University of Southern California

USC Neuroscience

Roberta Diaz Brinton

R. Pete Vanderveen Chair in Therapeutic Discovery and Development
Professor of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Biomedical Engineering
Norris Foundation Laboratory for Neuroscience Research
Director, USC STAR Science Education Program

Research Topics

1. Mechanisms of learning, memory and neural defense 2. Estrogen, neuroactive steroids, vasopressin 3. Alzheimer's disease

Research Overview

Our research has two goals: 1) elucidation of fundamental cellular mechanisms of cognitive function and neural defense; 2) and the application of those principles to the discovery and design of therapeutics for the prevention and treatment of disorders of the nervous system. To achieve these goals, we have investigated the neurobiology of gonadal steroid hormones, including neurosteroid metabolites, in brain regions involved in learning and memory and vulnerable to Alzheimer's disease. In addition to steroid hormones, we have investigated mechanisms of action of the neuropeptide hormone vasopressin which promotes memory function and regulates neural development. Our 20 years of basic science discovery has led to translational research endeavors to prevent, delay progression of pathology and treat Alzheimer's disease.

Research in my laboratory has used a spectrum of investigative strategies that have ranged from subcellular analyses at the biochemical and genomic levels to whole cell analyses at the morphological, electrophysiological and biochemical imaging levels to whole systems at the brain imaging and behavioral levels of analysis.

Contact Information

Web Sites:
Brinton Research Laboratory Home Page
USC STAR Program
E-mail:
rbrinton@usc.edu
Mailing Address:
University of Southern California
School of Pharmacy
1985 Zonal Avenue, PSC-502
Los Angeles, CA 90033
Office Location:
PSC 502
Office Phone:
(323) 442-1430
Lab Location:
PSC 503,510,532
Lab Phone:
323-442-1428, 3584
Fax:
(323) 442-1740

Education

  • B.A. University of Arizona, 1979.
  • M.A. University of Arizona, 1981.
  • Ph.D. University of Arizona, 1984.
  • Post-Doctoral Fellow, Rockefeller University, 1984-1988.

Research Images

Research Image

Selected Publications

View a complete PubMed search

View a complete Google Scholar search

Brinton, RD.  The Healthy Cell Bias of Estrogen Action: Mitochondrial Bioenergetics and Neurological Implications. Trends in Neurosciences, 2008 In Press.

Irwin RW, Yao J, Hamilton RT, Cadenas E, Brinton RD, Nilsen J. (2008) Progesterone and estrogen regulate oxidative metabolism in brain mitochondria. Endocrinology. 149(6):3167-3175. -PubMed

Brinton RD, Thompson RF, Foy MR, Baudry M, Wang J, Finch CE, Morgan TE, Pike CJ, Mack WJ, Stanczyk FZ, Nilsen J. (2008) Progesterone receptors: form and function in brain. Front Neuroendocrinol. 29(2):313-339. -PubMed

Wang JM, Liu L, Brinton RD. (2008) Estradiol-17beta-induced human neural progenitor cell proliferation is mediated by an estrogen receptor beta-phosphorylated extracellularly regulated kinase pathway. Endocrinology. 149(1):208-18. -PubMed

Nilsen J, Irwin RW, Gallaher TK, Brinton R. (2007) Estradiol in vivo regulation of brain mitochondrial proteome. J Neurosci. 27(51):14069-14077. -PubMed

Zhao L, Jin C, Mao Z, Gopinathan MB, Rehder K, Brinton RD (2007) Design, synthesis, and estrogenic activity of a novel estrogen receptor modulator--a hybrid structure of 17beta-estradiol and vitamin E in hippocampal neurons. J Med Chem 50:4471-4481. PMID: 17696335 -PubMed

Wang JM, Irwin RW, Liu L, Chen S, Brinton RD. (2007) Regeneration in a degenerating brain: potential of allopregnanolone as a neuroregenerative agent. Curr Alzheimer Res. 4(5):510-517. -PubMed

Zhao L, Brinton RD. (2007) WHI and WHIMS follow-up and human studies of soy isoflavones on cognition. Expert Rev Neurother. 7(11):1549-1564. -PubMed

Brinton RD. (2007) Building a neuroscience legacy. J Neurosci. 27(42):11163-11166. -PubMed

Mannella P, Brinton RD (2006) Estrogen receptor protein interaction with phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase leads to activation of phosphorylated Akt and extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 in the same population of cortical neurons: a unified mechanism of estrogen action. J Neurosci 26:9439-9447. -PubMed