Section: Rotations

Paul Dobner, Ph.D.

Academic Role: Associate Professor

Faculty Appointment(s) In:
   Molecular Genetics and Microbiology

Other Affiliation(s):
   Program in Neuroscience

Rotation Projects

The first project involves investigating changes in reponses to the psychostimulant drug amphetamine. Our preliminary evidence indicates that NT knockout mice display region-specific defects in neuronal activation following amphetamine administration. These studies will be extended to investigate amphetamine induction of c-Fos and to compare the ability of amphetamine to stimulate locomotor activity and other behaviors in NT knockout and wild type mice. The student will become familiar with genotype analysis, animal experiments, fixation protocols and immunocytochemistry.

Another possible project concerns the role of neurotensin in appetite control. We have obtained preliminary evidence that NT-deficient mice gain weight abnormally when fed a high carbohydrate diet, but not when fed a high fat diet. This project will involve an investigation of the effects of the fat cell hormone leptin on feeding behavior in NT knockout mice compared to wild type controls. The effects of leptin on NT gene expression in the hypothalamus will also be investigated using in situ hybridization. The student will become familiar with animal experiments, in situ hybridization procedures, and fixation protocols.

Office: S5-212
Phone: 508-856-2410
Fax: 508-856-5920
E-mail: Paul.Dobner@umassmed.edu
Keywords: Genetic Systems, Gene Expression, Neurobiology

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