Weinshenker, David 5
Curriculum Vitae
Name: David Weinshenker, Ph.D.
Office Address: Revised 7/8/16
Department of Human Genetics
Emory University School of Medicine
Whitehead Building, Suite 301
615 Michael St.
Atlanta, GA 30322
Phone: (404) 727-3106
Fax: (404) 727-3949
Email Address: ;
Citizenship: US citizen
Current Titles and Affiliations:
Academic appointments:
I. Primary appointments: Assistant Professor, Department of Human Genetics,
Emory University School of Medicine, 2002-2008
Associate Professor, Department of Human Genetics,
Emory University School of Medicine, 2008-2012
Professor, Department of Human Genetics,
Emory University School of Medicine, 2013-present
Education:
1987-1992 BA, Psychobiology, University of California, Santa Cruz
1992-1997 Graduate student, Department of Genetics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA,
James H. Thomas, advisor, Ph.D. received December, 1997
Postgraduate Training: Postdoctoral research fellow, Howard Hughes Medical Institute and
Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, Richard D. Palmiter, advisor
January 1998 – March 2002
Committee Memberships (Institutional):
2002-2005 Voting member, Emory Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC)
2003-2007 Chair, Department of Human Genetics Annual Retreat Committee
2004-2006 Emory Parkinson’s Disease Center Steering Committee
2005-present Executive Committee, Neuroscience Graduate Program
2005-2014 Executive Committee, Molecular/Systems Pharmacology Graduate Program
2007-present Emory Animal Resources Advisory Committee
2007-2011 Emory Neurosciences Initiative Research Committee
2008-2014 Director of Graduate Studies, Molecular/Systems Pharmacology Graduate Program
2010-2014 Steering Committee, Emory University NIDA T32 training grant
2010-2014 Steering Committee, Molecular/Systems Pharmacology training grant
2010-present Emory School of Medicine Research Advisory Committee
2010-2013 Emory School of Medicine Faculty Committee on Appointments and Promotions
2012-2013 Department of Human Genetics Faculty Search Committee
2013 Emory IACUC Subcommittee on Monitoring of Genetically Modified Animal Models
2014-present Department of Human Genetics Faculty Committee on Appointments and Promotions
2014-present Emory School of Medicine Bridge Funding Committee
2015-present Emory School of Medicine Catalyst and Seed Funding Committee
2015-present Emory School of Medicine Promotions Readiness Advisory Committee
2015-present Emory School of Medicine Dean’s Faculty Advisory Committee
2015-present Director, Emory Neuroscience Graduate Program
Core Facilities
2009-present Founder and Scientific Director, Emory School of Medicine Rodent Behavioral Core Facility
Editorships and Editorial Boards:
2006-2012 Editorial Advisory Board, Biochemical Pharmacology
2007 Guest Editor, special Drug Addiction issue of Biochemical Pharmacology
2010-present Associate Editor, Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics
2014-present Editorial Board, Molecular Pharmacology
Manuscript Reviewer:
Addiction Biology
American Journal of Human Genetics
Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology
Archives of General Psychiatry
Behavioral Pharmacology
Biochemical Pharmacology
Biological Psychiatry
Brain
Brain Research
Brain Sciences
Epilepsy Research
European Neuropsychopharmacology
International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology
Journal of Neural Transmission
Journal of Neurochemistry
Journal of Neuroscience
Journal of Neuroscience Research
Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics
Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology
Letters in Drug Design and Discovery
Molecular Pharmacology
Molecular Psychiatry
Nature Communications
Neurobiology of Aging
Neuron
Neuropeptides
Neuropharmacology
Neuropsychopharmacology
Neuroscience
Neuroscience Letters
Pharmacogenetics and Genomics
Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and Behavior
PLoS One
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA
Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology & Biological Psychiatry
Psychoneuroendocrinology
Psychopharmacology
Sleep Medicine Reviews
Grant Reviewer
2004 The Wellcome Trust
2009 Ad hoc grant reviewer for NIH ZRG1 BDCN-T (03) Study Section
2009 Ad hoc grant reviewer for NIH NMB Study Section
2010-present Ad hoc grant reviewer for the Alzheimer’s Association
2010-2014 Ad hoc grant reviewer for King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST), administered by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
2011 Ad hoc grant reviewer for the University of Alabama-Birmingham Center for Clinical and Translational Science
2011-2012 Ad hoc grant reviewer for the French National Research Agency (ANR)
2012 Ad hoc grant reviewer for the Michael J. Fox Foundation
2012 Ad hoc grant reviewer for NIH ZRG1 IFCN-C (02) Study Section
2013 Ad hoc grant reviewer for NIH ANIE Study Section
2014 Ad hoc grant reviewer for The Wellcome Trust Strategic Awards
2015 Ad hoc grant reviewer for NIH ZRG1 F02A-J Study Section
2016 Ad hoc grant reviewer for NIH ZRG1 BBBP-V (02) M Study Section
Honors and Awards:
2004 National Alliance on Research for Schizophrenia and Depression Young Investigator’s Award
2010 Emory Graduate Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences Mentor of the Year Award
2014 Emory Graduates in Neuroscience Faculty of the Year Award
2015 Emory School of Medicine 1% Award (for 1% score on an NIH grant)
2016 Emory School of Medicine Outstanding Postdoc Mentor Award
Society Memberships:
1998-present Society for Neuroscience
2006–2010, 2016-present Councilor, Atlanta Chapter Society for Neuroscience
Research Focus: We use genetically engineered mice and rats with altered noradrenergic systems to study how norepinephrine influences various aspects of physiology, behavior, and neurochemistry. Our main areas of interest are drug addiction, neurodegenerative disease, epilepsy, and depression.
Patents
1. Provisional Application, Serial No. 60/702,078 titled “Compositions and Methods of Noradrenergic Control of Torpor”. This patent describes the use of noradrenergic compounds to induce and suppress hibernative states.
2. Patent filed 10/2/12, Serial No. 13/633,397, publication number US-2013-0274302-A1 titled “Methods and Compositions for Treatment of Drug Addiction”. This patent describes the use of selective dopamine b-hydroxylase inhibitors for the treatment of stimulant dependence.
Grant Support:
a. Active support
I. Federally funded:
5RO1DA038453-02 (NIH/NIDA) Weinshenker/Paladini (MPI) 4/1/15-12/31/19
Role: MPI, 2.4 calendar
Year 1 Direct Costs: $266,347
Mechanisms of cocaine hypersensitivity following chronic DBH inhibition
The goal of this project is to explore the contribution of b-arrestin2 and a switch in D2 receptor G protein coupling to cocaine hypersensitivity and aversion produced by chronic inhibition of norepinephrine production.
1RF1AG0476670-01 (NIH/NIA) Weinshenker (PI) 7/1/14-6/30/19
Role: PI, 2.4 calendar
Consequences of Locus Coeruleus Activation in a Rat Model of Alzheimer’s Disease
Current Year Direct Costs: $225,000
The goal of this project is to determine whether optogenetic activation of locus coeruleus neurons can ameliorate Alzheimer’s disease-like neuropathology and cognitive deficits in a transgenic rat model.
1 R21 DA040788-01A1 (NIH/NIDA) Weinshenker (PI) 7/1/16-6/30/18
Role: PI, 1.80 calendar months
Current Year Direct Costs: $150,000
Neurobiology of reward choice
The goal of this project to determine whether increasing the salience/value of a natural reward can shift behavior a novel food vs. cocaine choice procedure.
1RO1GM097331-01 (NIH/NIGMS) Warren/Caspary/Weinshenker (MPI) 3/5/12-1/31/16
Role: MPI, 1.8 calendar
Current Year Direct Costs: $269,195
Characterization of the Schizophrenia-associated 3q29 Deletion in Mouse
The major goal of this project is to generate and characterize mice bearing a 3q29 deletion that increases the risk of schizophrenia and intellectual disability in humans, and to identify the gene(s) within that interval responsible for the phenotypes.
