the role of DGAT enzymes in fatty liver disease. His postdoc training was completed at UCLA, where he studied transcriptional mechanisms that regulate cellular programming of metabolism. He was recruited to the Department of Biochemistry at the University of Utah School of Medicine, and in 2019 joined the Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology at UCLA. His research aims to understand the metabolic adaptations required for cold adaptation in mammals.

Research Interests

Dr. Villanueva is interested in understanding how cells sense and control metabolism in response to stressors like temperature. The ability to maintain a constant body temperature despite a changing environment can lead to dramatic changes in energy expenditure. This requires an understanding of integrative metabolism and physiology. His lab will explore the molecular mechanisms that promote energy expenditure. He wants to understand how adipocytes regulate energy balance and how they communicate with the liver. These studies will provide opportunities for intervening in metabolic diseases that are associated with obesity.

Education

B.A., Biology, California State University, San Bernardino 2001
Ph.D., Lipid Biochemistry, University of California, San Francisco 2007

Selected Publications

Bensard CL, Wisidagama DR, Olson KA, Berg JA, Krah NM, Schell JC, Nowinski SM, Fogarty S, Bott AJ, Wei P, Dove KK, Tanner JM, Panic V, Cluntun A, Lettlova S, Earl CS, Namnath DF, Vázquez-Arreguín K, Villanueva CJ, Tantin D, Murtaugh LC, Evason KJ, Ducker GS, Thummel CS, Rutter J. “Regulation of Tumor Initiation by the Mitochondrial Pyruvate Carrier.”
Cell Metab. 31(2):284-300 (2020).

Anthony RP Verkerke, Patrick J Ferrara, Chien-Te Lin, Jordan M Johnson, Terence E Ryan, J Alan Maschek, Hiroaki Eshima, Christopher W Paran, Brenton T Laing, Piyarat Siripoksup, Trevor S Tippetts, Edward J Wentzler, Hu Huang, Espen E Spangenburg, Jeffrey J Brault, Claudio J Villanueva, Scott A Summers, William L Holland, James E Cox, Dennis E Vance, P Darrell Neufer, Katsuhiko Funai., “Phospholipid methylation regulates muscle metabolic rate through Ca 2+ transport. efficiency”, Nature Metabolism, 1 : 876-885 (2019) .

Charisse Petersen, Rickesha Bell, Kendra A Klag, Soh-Hyun Lee, Raymond Soto, Arevik Ghazaryan, Kaitlin Buhrke, H Atakan Ekiz, Kyla S Ost, Sihem Boudina, Ryan M O’Connell, James E Cox, Claudio J Villanueva, W Zac Stephens, June L Round., “T cell-mediated regulation of the microbiota protects against obesity”, Science, 365 (6451): (2019) .

Gisela Geoghegan, Judith Simcox, Marcus M Seldin, Timothy J Parnell, Chris Stubben, Steven Just, Lori Begaye, Aldons J Lusis, Claudio J Villanueva., “Targeted deletion of Tcf7l2 in adipocytes promotes adipocyte hypertrophy and impaired glucose metabolism”, Molecular Metabolism, 24 : 44-63 (2019).

Stephanie Pearson, Anne Loft, Prashant Rahbhandari, Judith Simcox, Sanghoon Lee, Peter Tontonoz, Susanne Mandrup, Claudio J Villanueva., “Loss of TLE3 promotes the mitochondrial program in beige adipocytes and improves glucose metabolism”, Genes & Development, (2019).

Marah C Runtsch, Morgan C Nelson, Soh-Hyun Lee, Warren Voth, Margaret Alexander, Ruozhen Hu, Jared Wallace, Charisse Petersen, Vanja Panic, Claudio J Villanueva, Kimberley J Evason, Kaylyn M Bauer, Timothy Mosbruger, Sihem Boudina, Mary Bronner, June L Round, Micah J Drummond, Ryan M O’Connell., “Anti-inflammatory microRNA-146a protects mice from diet-induced metabolic disease”, PLOS Genetics, 15 (2): (2019).

Gilles Storelli, Hyuck-Jin Nam, Judith Simcox, Claudio J Villanueva, Carl S Thummel., “Drosophila HNF4 directs a switch in lipid metabolism that supports the transition to adulthood”, Developmental Cell, 48 (2): 200-214 (2019).

Simon T Bond, Sarah C Moody, Yingying Liu, Mete Civelek, Claudio J Villanueva, Paul Gregorevic, Bronwyn A Kingwell, Andrea L Hevener, Aldons J Lusis, Darren C Henstridge, Anna C Calkin, Brian G Drew., “The E3 ligase MARCH5 is a PPARγ target gene that regulates mitochondria and metabolism in adipocytes”, American Journal of Physiology-Endocrinology and Metabolism, 316 (2): E293-E304 (2018).

