Updated 7/18/2017
MEREDITHA.SAUNDERS
CurriculumVitae
University of Kentucky, Department of Psychology
BBSRB, rm. B0448D 741 S. Limestone St.Lexington, Kentucky, 40536-0509
Phone: 502.323.0575 email.
Updated 7/18/2017
Updated 7/18/2017
EDUCATION
Ongoing Doctor in Philosophy, Experimental Psychology
Department of Psychology, UniversityofKentucky, Lexington, KY
Expected Graduation: 5/18
OngoingGraduate Certificate, Biostatistics
Department of Biostatistics, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY
Expected Graduation: 12/17
2016Master of Science, Experimental Psychology
Department of Psychology, UniversityofKentucky, Lexington, KY
Thesis: Novel spoxazomicins derived from Streptomyces sp. RM-14−6 attenuate ethanol induced cytotoxicity in vitro
2013Bachelor of Science,Psychology
Department of Psychology, UniversityofKentucky, Lexington, KY
Magna CumLaude; Psychology Department Honors
Honor’s Thesis: Co-exposureto corticosterone and ethanol causes increasedneurotoxicity:Anexaminationinvitro
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
Updated 7/18/2017
2013–present
2012–2013
2012
Neuropharmacology of drugs of abuse in vitro and in vivo (Dr. Mark A. Prendergast),Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Center, Department of Psychology, University of Kentucky
Effects of ethanol and corticosterone on hippocampal cell death in vitro (Undergraduate senior research project supervised under Dr. Mark A. Prendergast), Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Center, Department of Psychology, University of Kentucky
Effects of parental problem drinking on child physiological responses (Undergraduate research supervised under Dr. Peggy Keller), Laboratory of Development and Family Stress, Department of Psychology, University of Kentucky
Updated 7/18/2017
FELLOWSHIPS ANDAWARDS
2016–presentPre-doctoral Trainee: National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)T32–DA16176, University of Kentucky (Dr. Linda Dwoskin)
2016Lipman Summer Research Award in Alcohol Dependence, Department of Psychology, University of Kentucky (Dr. Mark Prendergast)
PUBLICATIONS
Reynolds A.R., Saunders, M.A., Sharrett-Field, L.J., Berry, J.N., Winchester, S., & Prendergast, M.A. (in press).Broad- spectrum protein kinase inhibition by the staurosporine analog KT-5720 reverses ethanol withdrawal-associated loss of NeuN/Fox-3.Alcohol.
Shaaban, K.A., Saunders, M.A., Zhang, Y., Tran, T., Elshahawi, S.I., Ponomareva, L.V., Wang, X., Zhang, J., Copley, G.C., Sunkara, M., Kharel, M.K., Morris, A.J., Hower, J.C., Tremblay, M.S., Prendergast, M.A., Thorson, J.S. (2017).Spoxazomicin D and oxachelin C, potent neuroprotective carboxamides from the Appalachian coal fire-associated isolate Streptomyces sp. RM-14-6.Journal of Natural Products, 80(1), 2–11.
Zhang, J., Hughes, R.R., Saunders, M.A.,Elshahawi, S.I.,Ponomareva, L.V., Zhang, Y., Winchester, S.R., Scott, S.A., Sunkara, M., Morris, A.J., Prendergast, M.A., Shaaban, K.A., & Thorson, J.S. (2017). Identification of neuroprotective spoxazomicin and oxachelin glycosides via chemoenzymaticglycosyl-scanning.Journal of Natural Products, 80(1), 12–18.
Reynolds, A.R., Saunders, M.A., & Prendergast, M.A. (2016).Ethanol stimulates endoplasmic reticulum inositol triphosphate and sigma receptors to promote withdrawal- associated loss of neuron specific nuclear protein/Fox-3. Alcoholism: Clinical and ExperimentalResearch, 40(7), 1454-61.
