Sanders-Brown Faculty

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Christopher M. Norris, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor

Departmental Affiliation(s):

Molecular and Biomedical Pharmacology

Research Focus:

Calcium signaling pathways in brain aging and aging-related diseases

In the lab:

Hafiz Mohammad Abdul (Scientist 2)

Irina Artiushin (Research Analyst)

Jenny Furman (Graduate Student)

Diana Mathis (Graduate Student)

Michelle Sama (Graduate Student)

Research Interests:

Dr. Norris' work focuses on the role of Ca2+ signaling mechanisms in brain aging and neurodegenerative disease, with recent emphasis on the Ca2+/calmodulin dependent protein phosphatase, calcineurin, and its downstream targets. Most studies are conducted on the hippocampus, or hippocampal cultures using a variety of experimental approaches including: adenoviral-mediated gene delivery, electrophysiology (patch clamp and sharp electrode recordings), immunocytochemistry, and protein biochemistry. Behavioral assessment in rodents also is used to test brain-behavior relationships.

Recent Publications:

Mohmmad Abdul H, Sama MA, Furman JL, Mathis DM, Weidner AM, Patel ES, Baig I, Levine, H III, Beckett TL, Murphy MP, Kraner SD, Norris CM (2009) Cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s disease is associated with selective changes in calcineurin/NFAT  signaling. The Journal of Neuroscience, in press.

Norris CM, Scheff SW (2009) Recovery of afferent function and synaptic strength in hippocampal CA1 following traumatic brain injury. Journal of Neurotrauma, in press.

Sama MA, Mathis DM, Furman JL, Artiushin IA, Mohmmad Abdul H, Kraner SD, Norris  CM (2008) Interleukin-1b-dependent signaling between glia and neurons depends critically on astrocytic calcineurin/NFATactivity Journal of Biological Chemistry, 283:21953-21964.

Norris CM, Blalock EM, Chen K-C, Porter, NM, Thibault O, Kraner SD, Landfield PW (2008) Hippocampal ‘zipper’ slice studies reveal a necessary role for calcineurin in the increased activity of L-type Ca²⁺ channels with aging  Neurobiology of Aging, in press., doi:10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2008.03.026.

Jeftinija DM, Wang QB, Hebert SL, Norris CM,Yan Z, Rich MM, Kraner SD. The Ca(V) 1.2 Ca(2+) channel is expressed in sarcolemma of type I and IIa myofibers of adult skeletal muscle. Muscle Nerve 36: 482-490, 2007.

Norris CM, Blalock EM, Thibault O, Brewer LD, Clodfelter GV, Porter, NM, Landfield PW (2006) Electrophysiological Mechanisms of Delayed Excitotoxicity: Positive Feedback Loop Between NMDA Receptor Current and Depolarization-Mediated Glutamate Release.  Journal of Neurophysiology 96:2488-2500.

Norris CM, Kadish I, Blalock EM, Chen KC, Thibault V, Porter NM, Landfield PW, and Kraner SD (2005).  Calcineurin Triggers Reactive/Inflammatory Processes in Astrocytes and is Upregulated in Aging and Alzheimer’s Models. The Journal of Neuroscience 25:4649-4658.