Santhosh Karanth, JD Adams, Maria de los Angeles Serrano, Ezekiel B Quittner-Strom, Judith Simcox, Claudio J Villanueva, Lale Ozcan, William L Holland, H Joseph Yost, Adrian Vella, Amnon Schlegel., “A Hepatocyte FOXN3-α Cell Glucagon Axis Regulates Fasting Glucose”, Cell Reports, 24 (2): 312-319 (2018).

Judith Simcox, Gisela Geoghegan, John Alan Maschek, Claire L Bensard, Marzia Pasquali, Ren Miao, Sanghoon Lee, Lei Jiang, Ian Huck, Erin E Kershaw, Anthony J Donato, Udayan Apte, Nicola Longo, Jared Rutter, Renate Schreiber, Rudolf Zechner, James Cox, Claudio J Villanueva, “Global Analysis of Plasma Lipids Identifies Liver-Derived Acylcarnitines as a Fuel Source for Brown Fat Thermogenesis”, Cell Metabolism, 26 (3): 509-522 (2017) .

 

David Walker

David Walker

Professor
Vice Chair of Academic Personnel

Email: davidwalker@ucla.edu
Office: 2018 TLSB
Phone: (310) 825-7179

Biography

I completed my undergraduate degree in Genetics at Queen’s University of Belfast, Northern Ireland. I then went on to complete both Master’s and Ph.D. degrees at the University of Manchester, UK. I carried out postdoctoral work at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), where I received training in Drosophila genetics in the laboratory of Seymour Benzer and training in mitochondrial biology in the laboratory of Giuseppe Attardi. I established my independent research group at UCLA in 2007.

Research Interests

The mechanisms that cause the deterioration of cellular functions during the aging process remain poorly understood. Our lab is using the powerful genetics of the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster to better understand the molecular and cellular mechanisms of aging. Drosophila has proven to be an invaluable resource for understanding many molecular and cellular mechanisms of human disease, powered by versatile gene discovery methods and a biology that has much in common with that of humans. The long-term aim of this research is to provide novel therapeutic targets to counteract age-related human diseases.

Education

B.S., Genetics, Queen’s University Belfast 1995
MRes, Molecular Biology, University of Manchester 1996
Ph.D., Genetics, University of Manchester 2000

Selected Publications

Schmid, E.T., Schinaman, J.M., Liu-Abramowicz, N., Williams, K.S., Walker, D.W. Accumulation of F-actin Drives Brain Aging and Limits Healthspan in Drosophila. Nature Communications 15, 9238 (2024).

Schmid, E.T., Pyo, JH. & Walker, D.W. Neuronal induction of BNIP3-mediated mitophagy slows systemic aging in Drosophila. Nature Aging 2, 494–507 (2022). 

Aparicio, R., Schmid, E.T. & Walker, D.W. Gut mitochondrial defects drive neurodegeneration. Nature Aging 2, 277–279 (2022).

Aparicio, R., Rana, A., Walker, D.W., “Upregulation of the Autophagy Adaptor p62/SQSTM1 Prolongs Health and Lifespan in Middle-Aged Drosophila”, Cell Reports, 28 : 1029-1040 (2019).

Schinaman, J.S., Rana, A., Ja, W.W., Clark, R.I., & Walker, D.W., “Rapamycin modulates tissue aging and lifespan independently of the gut microbiota in Drosophila”, Scientific Reports, 9 (1): 7824- (2019).

Salazar A.M., Resnik-Docampo M., Ulgherait, M., Clark R.I., Shirasu-Hiza M., Jones, D.L., Walker, D.W., “Intestinal Snakeskin Limits Microbial Dysbiosis during Aging and Promotes Longevity”, iScience, 9 : 229-243 (2018).

Hansen M., Rubinsztein, D.C., Walker, D.W., “Autophagy as a promoter of longevity: insights from model organisms”, Nature Rev Mol Cell Biol, 19 (9): 579-593 (2018).

Rana A, Oliveira MP, Khamoui AV, Aparicio R, Rera M, Rossiter HB, Walker DW, ” Promoting Drp1-mediated mitochondrial fission in midlife prolongs healthy lifespan of Drosophila melanogaster”, Nature Communications, 8 (1): 448- (2017).

Resnik-Docampo M, Koehler CL, Clark RI, Schinaman JM, Sauer V, Wong DM, Lewis S, D’Alterio C, Walker DW, Jones DL, “Tricellular junctions regulate intestinal stem cell behaviour to maintain homeostasis”, Nature Cell Biology, 19 (1): 52-59 (2017).