1P50NS071669-01 (NIH/NINDS) Wichmann (PI) 4/26/16-4/25/17
Role: MPI of Pilot Project, 0.12 calendar
Annual Direct Costs (Pilot Project): $30,000
Pilot Project of the Emory Udall Parkinson’s Disease Center (Center director: Thomas Wichmann)
Pilot Project: A novel approach to test the role of alpha-synuclein in locus coeruleus vulnerability to degeneration and seeding pathology in PD (Tansey, PI)
The major goal of this pilot project is to determine whether transgenic overexpression of human alpha-synuclein in the mouse locus coeruleus promotes noradrenergic neuron degeneration and spread of pathology to other parts of the brain.
2R01AG033678-06A1 Boyle (PI) 8/1/15-4/30/20
Role: Co-I, 0.6 calendar
Current Year Direct Costs for Subcontract: $17,616
Epidemiologic Study of Decision Making in Preclinical Alzheimer’s Disease
The goal of this project is to determine the causes and consequences of age-related changes in decision making over time.
1R21NS098776-01 (NIH/NINDS) Escayg (PI) 5/12/16-5/31/18
NIH/NINDS
Role: Co-I
Current Year Direct Costs: $150,000
Toward the development of an effective treatment for SCN1A derived epilepsy.
The goal of this project is to develop pharmacotherapies in mice for epilepsy caused by sodium channel gene mutations.
2P30NS055077-06A1 Levey (PI) 8/1/15-6/30/19
Role: Scientific Director, Rodent Behavioral Core, 0.6 calendar
Current Year Direct Costs for Behavioral Core: $60,589
Emory Neuroscience NINDS Core Facilities (ENNCF)
The goal of this project is to maintain and continue support for the Emory Neuroscience NINDS Core Facilities and provide consolidated resources and expertise to NINDS funded projects as well as projects aligned to the NINDS mission of reducing the burden of neurological diseases.
II. Foundation funded:
IIRG-13-278692 (Alzheimer’s Association) Weinshenker (PI) 9/1/13-8/31/16
Role: PI, 0.6 calendar
Does Alzheimer’s disease pathogenesis begin in the locus coeruleus?
Year 1 Direct Costs: $73,068
The goal of this project is to assess the neurotoxicity and transmission of aberrant tau in the locus coeruleus.
b. Pending Support:
c. Previous Support:
1P50NS071669-01 (NIH/NINDS) Wichmann (PI) 5/1/15-4/30/16
Role: MPI of Pilot Project, 0 calendar
Annual Direct Costs (Pilot Project): $30,000
Pilot Project of the Emory Udall Parkinson’s Disease Center (Center director: Thomas Wichmann)
Pilot Project: Contribution of Locus Coeruleus-Ventral Periaqueductal Gray Circuit Dysfunction to Sleepiness in Parkinson’s Disease
The major goal of this pilot project is to determine whether the activation of vPAG dopamine neurons by locus coeruleus-derived norepinephrine promotes arousal and is dysfunctional in a mouse model of Parkinson’s disease.
R21 NS084229 Escayg (PI) 9/1/14-3/31/16
Role: Co-I, 0.6 calendar
Current Year Direct Costs: $150,000
SCN1A Dysfunction and Neuropsychiatric Comorbidities
The goal of this project is to use Scn1a mutant mice to assess cognitive and behavioral outcomes associated with SCN1A dysfunction.
1RO3DA034867-01A1 (NIH/NIDA) Weinshenker (PI) 6/1/13-5/31/15
Role: PI, 0.6 calendar
Annual Direct Costs: $50,000
Reinstatement of cocaine seeking by social defeat
The goal of this project is to develop a rat model of cocaine relapse induced by psychosocial stress.
1RO1DA027535-03 (NIH/NIDA) Weinshenker/Holmes (MPI) 01/15/10-12/31/14
Role: MPI, 2.4 calendar
Annual Direct Costs: $298,084
Effects of voluntary exercise on reinstatement of cocaine seeking
The major goal of this project is to assess galanin-norepinephrine interactions underlying the ability of voluntary exercise to attenuate reinstatement of cocaine seeking in rats.
