Sanders-Brown Faculty
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CONTACT INFORMATION
Room 131, Sanders-Brown Center On Aging
800 South Limestone Street
Lexington, KY 40536-0230
E-MAIL: cnorr2@uky.edu
PHONE: (859) 257-1412 x490
CELL: (859) 227-2291
FAX: (859) 323-2866
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.