Berry,J.N.,Saunders,M.A.,Sharrett-Field,L.J,Reynolds,A.R.,Bardo,M.T.,Pauly,J.R.,& Prendergast,M.A.(2016).CorticosteroneenhancesN-methyl-D-aspartatereceptor signalingtopromoteventraltegmentalareaneurotoxicityinthereconstitutedmesolimbic dopaminepathway. Brain Research Bulletin, 120,159–165.
Reynolds,A.R.,Williams,L.A.,Saunders,M.A.,Prendergast,M.A.(2015).Group1mGlu- familyproteinspromoteneuroadaptationtoethanolandwithdrawal-associated hippocampal damage. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 156, 213–220.
Reynolds,A.R.,Saunders,M.A.,Brewton,H.W.,Winchester,S.R.,Elgumati,I.E.,& Prendergast,M.A.(2015).Acuteoraladministrationofthenovel,competitiveand selectiveglucocorticoidreceptorantagonistORG34517reducestheseverityofethanol withdrawalandrelatedhypothalamic-pituitary-adrenalaxisactivation.Drugand Alcohol Dependence, 154, 100–104.
Wang, X., Reynolds, A.R., Elshahawi, S.I., Shaaban, K.A., Ponomareva,L.V., Saunders, M.A., Elgumati,I.E.,Zhang, Y., Copley, G.C., Hower, J.C., Sunkara, M., Morris,A.J., Kharel, M.K., VanLanen, S.G., Prendergast, M.A., Thorson, J.S. (2015). Terfestatins Band C, newp-terphenylglycosides produced bystreptomyces sp. RM-5–8.Organics Letters, 17(11), 2796–9.
IN PREPARATION
Book Chapters
Saunders, M.A. & Prendergast, M.A. Sigma Receptors and Alcohol. In Preedy, V.R. (Eds.), The Neuroscience of Alcohol: Mechanisms and Treatment.Cambridge, MA: Academic Press.
Manuscripts
Saunders, M.A.,Jagielo-Miller, J.E., & Prendergast, M.A. Daidzein induces cytoprotection against binge-like ethanol exposure in vitro: Role of High Mobility Group Box 1 protein? (in preparation for Drug and Alcohol Dependence)
Saunders,M.A., Sharrett-Field,L.J.,ReynoldsA.R.,BerryJ.N.,Jagielo-Miller, J.E.,Prendergast,M.A.Plasmacorticosteronelevelsarecorrelatedwithsubsequentvoluntaryintakeof ethanol usingachronic,intermittent access paradigm. (in preparation for Drug and Alcohol Dependence)
Saunders,M.A., Berry,J.N.,Butler,T.R.,Sharrett-Field,L.J.,Reynolds,A.R.,Prendergast,M.A.Exposuretocorticosteroneduringethanolexposureandwithdrawalaugmentstheloss ofsynaptophysin immunoreactivityina GluN2B-dependent manner. (in preparation for Brain Sciences)
Saunders,M.A., Jagielo-Miller, J.E.,Prendergast,M.A.Moderation of chronic intermittent ethanol (CIE)-induced neurotoxicity by calpain in organotypic hippocampal slice cultures.
Maggio, S. E.,Saunders, M.A., Baxter, T. A., Nixon, K., Prendergast, M. A., Zheng, G., Crooks, P., Slack, R. D., Newman, A. H., Thorson, J. S., Dwoskin, L. P., & Bardo, M. T. Effects of the nicotinic agonist varenicline, the novel nicotinic antagonist r-bPiDI, and the dopamine transporter inhibitor r-modafinil on co-use of alcohol and nicotine in female P rats.
Prendergast,M.A.,Butler,T.R.,Smith,K.J.,Reynolds,A.R.,Saunders,M.A.,Little,H.J.The novel,competitiveglucocorticoidreceptorantagonistPT 150reducestheseverityof withdrawal from repeated binge-likeethanol administration.
CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS
Saunders, M.A.,Jagielo-Miller, J.E.,Prendergast, M.A. (Nov, 2017). Daidzein induces cytoprotection against binge-like ethanol exposure in vitro: Role of High Mobility Group Box 1protein?Abstract submitted for poster presentation, Society for Neuroscience, Washington, D.C.
Maggio, S.E., Saunders, M.A., Prendergast, M.A., Zheng, G., Crooks, P., Dwoskin, L.P., Nixon, K., & Bardo, M.T. (Aug., 2017). Effects of varenicline, naltrexone, and the novel nicotinic antagonist r-bPiDI on co-use of alcohol and nicotine in female P rats. Abstract submitted for poster presentation, European Behavioral Pharmacology Society, Crete, Greece.
Saunders,M.A.,Maggio,S.E.,Hofford, R.S., Zhang,Y.,Shaaban,K.A.,Zhang,J., Watt,D.S.,Frasinyuk,M.S.,Bondarenko, S.P., Yuan, Y., Zhan, C.-G., Nixon, K., Thorson, J.S., Bardo, M.T., & Prendergast, M.A. (June, 2017). Attenuation of ethanol and nicotine co-use by novel synthetic isoflavonoids: An examination in vitro and in vivo. Abstract submitted for poster presentation, Research Society on Alcoholism, Denver, Colorado.
Maggio, S.E., Saunders, M.A., Baxter, T.A., Nixon, K., Prendergast, M.A., Zheng, G., Crooks, P., Newman, A., Thorson, J.S., Dwoskin, L.P., & Bardo, M.T. (June, 2017). Effects of the nicotinic agonist varenicline, the novel nicotinic antagonist r-bPiDI, and the unique dopamine agonist r-modafinil on co-use of alcohol and nicotine in female P rats. Abstract submitted for poster presentation, The College on Problems of Drug Dependence, Montréal, Canada.
Saunders, M.A., Jagielo-Miller, J.E.,K. Nixon, Prendergast, M.A. Daidzeininducescytoprotectionagainstbinge-likeethanolexposureviainteractionswithHigh Mobility Group Box 1 proteinin vitro(April, 2017). Abstractsubmittedforposterpresentation,33ndAnnualBGSFN Spring Neuroscience Day,Lexington, Kentucky.
Rice, B.A.,Eaton, S.E., Saunders, M.A., Arthur, D. (April 2017). Technology in the classroom facilitates application of APA style, but not recall. Abstractsubmittedforposterpresentation, Society for the Teaching of Psychology at Midwestern Psychology Association, Chicago, IL.
Saunders,M.A.,Maggio,S.E.,Shaaban,K.A.,Zhang,Y.,Zhang,J., Watt,D.S.,Frasinyuk,M.S., Yuan, Y., Zhan, C.-G., Nixon, K., Thorson, J.S., Bardo, M.T., & Prendergast, M.A.(Sept., 2016). Novelsyntheticisoflavonoidfor thetreatment ofalcohol and nicotine co-use. Abstract submitted for poster presentation, 2016 Clinical-Translational Research Symposium, Lexington, Kentucky.
Saunders,M.A.,Shaaban,K.A.,Zhang,Y.,Zhang,J.,Thorson,J.S.,Yuan,Y.,Zhan,C.-G., Nixon,K.,Prendergast,M.A.(June,2016).Novelspoxazomixicinsderivedfrom Streptomycessp.RM-14−6attenuateethanolinducedcytotoxicityinvitro.Abstract submittedforposterpresentation,ResearchSocietyonAlcoholism,NewOrleans, Louisiana.
Saunders,M.A.,Maggio,S.E.,Shaaban,K.A.,Zhang,Y.,Zhang,J., Watt,D.,Frasinyuk,M.,
Yuan,Y.,Zhan,C.-G.,Nixon,K.,Thorson,J.S.,Bardo,M.T.,Prendergast,M.A. (March, 2016).NovelsyntheticisoflavoneforthetreatmentofAUD:Anexaminationin vitroandinvivo.Abstractsubmittedforposterpresentation,32ndAnnualBGSFN Spring Neuroscience Day,Lexington, Kentucky.
