Investigators and Program Directors
David L. Martin
Research Scientist Emeritus, Wadsworth Center
Ph.D. University of Wisconsin (1968)
E-Mail: david.martin@wadsworth.org
Research Interests
Our group's primary interest is inhibitory synaptic transmission, a key process in normal brain function and an important factor in certain disorders such as epilepsy. We currently are studying the regulation of glutamate decarboxylase (GAD) which synthesizes the major inhibitory transmitter GABA. The brain contains multiple forms of GAD which are the products of two genes. The expression of the two forms differs among neuronal types and brain regions and is under the control of different mechanisms. The expression of one form (GAD67) is much more plastic than the other, and its expression can change substantially in response to experimental manipulation. We are studying the effect of excitation in GAD67 expression in hippocampal slices to identify the signaling systems involved. The mechanisms involved in sort-term regulation of the GAD isoforms also differ, and we are using mutagenesis together with mass spectrometry, fluorometry, absorbance spectrometry and other biophysical methods to identify the regulatory functions of specific domains and amino acid residues.
Contact Information
Phone: (518) 474-3157
E-Mail: david.martin@wadsworth.org