Role: PI of Project 3, 1.2 calendar Levey (PI) 05/01/10-04/30/15
Annual Direct Costs (Project 3): $98,882
Project 3 of the Emory Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center (Center director: Allan Levey)
Project 3: Norepinephrine-TrkB Interactions in Alzheimer’s Disease.
The goal of the Center is to establish clinical, pathologic, education, data management and administrative cores to support Alzheimer’s disease research and to support individual research projects into MCI, Alzheimer’s genetics and the application of proteomics technologies at Emory. The goal of Project 3 is to assess the neuroprotective effects of norepinephrine-TrkB interactions in Alzheimer’s disease.
1R21NS081461-01 (NIH/NINDS) Hall (PI) 9/24/12 – 8/31/14
Role: Co-Investigator, 1.2 calendar
Annual Direct Costs: $150,000
Activation of GPR37 and GPR37L1 by Prosaptide, a Neuroprotective Peptide
The goal of this project is to determine whether the the neuroprotective effects of prosaptide are mediated by the orphan G-protein coupled receptors, GPR37 and GPR37L1.
1 R21AI101472-01 (NIH/NIAID) Sperandio (PI) 7/1/12-6/30/14
Role: Co-I, 0.6 calendar
Annual Direct Costs: $125,000
Host Pathogen Signaling in the Intestine
The major goal of this project was to characterize the contribution of host epinephrine and norepinephrine hormones to C. rodentium pathogenesis during murine infection.
Alzheimer’s Disease Drug Discovery Foundation Weinshenker (Co-PI) 2012-2014
ATX-001: A 12 month, Phase II Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo Controlled, Flexible Dosing Trial of Atomoxetine in Subjects with Mild Cognitive Impairment.
Role: Co-PI
Annual Direct Costs: $400,000
The goal of this project is to test the effects of the norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor, atomoxetine, on Alzheimer’s disease biomarkers and cognitive status in individuals with mild cognitive impairment who are at high risk for progressing to Alzheimer’s disease.
1R21NS072712-01A1 (NIH/NINDS) Cubells (PI) 7/1/11-4/30/13
Role: Co-Investigator, 1.8 calendar
Annual Direct Costs: $125,000
Translational analysis of functional variation in human dopamine b-hydroxylase
The major goal of this project was to generate bacterial artificial chromosome transgenic mice bearing two different alleles of the human dopamine b-hydroxylase gene and assess the effects of a putatively functional promoter single nucleotide polymorphism that associates with variation in plasma dopamine b-hydroxylase activity.
5P01ES016731-04 (NIH/NIEHS) Weinshenker (PI) 7/1/12-6/30/13
Role: PI of Internal Pilot Project, 0.12 calendar
Annual Direct Costs: $25,000
Internal Pilot Project of the Emory Parkinson’s Disease Collaborative Environmental Research Center (Center Director, Gary W. Miller)
“The role of noradrenergic neurons in Parkinson’s disease”
The overall goal of this application was to generate a transgenic mouse that overexpresses human A53T synuclein in noradrenergic neurons using a modified DBH-BAC transgenic approach.
5P01ES016731-04 (NIH/NIEHS) Weinshenker (Co-PI) 7/1/2011-6/30/12
Role: Co-PI, 0.24 calendar
Annual Direct Costs: $25,000
Pilot Project of the Emory Parkinson’s Disease Collaborative Environmental Research Center (Center director: Gary W. Miller)
The major goal of this pilot project was to determine whether stimulation of the parkin-associated endothelin-like receptor (Pael-R) exerts neuroprotective effects against MPTP-induced dopaminergic toxicity.
1R21NS060935-01 (NIH/NINDS) Thomas (PI) 9/15/07 – 8/31/10
Role: Co-Investigator, 0.6 calendar
Annual Direct Costs: $150,000
Comparative Genetics of Lesch-Nyhan Disease
The goal of this project was to create a mouse model of Lesch-Nyhan disease.
