This summer’s featured Researcher in Dr. ChangHui Pak, who is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. She has joined UMass in 2018 after completing postdoctoral research in the lab of Nobel laureate, Thomas Sudhof. The Pak Lab studies the molecular signaling pathways involved in synapse formation. One of the techniques that they use is the creation of brain organoids from induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSCs). She was recently senior author on a Book Chapter titled, “Method to Generate Dorsal Forebrain Brain Organoids from Human Pluripotent Stem Cells” published in Stem Cell-Based Neural Model Systems for Brain Disorders.

Here’s what else is new for ‘ ”University of Massachusetts” AND Amherst AND neuroscience’ in PubMed. These publications appeared online from May to August. They are just a fraction of the neuroscience research that occurs on campus. You can click on the PubMed ID to find the publication.

1: Roberts BL, Karatsoreos IN. Circadian desynchronization disrupts physiological rhythms of prefrontal cortex pyramidal neurons in mice. Sci Rep. 2023 Jun 6;13(1):9181. doi: 10.1038/s41598-023-35898-8. PMID: 37280307; PMCID: PMC10244337.

2: Sato SD, Schlechter M, Price M, Hoogkamer W. Asymmetric shoe height induces reactive changes in gait kinematics but not kinetics in healthy young adults. Gait Posture. 2023 Jun 1;104:70-76. doi: 10.1016/j.gaitpost.2023.05.027. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37327557.

3: Beery AK, Jackson B, Halstead E, Windorski SM, Nnodim-Amadi C, Upin E. Acute decrease in mothers’ cortisol following nursing and milk expression. Horm Behav. 2023 Jun 10;153:105387. doi: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2023.105387. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37307679.

4: Sebastian R, Pavon NS, Song Y, Diep KT, Pak C. Method to Generate Dorsal Forebrain Brain Organoids from Human Pluripotent Stem Cells. Methods Mol Biol. 2023;2683:169-183. doi: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3287-1_13. PMID: 37300774.

5: Kozol RA, Conith AJ, Yuiska A, Cree-Newman A, Tolentino B, Banesh K, Paz A, Lloyd E, Kowalko JE, Keene AC, Albertson C, Duboue ER. A brain-wide analysis maps structural evolution to distinct anatomical module. Elife. 2023 Jul 27;12:e80777. doi: 10.7554/eLife.80777. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37498318.

6: Shahanoor Z, Sultana R, Savenkova M, Karatsoreos IN, Romeo RD. Metabolic dysfunctions following chronic oral corticosterone are modified by adolescence and sex in mice. Physiol Behav. 2023 Oct 1;269:114289. doi: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2023.114289. Epub 2023 Jul 6. PMID: 37422081.

7: Angarita GA, Pittman B, Nararajan A, Mayerson TF, Parate A, Marlin B, Gueorguieva RR, Potenza MN, Ganesan D, Malison RT. Discriminating cocaine use from other sympathomimetics using wearable electrocardiographic (ECG) sensors. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2023 Jul 14;250:110898. doi: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2023.110898. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37523916.

8: Rodberg EM, den Hartog CR, Dauster ES, Vazey EM. Sex-dependent noradrenergic modulation of premotor cortex during decision making. Elife. 2023 Aug 22;12:e85590. doi: 10.7554/eLife.85590. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37606362.

9: Woodson J, Bergan JF. Uncovering the brain-wide pattern of synaptic input to vasopressin-expressing neurons in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus. J Comp Neurol. 2023 Apr 30. doi: 10.1002/cne.25476. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37121600.

10: Kim-Spoon J, Lee TH, Clinchard C, Lindenmuth M, Brieant A, Steinberg L, Deater-Deckard K, Casas B. Brain Similarity as a Protective Factor in the Longitudinal Pathway Linking Household Chaos, Parenting, and Substance Use. Biol Psychiatry Cogn Neurosci Neuroimaging. 2023 Apr 28:S2451-9022(23)00103-9. doi: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2023.04.008. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37121398.

11: Mäder T, Oliver KI, Daffre C, Kim S, Orr SP, Lasko NB, Seo J, Kleim B, Pace-Schott EF. Autonomic activity, posttraumatic and nontraumatic nightmares, and PTSD after trauma exposure. Psychol Med. 2023 Feb;53(3):731-740. doi: 10.1017/S0033291721002075. Epub 2021 Jun 15. PMID: 34127168; PMCID: PMC9121310.

12: Woodson J, Bergan JF. Uncovering the brain-wide pattern of synaptic input to vasopressin-expressing neurons in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus. J Comp Neurol. 2023 Jul;531(10):1017-1031. doi: 10.1002/cne.25476. Epub 2023 Apr 30. PMID: 37121600.

13: Ragozzino FJ, Peterson BA, Karatsoreos IN, Peters JH. Circadian regulation of glutamate release pathways shapes synaptic throughput in the brainstem nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS). J Physiol. 2023 May;601(10):1881-1896. doi: 10.1113/JP284370. Epub 2023 Apr 13. PMID: 36975145; PMCID: PMC10192157.

14: Ehrenberg AJ, Kelberman MA, Liu KY, Dahl MJ, Weinshenker D, Falgàs N, Dutt S, Mather M, Ludwig M, Betts MJ, Winer JR, Teipel S, Weigand AJ, Eschenko O, Hämmerer D, Leiman M, Counts SE, Shine JM, Robertson IH, Levey AI, Lancini E, Son G, Schneider C, Egroo MV, Liguori C, Wang Q, Vazey EM, Rodriguez-Porcel F, Haag L, Bondi MW, Vanneste S, Freeze WM, Yi YJ, Maldinov M, Gatchel J, Satpati A, Babiloni C, Kremen WS, Howard R, Jacobs HIL, Grinberg LT. Priorities for research on neuromodulatory subcortical systems in Alzheimer’s disease: Position paper from the NSS PIA of ISTAART. Alzheimers Dement. 2023 May;19(5):2182-2196. doi: 10.1002/alz.12937. Epub 2023 Jan 15. PMID: 36642985; PMCID: PMC10182252.