Faculty & Staff Directory
Greta Ann Herin
- Associate Professor
Contact Info
- Name
- Dr. Greta Ann Herin
- Job Title
- Associate Professor
- Phone Number
- Office Number
- Krasnow Institute, Room 255, MSN 2A1
Affiliations
Departments
- Neuroscience Program (Instructional Faculty)
Research Areas
- Biomedical Research
- Neuroscience
Education
Ph.D., Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh, 2003
B.S., Psychology, Kansas State University, 1994
B.S., Biochemistry, Kansas State University, 1993
About
I teach undergraduate and graduate courses in the Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience at Mason. I am an academic advisor for the program also, with a specialty in pre-health sciences.
Current Research
I am interested in the function of glutamate receptors. These molecular machines turn a chemical signal into an electrical signal (ionotropic) or cause more profound longer lasting changes in a cell (metabotropic). For example, NMDA receptors, an ionotropic glutamate receptor, are highly modulated by chemicals in their environment, and this modulation has implication for diseases as diverse as epilepsy, schizophrenia, and stroke. mGluR7 receptors, a metabotropic type, can decrease the release of glutamate, acting as a feedback inhibitor. Both types of receptors are critical for learning and memory processes.
I and my trainees use two electrode voltage clamp in Xenopus oocytes to measure the function of mutant and wild-type glutamate receptors.
Teaching Focus
I teach core courses such as NEUR 327 Cellular, Neurophysiological, and Pharmacological Neuroscience and NEUR 335 Molecular, Developmental, and Systems Neuroscience. I also teach elective courses such as NEUR 461-689 Glutamatergic Systems, a primary literature-based discussion course that is an overview of cellular to systems neuroscience from a glutamate perspective. This Fall, I will teach NEUR 603 Mammalian Neuroanatomy. I have previous experience teaching Human Anatomy and Physiology, Neuroethics, and Advanced Human Anatomy (cadaver-based) among other courses.
Selected Publications
Hannum, C.D., Vecchiarelli, H.A., Smucker, J. Herin, G.A., (In preparation) Metabotropic glutamate receptor 7a is inhibited by lead (Pb2+) in a concentration-dependent manner in Xenopus Oocytes.
Leider, M. Inaba, L., Chappell-Dick, H., Herin, G.A., Franssen, C., Stringham, D. (in preparation) Music Performance Anxiety in College Music Majors: Gender differences in physiological markers of psychological stress.
Evans R.C., Herin G.A., Hawes S.L., Blackwell K.T. (2015) Calcium dependent inactivation of calcium channels in the medial striatum increases at eye opening. Journal of Neurophysiology Apr;113(7):2979-86. doi: 10.1152/jn.00818.2014. [pubmed link]
Herin, G.A.*, Caldwell, J.*, Scheschonka, A., Nagel, G., and Betz, H. (2008) Intracellular calcium modulates beta-gamma signaling of the metabotropic glutamate receptor 7. *co-first authors Journal of Biological Chemistry 283(36):24300-7. [pubmed link]
Zhang C.S., Bertaso F., Eulenburg V., Lerner-Natoli M., Herin G.A., Bauer L., Bockaert J., Fagni L., Betz H., Scheschonka A. (2008) Knock-in mice lacking the PDZ-ligand motif of mGluR7a show impaired PKC-dependent autoinhibition of glutamate release, spatial working memory deficits, and increased susceptibility to pentylenetetrazol. Journal of Neuroscience. 28(34):8604-14. [pubmed link]
Contact Info
- Name
- Dr. Greta Ann Herin
- Job Title
- Associate Professor
- Phone Number
- Office Number
- Krasnow Institute, Room 255, MSN 2A1