Erica Lynn Unger, Ph.D.
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Date of Birth: May 2, 1976 Place of Birth: Pine Grove, PA High School: Pine Grove Area High School Undergraduate Education: Lebanon Valley College, Biology Graduate Education: Integrative Biosciences/ Neuroscience, Pennsylvania State University, Ph.D., August, 2004 Postdoctoral Training: Department of Nutrition, Pennsylvania State University, 2004 - present Words of Wisdom : The most exciting phrase to hear in science, the one that heralds the most discoveries, is not 'Eureka!' (I found it!) but 'That's funny.... (Isaac Asimov) |
Research:
Serotonergic and Dopaminergic Control of Behavior in Genetic
Models of Psychiatric and Neurodegenerative Disorders.
Determining the role of serotonin, dopamine, and their interactions in
locomotor activity and other behaviors
Studying the involvement of the serotonin transporter in aging by
immunocytochemistry and behavioral analysis
Revealing alterations in brain serotonin and dopamine transporter and
receptor densities using autoradiography
Posters and Publications:
REFERRED PUBLICATIONS
E.L. Unger, P. Mazzola-Pomietto, D.L. Murphy and A.M. Andrews (2002)
2’-NH2-MPTP depletes serotonin and norepinephrine in rats: A
comparison with 2’-CH3-MPTP. Journal of Pharmacology and
Experimental Therapeutics 303:527-533.
A. L. Numis, E. L. Unger, D. L. Sheridan, A. C. Chisnell, G. H. Uhl, D.
L. Murphy and A. M. Andrews. Assessing the role of SERT and VMAT2 in
2’-NH2-MPTP neurotoxicity using genetic and pharmacologic
models.
(submitted to Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics)
E.L. Unger, D.J. Eve, X.A. Perez, D.K. Reichenbach, Y. Xu, M.K. Lee and
A.M. Andrews. Preclinical hyperactivity and alterations in dopamine
neurotransmission are associated with A53T a-synuclein expression in
mice. (in preparation for Pharmacology, Biochemistry and Behavior)
E.L. Unger, B.A. Luellen, M.E. Szapacs, A.L. Numis, K. J. Sowinski,
W.E. Lyons, L.A. Mamounas and A.M. Andrews. Life-long reductions in
serotonin transporter expression protect hippocampus from age-related
serotonergic neurodegeneration: Implications for the human aging brain.
(in preparation for Nature)
T. A. Mathews, E. L. Unger and A. M. Andrews. Adaptive changes in
dopamine neurotransmission in SERT knockout mice: Differential effects
of methamphetamine. (in progress)
B. A. Luellen, E. L. Unger, D. K. Reichenbach, M. L. Aponte, A. L.
Numis, T. A. Mathews and A. M. Andrews. The effects of serotonin
degeneration on behavior and synaptic neurochemistry. (in progress)
CONTRIBUTED PRESENTATIONS (presenter in bold)
E.L. Unger, B.A. Luellen, O. Lee, W.E. Lyons, M.E. Blue, L.A. Mamounas
and A.M. Andrews. Decreased serotonin transporter expression prevents
age-related serotonergic fiber loss in the forebrain. Winter Conference
of Brain Research, Snowbird, UT, January 2003.
E.L. Unger, B.A. Luellen, O. Lee, W.E. Lyons, M.E. Blue, L.A. Mamounas
and A.M. Andrews. Decreased serotonin transporter expression prevents
age-related serotonergic fiber loss in the forebrain. Society for
Neuroscience 32nd Annual Meeting, Orlando, FL, November 2002.
E.L. Unger, D.K. Reichenbach, M.K. Lee and A.M. Andrews. A53T
a-synuclein transgenic mice show preclinical motor abnormalities that
precede the development of fatal motoric dysfunction. The 8th
International Conference on Alzheimer’s Disease and Related
Disorders, Stockholm, Sweden, July 2002.
E.L. Unger, B.A. Luellen, O. Lee, W.E. Lyons, M.E. Blue, L.A. Mamounas
and A.M. Andrews. Decreased serotonin transporter expression prevents
age-related serotonergic fiber loss in the forebrain. The 8th
International Conference on Alzheimer’s Disease and Related
Disorders, Stockholm, Sweden, July 2002.
A.C. Chisnell, E.L. Unger, B.A. Fierst, D.L. Sheridan and A.M. Andrews.
Effects of 2¢NH2-MPTP in VMAT2 knockout mice. Society for
Neuroscience 31st Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA, November 2001.
T.A. Mathews, D.E. Fedele, E.L. Unger, K.-P. Lesch, D.L. Murphy and
A.M. Andrews. Effects of serotonin transporter inactivation on
extracellular 5-HT levels, in vivo microdialysis recovery, and
MDMA-induced release of serotonin and dopamine in mouse striatum.
Society for Neuroscience 30th Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA, November
2000.
Honors:
Alzheimer’s Association Travel Award for World
Alzheimer’s Congress, Stockholm, Sweden, 2002
PSU Chemistry Department Apple Graduate Student Research
