|
![](images/spacer.gif) |
Back to Previous Page
Receptor Biology Unit
Katherine W. Roche, Ph.D., Investigator
Dr. Roche received her B.S. from Duke University. In 1995 she received her Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins University, where she worked with Richard Huganir studying the regulation of glutamate receptors. She then did a postdoctoral fellowship with Robert Wenthold in the NIDCD, where she investigated the cell biology of glutamate receptor transport and localization. Dr. Roche joined NINDS as an Investigator in 2001. The main focus of her laboratory is the study of neurotransmitter receptor expression and targeting to the synapse.
Staff:
![Staff Photo for Receptor Biology Unit HEIGHT=](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090115114840im_/http://intra.ninds.nih.gov/images/rochegroup2008.jpg)
- John Badger, B.S., Research Assistant, 301-541-6241 badgerjo@mail.nih.gov
- Bo-Shiun Chen, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Fellow, 301-541-6240 chenbos@ninds.nih.gov
- Kyu Yeong Choi, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Fellow choiky@ninds.nih.gov
- Marc Lussier, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Fellow lussierm@ninds.nih.gov
- Antonio Sanz-Clemente, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Fellow sanclementea@ninds.nih.gov
- Young Ho Suh, M.D., Ph.D., Postdoctoral Fellow suhy@ninds.nih.gov
- Tina Tang, Student tangt@ninds.nih.gov
- Eleanor Thomas, Postbaccalaureate IRTA thomasel@ninds.nih.gov
Research Interests:
Glutamate is the major excitatory neurotransmitter in the mammalian central nervous system, and in addition to its central role in fast excitatory signaling it is also involved in synaptogenesis, synaptic plasticity, and the pathogenesis of certain neurologic diseases. Although glutamate acts as a neurotransmitter in all pathways of the central nervous system, the response to glutamate is not uniform at all glutamatergic synapses and varies with the type of glutamate receptor expressed on the postsynaptic membrane. In this context, we are interested in studying synapse-specific expression of postsynaptic NMDA and metabotropic glutamate receptors. My laboratory characterizes the molecular mechanisms underlying neurotransmitter receptor transport and localization at the synapse using several research strategies which include (1) defining sorting motifs present in neurotransmitter receptor cytosolic domains, (2) isolating neurotransmitter receptor-associated proteins, and (3) determining the role of protein-protein interactions in trafficking and specific synapse localization. Using these cell biological approaches, we hope to elucidate the mechanisms of neurotransmitter receptor trafficking in neurons and the role of accessory proteins at central synapses.
![](images/spacer.gif) | ![](images/spacer.gif) |
Selected Publications:
- Lee, J.H., Lee, J., Choi, K.Y., Hepp, R., Lee J.Y., Lim, M.K., Chatani-Hinze, M., Kim, D.G., Ahn, Y.S., Kim, C.H., and Roche, K.W. (InPress) Calmodulin Dynamically Regulates the Trafficking of the Metabotropic Glutamate Receptor mGluR5, PNAS.
- Suh, Y.H., Pelkey, K.A., Lavezzari, G., Roche, P.A., Huganir, R.L., McBain, C.J., and Roche, K.W. (2008) Co-Requirement of PICK1 Binding and PKC Phosphorylation for Stable Surface Expression of the Metabotropic Glutamate Receptor mGluR7, Neuron 58, 736-48.
- Chen, B.S., Braud, S., Badger, J.D. 2nd, Isaac, J.T., and Roche, K.W. (2006) Regulation of NR1/NR2C N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors by phosphorylation, J. Biol. Chem. 281(24), 16583-90.
- Nasu-Nishimura, Y., Hurtado, D., Braud, S., Tang, T.T., Isaac, J.T., and Roche, K.W. (2006) Identification of an endoplasmic reticulum-retention motif in an intracellular loop of the kainate receptor subunit KA2, J. Neurosci. 26(26), 7014-21.
- Kim, C.H., Braud, S., Isaac, J.T.R., and Roche, K.W. (2005) PKC phosphorylation of the metabotropic glutamate receptor mGluR5 on serine 839 regulates Ca2+ oscillations, J. Biol. Chem. 280(27), 25409-15.
- Pelkey, K.A., Lavezzari, G., Racca, C., Roche, K.W., and McBain, C.J. (2005) mGluR7 is a metaplastic switch controllling bi-directional plasticity of feedforward inhibition, Neuron 46, 89-102.
- Lavezzari, G., McCallum, J., Dewey, C. M., and Roche, K.W. (2004) Subunit-Specific Regulation of NMDA Receptor Endocytosis, Journal of Neuroscience 24(28), 6383-91.
All Selected Publications
Contact Information:
Dr. Katherine W. Roche
Receptor Biology Unit, NINDS
Porter Neuroscience Research Center
Building 35, Room 2C-903
35 Convent Drive, MSC 3704
Bethesda, MD 20892-3704
Telephone: 301-496-3800 office,
301-480-4186 fax
Email: rochek@ninds.nih.gov
|