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Rona GiffardAcademic Appointments
Appointment
Organization
Professor
Member
|
Honors & Awards
Title
Organization
Date(s)
NIH Clinical Investigator Award
NIH
1990-1995
Young Investigator Award
Foundation for Anesthesia Education and Research
1991-1992
Ellen Weaver Award
Association for Women in Science, Northern California Chapters
1997
Frontiers in Anesthesia Research Award
International Anesthesia Research Society
1998-2003
AHA/Bugher Award
American Heart Association
2000-2004
Administrative Appointments
Title
Organization
Start Year
End Year
Vice-Chair for Research
Dept. of Anesthesia
1999
-
Professional Education
Degree
Awarding Institution
Field of Study
Year of Graduation
Ph.D.
StanfordUniversity
Structural Biology
M.D.
Stanford University
Medicine
Postdoctoral Advisees
Yajing Hu,
Ludmila Voloboueva,
Xiaoxing Xiong
Web Site Links
Research/Lab website:
Giffard Lab Web site
Research Interests
Brain injury from stroke, head trauma, and chronic neurologic degenerative diseases, is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. We are particularly interested in the cellular consequences of brain injury. To study this problem we work with primary cultures of neurons and astrocytes from mice in addition to employing rodent models of stroke. Current work focuses on: 1) the role of astrocytes in brain injury; 2) the interaction of neurons and glia during injury; 3) protection using heat shock protein and anti-apoptotic protein overexpression 4) changes in mitochondrial function and signaling in injury; 5) the interaction of oxidative stress and inflammation in stroke; 6) computational modeling of cell death.
We use gene transfer techniques to express genes of interest in brain cells and intact brain and analyze ways in which these genes can provide protection. We use fluorescent probes for pH, intracellular calcium, ROS, mitochondrial membrane potential, glutathione, as well as morphologically evaluate outcome, and quantitate injury. We also use transgenic mice to analyze the effects of overexpression or loss of expression of specific genes on outcome from stroke. Mitochondria are central to both energy metabolism and the regulation of cell death. We study changes in mitochondria with stress. We are also interested in the interaction of oxidative stress and inflammation in stroke.
A new area for us is computational modeling of cell death and the effects of heat shock proteins. We are working on an ODE control model.
We use gene transfer techniques to express genes of interest in brain cells and intact brain and analyze ways in which these genes can provide protection. We use fluorescent probes for pH, intracellular calcium, ROS, mitochondrial membrane potential, glutathione, as well as morphologically evaluate outcome, and quantitate injury. We also use transgenic mice to analyze the effects of overexpression or loss of expression of specific genes on outcome from stroke. Mitochondria are central to both energy metabolism and the regulation of cell death. We study changes in mitochondria with stress. We are also interested in the interaction of oxidative stress and inflammation in stroke.
A new area for us is computational modeling of cell death and the effects of heat shock proteins. We are working on an ODE control model.
Publications
- Xu L, Wang B, Kaur K, Kho MF, Cooke JP, Giffard RG "NO(x) and ADMA changes with focal ischemia, amelioration with the chaperonin GroEL." Neurosci Lett 2007; More »
- Voloboueva LA, Suh SW, Swanson RA, Giffard RG "Inhibition of mitochondrial function in astrocytes: implications for neuroprotection." J Neurochem 2007; More »
- Voloboueva LA, Duan M, Ouyang Y, Emery JF, Stoy C, Giffard RG "Overexpression of mitochondrial Hsp70/Hsp75 protects astrocytes against ischemic injury in vitro." J Cereb Blood Flow Metab 2007; More »
- Ouyang YB, Voloboueva LA, Xu LJ, Giffard RG "Selective dysfunction of hippocampal CA1 astrocytes contributes to delayed neuronal damage after transient forebrain ischemia." J Neurosci 2007; 27: 16: 4253-60 More »
- Chock VY, Amir G, Davis CR, Ramamoorthy C, Riemer RK, Ray D, Giffard RG, Reddy VM "Antegrade cerebral perfusion reduces apoptotic neuronal injury in a neonatal piglet model of cardiopulmonary bypass." J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2006; 131: 3: 659-65 More »
78 publications: view full list
