Current lab members

ANDRAS KERN, Ph.D.

Staff Scientist

Education: Ph.D. in Genetics, Eotvos Lorand University, Budapest, Hungary, 2004

Research Interests: Andras is studying the ghrelin receptor signaling in neuronal tissue. His interest is focused on investigatingthe interaction of ghrelin and dopamine receptor signaling systems. He recently identified the functional and structural interaction between these two receptors in the brain and its role in feeding behavior.

SUKHVIR MAHAL, Ph.D.

Sr. Staff Scientist

Email: sukhi@scripps.edu

Education: Ph.D. in Molecular Biology, Imperial College, University of London, UK

Research Interests: Prion Diseases are fatal, transmissible, neurodegenerative disorders affecting humans and animals. The culprit is the prion, a rogue protein that can exist in different conformations or “strains”. Working with Prof. Charles Weissmann, Sukhi isolated cell lines highly susceptible to prion strains and established a Cell Panel Assay to replace the mouse bioassay. Her work showed that prions can change in new environments/host cells. In Prof. Smith’s lab Sukhi is investigation how strains invade the brain.

BETH A. PERCONTE

Sr. Administrative Assistant

Email: bpercont@scripps.edu

Tel: (561) 228-2955

Beth brings over 20 years of executive administrative support experience to Scripps, and joined the Smith lab in November 2008. She provides administrative support to Dr. Smith and his lab.

ROY G. SMITH, Ph.D.

Professor & Chair

Department of Metabolism & Aging

Email: rgsmith@scripps.edu

Tel: (561) 228-2950

Assistant: (561) 228-2955 - Beth Perconte (email: bpercont@scripps.edu)

Research interests: Professor Smith is an internationally recognized scientist focused on the quality of life of the elderly through research. His groundbreaking work revealed a compound that restores levels of growth hormone in the elderly to these observed in young adults and inhibits the decline in immune function durin the aging process. He is currently examining how changes in the central nervous system affect key areas of the brain involved in memory and cognition as we age and working on a strategy for treatment and prevention of osteoarthritis. His objective is to intervene in the aging process by indentifying the fundamental biological changes that lead to physical and mental problems, thereby maintaining the quality of life as we age.

CELINE ULLRICH, Ph.D.

Research Associate

Email: cullrich@scripps.edu

Education: Ph.D in Neuroscience, Medical University of Innsbruck, Austria, 2010

Research interests: Celine is studying the interaction of ghrelin receptor signaling with other G-Protein coupled receptors. She is currently focused on the effects of interaction between serotonin receptor subtypes with GHSR1a.

HEIDI E. WALSH, Ph.D.

Research Associate

Email: hwalsh@scripps.edu

Education: Ph.D. University of Virginia (Neuroscience Graduate Program), 2008

Research interests: Heidi is investigating mechanisms of ghrelin-mediated neuroprotection during oxidative and ER stress. She has identified the NR4A family of nuclear receptors as targets of ghrelin in neuronal cells, and is currently working to determine how this family contributes to neuroprotection.

BRYAN L. WHARRAM, M.S.

Research Assistant / Lab Manager

Email: bwharram@scripps.edu

Education: Master of Science in Biology, University of Michigan, 1985

Research interests: Bryan is investigating the interactions etween muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChRs) and the Growth Hormone Secretagogue Receptor (GHSR) as well as between mAChRs and dopamine receptors D1R and D2R.

Front row from left: Nicole Rogers, Rosie Albarran-Zeckler

Middle row from left: Heidi Walsh, Adrienne Propp, Cristina Grande, Sukhi Mahal

Back row from left: Oscar Alvarez-Garcia, Bryan Wharram, Roy Smith, Beth Perconte, Andras Kern and Celine Ullrich