*Received Outstanding Graduate Student Poster Award
Saunders, M.A., Maggio, S.E., Van Skike, C.E., Shaaban, K.A., Zhang, Y., Zhang, J.,
Thorson,J.S.,Yuan,Y.,Zhan,C.-G.,Dwoskin,L.P.,Prendergast,M.A.,Bardo,M.,Nixon,K.(Nov., 2015).NovelnaturalproductsderivedfromStreptomycessp.RM-14–6for thetreatmentofalcoholandnicotineco-dependence.Abstractsubmittedforposter presentation, Symposiumon Drug DiscoveryDevelopment,Lexington, Kentucky.
*Received2ndPlaceOutstanding Poster Presentation Award
Saunders, M.A., Maggio, S.E., Van Skike, C.E., Zhang, Y., Shaaban, K.A., Zhang, J.,
Thorson,J.S.,Yuan,Y.,Zhan,C.-G.,Dwoskin,L.P.,Prendergast,M.A.,Bardo,M.,Nixon,K.(Aug., 2015). ScreeningCPRIrepositoryfortreatingalcohol andnicotineco- dependence.Abstractsubmittedforposterpresentation,4thAnnual-Universityof KentuckyNatural Products ConsortiumSymposium,Lexington, Kentucky.
Reynolds,A.R.,Berry,J.N.,Sharrett-Field,L.J.,Saunders,M.A.,Prendergast,M.A.(June, 2014).EthanolexposurestimulatesthemGluR5receptorpriortowithdrawaltopromote cytotoxicityofchronic,intermittentethanol.Abstractsubmittedforposterpresentation,Research Societyon Alcoholism, Bellevue, Washington.
Saunders, M.A.Prendergast, M.A. (May, 2013). Co-exposureto corticosterone and ethanol causes increasedneurotoxicity:Anexaminationinvitro.UniversityofKentuckyHonorsDay, Department ofPsychology,Lexington, Kentucky.
TEACHINGAND MENTORING EXPERIENCE
Teaching Activity
2016 Co-Instructor: Psychopharmacology
2016Teaching Assistant: Experimental Psychology
2014–2016Grader: Psychopharmacology
2015Grader: Brain and Behavior
2014–2015Teaching Assistant: Brain and Behavior
2014–2015Teaching Assistant: Introduction to Statistics
2013 Teaching Assistant: Introduction to Psychology
Mentoring Activity
2015–present Giamnys Valdés Lastre, Department of Psychology, University of Kentucky
2015–2017 Samantha Scott, Departments of Psychology, University of Kentucky
Honor’s Thesis: Triboelectric inhibition of beta amyloid plaque formation as a pharmacologic treatment of Alzheimer’s disease
2015–2016 Christina Griffin, Department of Biology, University of Kentucky
2014–2017 Sydney Winchester, Department of Biology, University of Kentucky
Honor’s Thesis: A 48 hour co-exposure to corticosterone augment NMDA-induced excitotoxicity in rat hippocampal slice cultures
2014–2016 Ibrahim Elgumati, Department of Biology, University of Kentucky
2013–present Summer Training in Alcohol Research, University of Kentucky
Giamnys Valdés Lastre, Department of Psychology, University of Kentucky
Samantha Scott, Departments of Psychology, University of Kentucky
Sydney Winchester, Department of Biology, University of Kentucky
Honoreé Brewton, Department of Psychology,Howard University
LEADERSHIPAND UNIVERSITY SERVICE
2000-presentPATH Coalition of Nelson County (focused on informing members of the community, especially youth, on the risks of drug use and abuse), Bardstown, KY
PROFESSIONALAFFILIATIONS
2015-presentResearchSocietyon Alcoholism
2013–presentBluegrass ChapterofSocietyforNeuroscience
2015–presentSocietyfor Neuroscience
2015–presentPsi Chi