Ronald L. Alkana Professor Associate Dean of Graduate Studies and Curricular Development Molecular Pharmacology and Toxicology School of Pharmacy

Education:
PharmD 1970 Pharmacy - University of Southern California
PhD 1975 Psychobiology - University of California, Irvine

Postdoctoral Research Fellowship:
1974-1976 University of California, Irvine

Started at USC: 1976

Research Topics: Signal Transduction, Cellular Neurobiology, Learning & Memory, Pharmacology, Toxicology

Research Description

Dr. Alkana uses a multidisciplinary approach to investigate the mechanisms of action of psychoactive drugs at the cellular and molecular levels. His overall goal is to increase understanding of the neurochemical basis of brain function and behavior in order to develop new prevention and treatment strategies for alcoholism, drug abuse and psychological disorders. Current techniques in the laboratory include: Behavioral Loss of righting reflex, locomotor activity, convulsant-anticonvulsant effects, learning and memory, aggression and anxiety. Biochemical chloride ion uptake, high affinity binding, gas chromatographic drug analyses. Electrophysiological 2-electrode voltage clamp. Molecular -- Xenopus oocyte expression system. Hyperbaric (increased atmospheric pressure) novel ethanol antagonist and selective uncoupler of allosteric modulation of ligand-gated ion channels (LGICs). These studies are carried out in collaboration with Dr. Daryl Davies in the Alcohol and Brain Research Laboratory at USC.

Selected Publications

Perkins DI, Trudell JR, Crawford DK, Alkana RL, Davies DL. - TARGETS FOR ETHANOL ACTIONS AND ANTAGONISM IN LOOP 2 OF THE EXTRACELLULAR DOMAIN OF GLYCINE RECEPTORS. - J Neurochem [ 2008 ] May 12; . PubMed

Crawford DK, Trudell JR, Bertaccini EJ, Li K, Davies DL, Alkana RL. - Evidence that ethanol acts on a target in Loop 2 of the extracellular domain of alpha1 glycine receptors. - J Neurochem [ 2007 ] Sep;102(6):2097-109 . PubMed

Davies DL, Asatryan L, Kuo ST, Woodward JJ, King BF, Alkana RL, Xiao C, Ye JH, Sun H, Zhang L, Hu XQ, Hayrapetyan V, Lovinger DM, Machu TK. - Effects of ethanol on adenosine 5'-triphosphate-gated purinergic and 5-hydroxytryptamine receptors. - Alcohol Clin Exp Res [ 2006 ] Feb;30(2):349-58 . PubMed

Davies DL, Kuo ST, Alkana RL. - Differential effects of propofol and ethanol on P2X4 receptors expressed in Xenopus oocytes. - Int Congr Ser [ 2005 ] Nov;1283:285-287 . PubMed

Davies DL, Kochegarov AA, Kuo ST, Kulkarni AA, Woodward JJ, King BF, Alkana RL. - Ethanol differentially affects ATP-gated P2X(3) and P2X(4) receptor subtypes expressed in Xenopus oocytes. - Neuropharmacology [ 2005 ] Aug;49(2):243-53 . PubMed

Davies DL, Crawford DK, Trudell JR, Mihic SJ, Alkana RL. - Multiple sites of ethanol action in alpha1 and alpha2 glycine receptors suggested by sensitivity to pressure antagonism. - J Neurochem [ 2004 ] Jun;89(5):1175-85 . PubMed