Clark RI, Salazar A, Yamada R, Fitz-Gibbon S, Morselli M, Alcaraz J, Rana A, Rera M, Pellegrini M, Ja WW, Walker DW., “Distinct Shifts in Microbiota Composition during Drosophila Aging Impair Intestinal Function and Drive Mortality”, Cell Reports, 12 (10): 1656-1667 (2015) .

Ulgherait M., Rana A., Rera M., Graniel J., Walker D.W., “AMPK Modulates Tissue and Organismal Aging in a Non-Cell-Autonomous Manner”, Cell Reports, 8 (6): 1767-1780 (2014).

Rana A, Rera M, Walker D.W., “Parkin overexpression during aging reduces proteotoxicity, alters mitochondrial dynamics, and extends lifespan”, Proc Natl Acad Sci USA, 110 : 8638-8643 (2013).

Rera, M, Clark, R.I., Walker D.W., “Intestinal barrier dysfunction links metabolic and inflammatory markers of aging to death in Drosophila”, Proc Natl Acad Sci USA, 109 (52): 21528-21533 (2012).

 

Stephanie White

Stephanie White

Professor
Director of Undergraduate Neuroscience Interdepartmental Program (UNSIDP)
William Scheibel Endowed Chair in Neuroscience

Stephanie White

Email: sawhite@ucla.edu
Office: 1028 TLSB
Phone: (310) 794-1888
Website: http://www.physci.ucla.edu/research/white

Research Interests

Our capacity for language is near or at the essence of what makes us human. How this trait evolved is puzzling given that non-human primates can’t learn their vocalizations. (In the wild, adult chimps sound much like baby chimps but with deeper voices.) Precursor Homo groups speaking precursors to language no longer exist. My research group focuses on one aspect of language: the ability of youngsters to listen to and compare their own vocalizations to those of adults and thereby move from babbling to pronouncing interpretable sounds. For this we study songbirds and ask how the puzzle pieces of their brains fit together to accomplish vocal mimicry. We currently focus on a molecule known as FoxP2 that, when disrupted in humans or birds, disrupts speech or song, respectively. FoxP2 connects to the network of molecules that together enable learned vocal communication. We are investigating the functional role of FoxP2 in song and at synapses in the underlying control circuitry. We are also investigating the network of molecules downstream of FOXP2 and their role in disorders of speech including in autism.

Education

B.S., Biopsychology, Connecticut College
Ph.D., Neuroscience, Stanford University

Selected Publications

Fraley ER, Burkett ZD, Day NF, Schwartz BA, Phelps PE & White SA, “Mice with Dab1 or Vldlr insufficiency exhibit abnormal neonatal vocalization patterns”, Scientific Reports, 6 : 25807- (2016) .

Berg JM, Lee C, Chen L, Galvan L, Cepeda C, Chen JY, Penagarkano O, Stein JL, Li A, Oguro-Ando A, Miller JA, Vahisht AA, Starks ME, Kite EP, Al-Sharif NB, Burkett ZD, White SA, Fears SC, Levine MS, Wohlschlegel JA & Geschwind DG, “JAKMIP1 links regulation of neuronal protein translation to autism”, Neuron, 88 : 1173-1191 (2015) .

*Miller JE, *Hafzalla G, Burkett ZD, Fox CM & White SA, “Dopamine depletion in basal ganglia song nucleus reduces vocal variability in adult male zebra finches”, Physiological Reports, 3 : e12599- (2015) .

Hara E, Perez J, Whitney O, Chen Q, White SA & Wright T, “Neural FoxP2 and FoxP1 expression in the budgerigar, an avian species with adult vocal learning”, Behavioral Brain Research, 283 : 22-29 (2015) .

Heston JB & White SA, “Behavior-linked FoxP2 regulation enables zebra finch vocal learning”, Journal of Neuroscience, 35 : 2885-2894 (2015) .

Whitney O, Voyles T, Hara E, Chen Q, White SA & Wright T, “Differential FoxP2 and FoxP1 expression in a vocal learning nucleus of the developing budgerigar”, Developmental Neurobiology, 75 : 778-790 (2015) .

Hilliard AT*, Miller JE*, Fraley ER, Horvath S & White SA, “Molecular microcircuitry underlies the functional specification of a basal ganglia circuit dedicated to vocal learning”, Neuron, 73 : 537-552 (2012) .

White, S.A., “Genes and vocal learning”, Brain and Language, 115 : 21-28 (2011) .

Panaitof, S.C., Abrahams, B.S., Dong, H., Geschwind, D.H. and White, S.A., “Language-related Cntnap2 gene is differentially expressed in sexually dimorphic nuclei essential for vocal learning in songbirds”, Journal of Comparative Neurology, 5 : 1995-2018 (2010) .

Miller, J.E., Hilliard, A.T. and White, S.A., “Song practice promotes acute vocal variability during sensorimotor learning”, PLoS ONE, 5 : e8592- (2010) .