Prions & Neurobiology
A number of CMB faculty are interested in the molecular function of the nervous system with emphasis in areas related to neural differentiation, neurodegeneration, synaptic mechanisms, and ion channels.
The study of neurodegeneration caused by prions (proteinaceous infectious particles) and prion – related diseases is a major focus area at Colorado State University, in part because Fort Collins became “ground zero” for Chronic Wasting Disease when it was discovered here in 1967.
Jayne Aiken
Assistant Professor (Biomedical Sciences)
Integrates cell biology, bioengineering, and neuroscience to uncover the foundational cytoskeletal regulation guiding synaptic connectivity in health and disease.
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Gregory Amberg
Professor (Biomedical Sciences)
Ion channels in arterial smooth muscle and their impact on arterial function. Changes in ion channel behavior during pathophysiological conditions such as hypertension.
Soham Chanda
Assistant Professor (Biochemistry & Molecular Biology)
Neuronal Development and Dysfunction
Claire de La Serre
Associate Professor (Biomedical Sciences)
My research focuses on modulation of host behavior, in particular feeding behavior, by the gut microbiota.
Fred Hoerndli
Associate Professor (Biomedical Sciences)
Molecular mechanisms affecting transport of glutamate receptors, synaptic aging and neurodegeneration in C. elegans
Tom LaRocca
Assistant Professor (Heath & Exercise Science)
Biological mechanisms of healthspan, including proteome, genome and RNA homeostasis, and their effects on organismal function and brain health.
Julie Moreno
Assistant Professor (Environmental & Radiological Health Sciences)
Prion biology
Eric Ross
Professor (Biochemistry & Molecular Biology)
Yeast prions as a model to study protein aggregation
Glenn Telling
Professor (Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology)
Prion replication, prion species barriers and strain diversity, and the molecular basis of inherited human prion diseases
Ronald Tjalkens
Professor (Environmental Radiological Health Sciences)
Molecular neurotoxicology, regulation of nitric oxide synthase in mammalian astroglia, role of astroglial cells in Parkinsonian syndromes.
Stuart Tobet
Professor (Biomedical Sciences)
Development and differentiation of the neuroendocrine brain.
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Jozsef Vigh
Professor (Biomedical Sciences);
Visual signal processing in the retina.
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Mark Zabel
Professor (Microbiology, Immunology & Pathology)
Prion immunology
Candace Mathiason
Professor (Microbiology, Immunology & Pathology)
Prion and viral pathogenesis and transmission dynamics.
Noreen Reist
Professor (Biomedical Sciences)
Molecular dissection of neurotransmitter release
Michael Tamkun
Professor (Biomedical Sciences and Biochemistry & Molecular Biology)
Ion channel molecular biology.
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BMS 545 Functional Neuroanatomy
MIP 520 Fundamentals of Prion Biology
NB 500 Cellular and Molecular Neurophysiology Readings
NB 501 Mammalian Physiology (Neurology)
NB 503 Developmental Neurobiology
NB 505 Neuronal Circuits, Systems & Behavior
NB 586 Practicum – Techniques in Neuroscience
NB 600 Adv. Psy. Sensation & Perception
NB 750 Physiology of Ion Channels
NB 796B Neurobiology of Disease
PSY 600B Cognitive Neuroscience
Kaz Knight (Hoerndli Lab)
(PhD 2019 Cohort)
| Adaptive selection of a prion strain conformer corresponding to established North American CWD during propagation of novel emergent Norwegian strains in mice expressing elk or deer prion protein. Bian J, Kim S, Kane SJ, Crowell J, Sun JL, Christiansen J, Saijo E, Moreno JA, DiLisio J, Burnett E, Pritzkow S, Gorski D, Soto C, Kreeger TJ, Balachandran A, Mitchell G, Miller MW, Nonno R, Vikøren T, Våge J, Madslien K, Tran L, Vuong TT, Benestad SL, Telling GC. PLoS Pathog. 2021 Jul 26;17(7):e1009748. |
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| Endogenous Opioid Signaling in the Mouse Retina Modulates Pupillary Light Reflex. Cleymaet AM, Berezin CT, Vigh J. Int J Mol Sci. 2021 Jan 8;22(2):554. |
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MAPK signaling and a mobile scaffold complex regulate AMPA receptor transport to modulate synaptic strength. Hoerndli FJ, Brockie PJ, Wang R, Mellem JE, Kallarackal A, Doser RL, Pierce DM, Madsen DM, Maricq AV. Cell Rep. 2022 Mar 29;38(13):110577 |
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Co-activation of selective nicotinic acetylcholine receptors is required to reverse beta amyloid-induced Ca2+ hyperexcitation. Sun JL, Stokoe SA, Roberts JP, Sathler MF, Nip KA, Shou J, Ko K, Tsunoda S, Kim S. Neurobiol Aging. 2019 Dec;84:166-177. |
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| Activity-dependent mitochondrial ROS signaling regulates recruitment of glutamate receptors to synapses Doser RL, Knight KM, Deihl EW, Hoerndli FJ. Elife. 2024 Mar 14;13:e92376. doi: 10.7554/eLife.92376. PMID: 38483244 |
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A Necessary Role for PKC-2 and TPA-1 in Olfactory Memory and Synaptic AMPAR Trafficking in Caenorhabditis elegans Stetak AL, Grenal T, Lenninger Z, Knight KM, Doser RL, Hoerndli FJ. J Neurosci. 2024 Mar 6;44(10):e1120232024. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1120-23.2024.PMID: 38238075 |
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| Subcellular Imaging of Neuronal Calcium Handling In Vivo Doser R, Knight KM, Deihl E, Hoerndli F. J Vis Exp. 2023 Mar 17;(193):10.3791/64928. doi: 10.3791/64928.PMID: 37010315 |
Casey-Tyler Berezin (Vigh Lab |
PhD 2019 Cohort | qCMB T32 Fellow 2020 – 22)
Growth Manager, GenoCAD | LinkedIn
Dayton Pierce (PhD 2021)
Julie Sun (Telling Lab | PhD 2017 Cohort)
Postdoctoral Scientist, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital | LinkedIn
Kaila Nip (MS 2019, Kim Lab) – Research Associate at UT – Health San Antonio
Vanessa Selwyn (Ph.D. 2019, Telling Lab) – Graduate Program Grant Coordinator, CVMBS, Colorado State University
Katriana Popichak (Ph.D. 2018, Tjalkens Lab) – Assistant Professor, MIP Department at Colorado State University
Sean Hammond (Ph.D. 2018, Tjalkens Lab) – Field Application Scientist at Sartorius
Sarah Kane (Ph.D. 2017, Zabel Lab) – Scientist II , GT Molecular , Fort Collins