James Maksymetz

Mentor: David Hackos, PhD Using single cell and spatial multiomics (snRNAseq, snATACseq, 10X Visium, smFISH) approaches to study the neuronal circuitry of the spinal cord and it’s dysfunction in chronic pain.

Dissertation: Potentiating M1 and mGlu1 receptors to modulate prefrontal cortical dysfunction in psychiatric diseases (defended January 2020) Mentor: P. Jeffrey Conn, PhD I employed a variety of electrophysiological, biochemical, and behavioral techniques to study how metabotropic glutamate (mGlu) receptors and muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChRs) modulate prefrontal cortex neurotransmission. -Determined the circuit-level mechanism of mGlu1 positive allosteric modulator (PAM) efficacy in schizophrenia-like models using whole-cell electrophysiology, behavioral assays, rodent phMRI, and in vivo optogenetics -Identified M1 muscarinic receptor (PAMs) as potential therapeutics for the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder using electrophysiology, optogenetics, and behavioral assays -Collaborated on various projects with Conn lab members and Vanderbilt researchers contributing technical and intellectual expertise in GPCR pharmacology and neuronal microcircuitry analysis

Mentor: Anil Bhushan, PhD -Mouse colony management: breeding, weaning, genotyping and strain generation -Laboratory management: managed inventory, acted as Lab Safety Coordinator -Experimental duties involved isolation of Islets of Langerhans from mice, pancreas isolation, mouse embryo dissection, tissue embedding and fixation, and immunohistochemistry

Mentor: Igor Spigelman, PhD -Investigated GABA, AMPA and NMDA receptor subunit changes in in the basolateral amygdala in the stress-enhanced fear learning (SEFL) model of post traumatic stress disorder in rats -Used immunoblotting and densitometry analysis to measure relative protein subunit changes after SEFL with or without metyrapone treatment -Optimized Western Blotting protocol for more efficient data collection