Gender	Male
E-mail	george.huntley@mssm.edu
Education and Training	PhD, University of California

Research Interests:

• Synaptic plasticity and remodeling in health and disease
• Development of cortical connectivity
• Synaptic cell adhesion molecules
• Spinal cord circuits mediating neuropathic pain
• Neural repair following injury

Dr. Huntley's laboratory uses multidisciplinary approaches to investigate mechanisms through which strength and organization of synaptic connection are modified during development, by experience, and following brain, spinal cord or peripheral nerve injury.

Websites:

• Department of Neuroscience
• Black Family Stem Cell Institute
• Laboratory of Synaptic Circuit Development and Plasticity
  

Education and Training	PhD, University of California

Specific Clinical/Research Interests: Development, Plasticity and Repair of Synaptic Circuit Structure and Function

* Synaptic plasticity and remodeling in health and disease
* Development of cortical connectivity
* Synaptic cell adhesion molecules
* Spinal cord circuits mediating neuropathic pain
* Neural repair following injury

Dr. Huntley's laboratory uses multidisciplinary approaches to investigate mechanisms through which strength and organization of synaptic connection are modified during development, by experience, and following brain, spinal cord or peripheral nerve injury.

Current Students: MSTP: Jessica Nikitczuk; Masters: Paven Aujla

Postdoctoral Fellows: Ozlem Bozdagi, Shekhar Patil

Summary of Research Studies:
Synapse structure and function is continuously modified during development and throughout life by experience, such as learning new skills or forming new memories. Such synaptic plasticity is thus critical for normal brain function. Synaptic plasticity can also become maladaptive under conditions of brain, spinal or peripheral nerve injury, leading to abnormal function or sensation. Dr. Huntley's research focuses on mechanisms of synaptic plasticity through which synaptic structure and function are modified by experience or injury.

Research projects include:
1) the role of the cadherin family of synaptic adhesion proteins in synapse and circuit development, plasticity and repair;

2) the role of regulated extracellular proteolytic remodeling of cortical synapses in synaptic plasticity; and

3) molecules and mechanisms regulating maladaptive spinal cord and brain circuit plasticity in animal models of neuropathic pain.

Visit Dr. George Huntley's Laboratory of Synaptic Circuit Development and Plasticity for more information.

Wang XB, Bozdagi O, Nikitczuk JS, Zhai ZW, Zhou Q, Huntley GW. Extracellular proteolysis by matrix metalloproteinase-9 drives dendritic spine enlargement and long-term potentiation coordinately. Proc. Natl. Acad, Sci USA 2008; 105: 19519-19524.

Kichula EA, Huntley GW. Developmental and comparative aspects of posterior medial thalamocortical innervation of barrel cortex in mice and rats. J. Comp. Neurol 2007; 509: 239-258.

Nagy V, Bozdagi O, Huntley GW. The extracellular protease matrix metalloproteinase-9 is activated by inhibitory avoidance learning and required for long-term memory. Learning and Memory 2007; 14: 655-664.

Bozdagi O, Nagy V, Kwei KT, Huntley GW. In vivo roles for matrix metalloproteinase-9 in mature hippocampal synaptic physiology and plasticity. J. Neurophysiology 2007; 98: 334-344.

Brock JH, Elste A, Huntley GW. Distribution and injury-induced plasticity of cadherins in relationship to identified synaptic circuitry in adult rat spinal cord. J Neurosci 2004 Oct 6; 24(40): 8806-8817.

Poskanzer K, Needleman LA, Bozdagi O, Huntley GW. N-cadherin regulates ingrowth and laminar targeting of thalamocortical axons. J Neurosci 2003 Mar 15; 23(6): 2294-2305.

Huntley GW, Benson DL, Colman DR. Structural remodeling of the synapse in response to physiological activity. Cell 2002; 108: 1-4.

Bozdagi O, Shan W, Tanaka H, Benson DL, Huntley GW. Increasing numbers of synaptic puncta during late-phase LTP: N-cadherin is synthesized, recruited to synaptic sites, and required for potentiation. 28 2000; Neuron: 245-259.

Huntley GW, Benson DL. N-Cadherin at developing thalamocortical synapses provides an adhesion mechanism for the formation of somatopically organized connections. J. Comp. Neurol 1999; 407: 453-471.

Huntley G. Differential effects of abnormal tactile experience on shaping representation patterns in developing and adult motor cortex. J Neurosci 1997 Dec 1; 17(23): 9220-9232.