5R01DA017963-04 (NIH/NIDA) Weinshenker (PI) 4/10/06 – 3/31/10
Role: PI, 3.6 calendar
Annual Direct Costs: $214,106
Mechanism of Disulfiram-Induced Cocaine Abstinence
The major goals of this project were to (1) determine the effects of disulfiram on cocaine reward, aversion, and drug seeking in rodents, and (2) determine whether inhibition of dopamine b-hydroxylase mediates the effects of disulfiram in these paradigms.
2RO1NS053444-04 (NIH/NINDS/NIDA) Weinshenker (PI) 07/15/05-02/28/09
Role: PI, 3 calendar
Annual Direct Costs: $175,414
A Rodent Model of Epilepsy and Depression Co-morbidity
The major goal of this project was to use selectively bred rats to determine the genetic basis of epilepsy and depression co-morbidity.
1R03DA019849-01 NIH/NIDA Weinshenker (PI) 8/1/05 –7/31/07
Role: PI, 1.2 calendar
Annual Direct Costs: $50,000
Disulfiram, DBH, and Cocaine-Induced Anxiety
The major goal of this project was to determine whether genetic or pharmacological inhibition of dopamine b-hydroxylase alters cocaine-induced anxiety in mice.
260202 Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation Weinshenker (PI) 12/1/06 – 11/30/07
Role: PI, 1.2 calendar
Annual Direct Costs: $90,887
Noradrenergic Treatments for Alzheimer’s Disease
The goal of this project was to determine whether compounds that increase norepinephrine can suppress the neuropathology and cognitive deficits in a mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease.
5R03DA019955-02 (NIH/NIDA) Weinshenker (PI) 7/1/05 –7/31/07
Role: PI, 1.2 calendar
Annual Direct Costs: $50,000
Modeling Genetically Controlled DBH Activity in Mice
The major goal of this project was to use BAC transgenic mice to understand how human dopamine b-hydroxylase polymorphisms modulate DBH enzymatic activity and behavior.
Cephalon Pharmaceuticals Weinshenker (PI) 11/30/04 – 12/31/07
Role: PI, 1.2 calendar
Annual Direct Costs: $30,000 - $65,360
Modafinil Locomotor Studies Using Norepinephrine Transporter Knockout (NET -/-) Mice
The major goal of this project was to use NET knockout mice to understand how NET blockade contributes to the psychomotor effects of the wake-promoting drug modafinil.
3P50AG025688-01S1 Levey (PI) 12/1/05 – 11/30/06
Role: PI of pilot project, 1.2 calendar (Levey, PI of Center)
Annual Direct Costs: $25,000
The Influence of Norepinephrine on Human and Mouse Alzheimer’s Disease
The main goal of this Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center pilot project was to determine whether loss of norepinephrine contributes to Alzherimer’s disease neuropathology and cognitive dysfunction in human cohorts and in mouse models.
Emory University Research Committee Weinshenker (PI) 1/30/05 – 1/30/06
Role: PI, 1.2 calendar
Annual Direct Costs ($30,000)
A Mouse Model of Human Dbh Polymorphisms
The major goal of this project was to use transgenic mice expressing various alleles of the human dopamine b-hydroxylase (Dbh) gene to understand how Dbh polymorphisms control DBH enzymatic activity.
National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression Weinshenker (PI) 7/1/04 – 6/30/06
Role: PI, 1.2 calendar
Annual Direct Costs: $30,000
Norepinephrine: A Molecular Link Between Depression and Epilepsy
The major goal of this project was to use genetically engineered mice with altered noradrenergic function to understand how norepinephrine dysfunction contributes to epilepsy and depression co-morbidity.
Epilepsy Foundation Weinshenker (PI) 7/1/03 – 6/30/04
Role: PI, 1.2 calendar
Annual Direct Costs: $40,000
Control of Antiepileptic Drug Efficacy by Norepinephrine