Dinah L. Ramos-Ortolaza, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Pharmacology and Systems Therapeutics
E-mail: dinah.lee.ramos@mssm.edu
Tel: (212) 241-6545

Training and Education

Ph.D. (2007) University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus, San Juan, Puerto Rico

BS (1999) University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus, San Juan, Puerto Rico

Current Research

Opiates, such as morphine, have been widely used for the treatment of acute and chronic pain. Patients that are under long-term treatment with morphine have to be carefully monitored since chronic exposure to opiates can lead to the development of tolerance, dependence and/or addiction. This certainly represents a major problem in pain treatment, because the solution of the problem can ultimately become part of it. Therefore, it is necessary to understand the mechanism of actions of opiates in order to maximize their therapeutic use and minimize the addictive risks. In particular, I'm interested in understanding the addictive properties of opiates.

Addiction can result from changes in synaptic plasticity due to chronic exposure to a drug. A lot of these changes might occur at the presynaptic nerve terminal. Among the different candidates that can play a role in regulation of neurotransmission at these terminals, calcium channels have received special attention. Interestingly, certain proteins necessary for neurotransmitter release can form complexes with these channels. It is possible that these complexes are important for regulation of neurotransmission, and most importantly, that alterations in these complexes might underlie some of the events leading to addiction. I am interested in identifying the proteins that are coupled to presynaptic calcium channels under different addiction paradigms such as tolerance, conditioned place preference and self-administration.

Publications

Jorge JC, Velázquez KT, Ramos-Ortolaza DL, Lorenzini I, Marrero J, Maldonado-Vlaar CS. A testosterone metabolite is rewarding to ovariectomized female rats. Behav Neurosci. 2005 Oct;119(5):1222-6.

Abstracts and Presentations

1. Ramos-Ortolaza, D.L., Abul Husn, N., Ma'ayan, A. and Devi, L.A. (2008) N-type calcium channels interactions after chronic morphine administration. Meeting of the National Centers for Systems Biology. Princeton, New Jersey.
2. Ramos-Ortolaza, D.L., Cruz, D., Falcón, E., Iturbe, M. and Maldonado-Vlaar, C.S. (2007) Role of neurotensin during acquisition of cocaine seeking behavior. Keystone Symposia: Neurobiology of Addiction. Santa Fe, New Mexico.
3. Ramos-Ortolaza, D.L., A., Cruz, D., Falcón, E., Iturbe, M. and Maldonado-Vlaar, C.S. (2006) Role of neurotensin during acquisition of cocaine seeking behavior. Annual APA Convention. New Orleans, Louisiana (NIDA Travel Award).
4. Ramos-Ortolaza, D.L., Rodríguez, E., Mercado, A., Cruz, D., Iturbe, M. and Maldonado-Vlaar, C.S. (2005) Role of neurotensin during acquisition of cocaine seeking behavior. 35th Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting, Washington, DC.
5. Ramos-Ortolaza, D.L. (2005) Neurotensin and dynorphin expression profile during environmentally-induced cocaine seeking behavior. Addiction conference organized by the Center for the study of alcoholism and addictions. University of Guadalajara, Mexico.
6. Ramos-Ortolaza, D.L. Negrón, A.; Garced, S.; Rodríguez, E.; Mercado, A.T.; Maldonado-Vlaar, C.S. (2004) Expression profile of neurotensin and dynorphin in subregions of the Nucleus Accumbens and medial Prefrontal Cortex during cocaine-seeking behavior. 34th Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting. San Diego, California.
7. Ramos-Ortolaza, D.L., Garced, S., Negrón, A., and Maldonado-Vlaar, C.S. (2003) Genetic profile of neurotensin and dynorphin within the nucleus accumbens and medial prefrontal cortex during cocaine-seeking behavior. ACNP Annual Meeting. San Juan, P.R.
8. Ramos-Ortolaza, D.L., Sánchez, E., Otero, J.M., Garced, S., Negrón, A., Ojeda, H. and Maldonado-Vlaar, C.S. (2003) Genetic and pharmacological profile of neurotensin and dynorphin within the nucleus accumbens and medial prefrontal cortex during cocaine-seeking behavior. 33rd Annual Society for Neuroscience Meeting. New Orleans, Louisiana.
9. Ramos-Ortolaza, D.L., Félix, J., Al-Banchaabouchi, M., Menéndez, R., Moulder, J.K., Otero, J., Jiménez, D., Peña de Ortiz, S. and Maldonado-Vlaar, C.S. (2003) Differential expression of neurotensin within nucleus accumbens and medial prefrontal cortex subregions during cocaine-seeking behavior. 6th International Brain Research Organization Meeting. Prague, Czech Republic.
10. Ramos-Ortolaza, D.L., Félix, J., Al-Banchaabouchi, M., Menéndez, R., Moulder, J.K., Otero, J., Jiménez, D., Peña de Ortiz, S. and Maldonado-Vlaar, C.S. (2002) Differential expression of neurotensin within nucleus accumbens and medial prefrontal cortex subregions during cocaine-seeking behavior. International Behavioral Neuroscience Meeting. San Juan, P.R.
11. Ramos-Ortolaza, D.L., Félix, J., Al-Banchaabouchi, M., Menéndez, R., Moulder, J.K., Otero, J., Jiménez, D., Peña de Ortiz, S. and Maldonado-Vlaar, C.S. (2002) Genes encoding proteins within the nucleus accumbens subregions are affected by reinstatement of cocaine-seeking behavior. 32nd Annual Society for Neuroscience Meeting. Orlando, Florida.

Funded Research Grant Proposals

NIH/NIDA Predoctoral Fellowship
02/01/05-09/30/07
Grant number: 5F31DA019418