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David Talmage, PhD
Associate Professor
Department of Pharmacological Sciences
Ph. D., University of Minnesota
Office Phone: (631)-632-8929
Office Fax: (631)-632-6661
david.talmage@stonybrook.edu
Office: CMM, room 548 |
Research
I have a long standing interest in how cells respond to their environment – mechanistically,
a process commonly known as signal transduction. The current
focus of our studies is on how one pair of molecules, Nrg1 and ErbB4,
interact to regulate synapse formation and maintenance. The Nrg1
gene encodes a family of ~20 different proteins that serve as ligands
for members of the ErbB family of receptor tyrosine kinases. These
proteins have long been recognized as playing important roles during
vertebrate development, and inappropriate Nrg1 – ErbB signaling
plays key roles in such diverse diseases as breast cancer and schizophrenia.
The Type III subfamily of Nrg1 isoforms are expressed exclusively
in neurons, and are “shipped” to both axonal and dendritic processes. We
have demonstrated that this subfamily of Nrg1 proteins function both
as ligands for ErbB receptors and as receptors; i.e. they participate
in bi-directional, juxtacrine signaling that mediates interactions between
Type III Nrg1 expressing neurons and ErbB expressing neurons or glia.
These interactions are required for myelination of peripheral nerves,
survival of motor and sensory neurons and aspects of plasticity at central
synapses. Currently, in close collaboration with the laboratory
of Dr. Lorna Role, we are attempting to understand the function of Type
III Nrg1 in the development of the nociceptive population of sensory
neurons, and in the establishment of cholinergic modulation of cortical-limbic
circuits. In addition we are dissecting the relative contribution of
Type III Nrg1 “forward” vs. “reverse” signaling
in these processes.
Publications
Laboratory Personnel
- Yachi Chen, PhD - Research Assistant Professor
- Li Jiang, PhD - Research Scientist
- James Lederman - 3rd year graduate student
- Gretchen Lopez - Postdoctoral Associate
- Josh Matulonis - Lab manager
- Ifeanyi Obiorah - 3rd year graduate student
- Yehui Qin - Research Specialist
- Chongbo Zhong, PhD - Research Scientist
Recent Graduates:
- Sarah Canetta - Postdoctoral Fellow, Columbia University
- Jasmine Chen - Postdoctoral Scholar, UCSF
- Melissa Hancock - Postdoctoral Fellow, Harvard Medical School
- Dianne Lee - Postdoctoral Fellow, Yale University
- Michael Lieberman - Principal Scientist, UCB Pharma
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