TRAINING IN PHARMACOLOGY, TOXICOLOGY & PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCES 2008 ASPET SUMMER UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP OPPORTUNITY at the UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI
The Department of Pharmacology & Cell Biophysics, College of Medicine is pleased to offer this research project as part of the 2008 summer ASPET SURF Training Program offered by the Department of Pharmacology & Cell Biophysics.  Students interested in this project are advised to contact Professor Millard to discover more about the project, learn what your responsibilities will be during the ten-week research training program.
2008 ASPET SURF Project #:  08 - 005 Faculty Supervisor/Mentor: Ronald W. Millard, Ph.D. Professor Pharmacology & Cell Biophysics College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati Email:  millarrw@uc.edu
Project Title: Molecular Dynamics of the Autonomic Nervous System in a Heart                         Failure Model
Research Program Description: Millard’s research program has three areas of focused study: cardiac muscle receptors and cytoskeletal proteins, programmed cell death molecules, and the regulation of norepinephrine release and recovery by adrenergic nerves. The studies utilize in vivo animal models with spontaneous and engineered genetic defects selected protein expression in cardiac muscle cells and in adrenergic nerves.  Studies are conducted in intact animals, ex vivo hearts, isolated single heart muscle cells, and in isolated cardiac adrenergic nerve vesicles or surrogate adrenergic nerve cell models (e.g., PC12 cells). The hypotheses currently under investigation relate to the role of adrenergic neurotransmission dynamics as a critical factor influencing alterations in cardiac myocyte viability and contractile performance during progressive onset of heart failure.  Paradigms stratified in the experimental research designs of Millard’s research program include the study of responses to specific receptor targeted molecules and to their effect on the evolution events that are postulated to contribute to heart failure. To identify temporally relevant changes in cardiovascular and autonomic nervous system variables, the Millard laboratory employs methods and technologies to monitor effects and changes including in vivo echocardiographic, hemodynamic, and molecular scintigraphic technologies, and proteomic and gene array methods for tissue samples from hearts and heart tissue components of normal failing, and pharmacologically treated animal.  Drugs acting to modulate adrenergic neurotransmission events and to modulate the post-synaptic responses to catecholamines in cardiac tissue are incorporated into experimental designs.  The Millard laboratory is exploring the molecular mechanisms and subsequent neurotransmission dynamics that are evoked by drugs that exert selective actions on specific molecular targets in cardiac tissue neuro-effector interfaces.
ASPET SURF Project Description:  The ASPET SURF student will undertake a specific set of experiments that require understanding of the adrenergic nervous system, norepinephrine release, effects, and re-uptake processes, and drugs that specifically alter these processes.  The student will be engaged in an active phase of the research program, and will learn experimental design and data analysis and representation methods.  The student will acquire skills in one or more of the specific laboratory methods (cell isolation and analysis, in vivo cardiac imaging, hemodynamics, and heart or heart cell mechanics).  Drug (as interventional treatments or chemical probes of bio-mechanisms) will be incorporated into the student’s project study design.  The student will receive training in animal use in research and in the use of radioactive materials in research.  The student will meet frequently with the mentor and the members of the research group for presentations, progress reports, and guidance.  The ASPET SURF student who makes significant research contributions will be included as a co-author of manuscripts incorporating the research results.