Conte Center PIs
Peter Penzes, PhD, Conte Center Director and Project 1 PI
Research in Penzes lab centers on signal transduction networks that regulate the structural and functional plasticity of excitatory synapses. Synaptic communication between neurons within brain circuits underlies cognitive functions, and is disrupted in numerous neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric disorders. Most central excitatory synapses are located on dendritic spines, and spine structure is essential for normal and pathological brain function. Spine dynamics is crucial for the establishment, maintenance, and experience dependent modification of connectivity in neural circuits. Conversely, abnormal dendritic spine morphology occurs in patients with neurodegenerative, psychiatric, and neurodevelopmental disorders, including schizophrenia, autism, and Alzheimer’s disease.As spine morphology is closely associated with cognitive functions, understanding the mechanisms of regulation and dysregulation of spine plasticity is necessary to elucidate the neural bases of cognitive functions and disorders. The long-term goals of my research are:1) to identify and characterize the molecular mechanisms that control synaptic structural plasticity. 2) to determine how they influence the development, functioning, and plasticity of brain circuits underlying cognition. 3) to uncover the molecular mechanisms underlying synaptic pathology and determine their impact on disease endophenotypes. To to achieve these objectives, we employ a multidisciplinary array of molecular, cellular, imaging, transgenic, electrophysiological, and behavioral approaches, and have assembled an outstanding team of collaborators.
Alfred George, Jr., MD, Project 2 PI
Dr. George has been a pioneer in elucidating the genetics and pathogenesis of channelopathies – disorders caused by mutations in ion channel genes. His work focuses on genetic disorders caused by voltage-gated ion channel mutations that are responsible for disorders of membrane excitability including diseases affecting muscle, heart and brain that result in abnormal muscle contraction, cardiac arrhythmias, sudden death, epilepsy and related neurodevelopmental disorders. Dr. George has been involved from the beginning of the channelopathy field making enduring contributions to revealing the molecular genetic basis for several disorders, elucidating the functional consequences of dozens of mutant ion channels and helping to translate discoveries into new therapeutic strategies for these orphan diseases.
Alicia Guemez Gamboa, PhD, Project 2 PI
Dr. Alicia Guemez-Gamboa is currently an Assistant Professor at the Department of Neurosciences at the Feinberg School of Medicine in Northwestern University. Dr. Guemez-Gamboa earned her PhD in Biomedical Sciences from the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico. She then completed postdoctoral training at the University of California, San Diego and at The Rockefeller University in Dr. Nick Spitzer and Dr. Joe Gleeson’s laboratories. The Guemez-Gamboa laboratory is focused on investigating how neural circuit dysfunction leads to neurodevelopmental disorders including ASD and epilepsy. Particularly, the her group uses induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from patients as well as CRISPR edited iPSC to generate neural progenitors, neurons, and forebrain organoids predisposed to neurological disorders. They also use animal models when available. Characterization of these models helps elucidating the mechanisms of disease and laying the groundwork for the development of new therapeutic approaches and personalized medicine.
Anis Contractor, PhD, Project 3 PI
Anis Contractor received his Ph.D. in neuropharmacology from University College London in the laboratory of Professor Alasdair Gibb, where he studied the functional properties of NMDA receptors. He performed postdoctoral studies at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies with Professor Stephen Heinemann, where he studied the role of glutamate receptors in synaptic plasticity and development. He joined the faculty at Northwestern University Anis Contractor received his Ph.D. in neuropharmacology from University College London in the laboratory of Professor Alasdair Gibb, where he studied the functional properties of NMDA receptors. He performed postdoctoral studies at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies with Professor Stephen Heinemann, where he studied the role of glutamate receptors in synaptic plasticity and development. He joined the faculty at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in 2004, where his laboratory focuses on studies of synaptic and circuit mechanisms underlying neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric disorders in mouse models. Dr. Contractor is currently a professor in the Department of Neuroscience with a secondary appointment in the Department of Neurobiology
Gavin Rumbaugh, PhD, Project 4 PI
Gavin is a Professor of Neuroscience at The Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation & Technology in Jupiter, Florida. Dr. Rumbaugh received his Ph.D. from Georgetown University and completed his postdoctoral training at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He joined the faculty at The Scripps Research Institute in 2009 and was promoted to full professor in 2019. The overarching goal of his laboratory is to apply knowledge gained from biological studies of Neuropsychiatric disorder risk genes to accelerate the development of therapeutic agents to treat impaired brain excitability, cognitive impairment, and behavioral maladaptation. Gavin’s laboratory has defined the function of several genes that are critical regulators of synapse biology, neural plasticity, excitatory balance, and cognitive function. These genes also increase the risk for, and in some cases cause, severe Neurodevelopmental disorders. Gavin has published over 70 articles in the fields of cellular Neuroscience, Neurophysiology, and assay development, and has received over $40 million in NIH grant support over the course of his career (inclusive of recent NOGAs). He is currently PI on several R01s. Recently, he was awarded two NIH-funded Program Project Grants: 1) Director of a National Cooperative Drug Development Program that will develop precision therapeutics for a genetic neurodevelopmental disorder (U01/NIMH); 2) Co-Director of a Silvio O. Conte Center for Basic Neuroscience (P50/NIMH) that focuses on GTPase regulation of cortical synaptic circuits relevant to genetic forms of autism and intellectual disability. Gavin has received numerous honors and awards, including a Kavli Frontiers of Science Fellowship supported by the National Academy of Sciences. He was recently nominated to serve a four-year term on the National Advisory Mental Health Council (NAMHC) that oversees funding priorities for the National Institute of Mental Health.