Joseph D. Miller , Ph.D.

Research Interests

My research utilizes behavioral, cellular and molecular approaches to the study of sleep and circadian rhythms. I do behavioral, electrophysiological and neuropharmacological studies of neurons in the anatomical locus of the biological clock in mammals, the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) of the hypothalamus. I examine the effects of such agents as serotonin, nicotine and dioxin on circadian behavioral rhythms in vivo and circadian neuronal rhythms in vitro. In addition, I have just begun to study retinal ganglion cells (with Dr. Da-Yu Wu) in vitro from the viewpoint of long term neuronal recording of possible circadian rhythms in such cells. The basic question I am interested in is how the SCN or retina generates a synchronized neuronal rhythm. This requires an understanding of the molecular machinery of the SCN at the single cell level, as well as an understanding of the intercellular mechanism that produces synchronization of the neuronal population. In collaboration with Dr. W. Dayawansa of Texas Tech we are simulating the activity of 16000 SCN neurons on a supercomputer to explore the details of intercellular synchronization.

I am also involved in a joint research project with Dr. Jerry Siegel of the Sepulveda VA seeking to understand the role of dopamine in the sleep disorder known as narcolepsy.

Finally, I am reanalyzing data from the Viking Mars mission from a circadian perspective under the hypothesis that circadian rhythmicity in life detection experiments is an adequate biosignature.

Degrees

University of Texas, Austin, PHD, 1979

MEMBERSHIPS & AFFILIATIONS

Memberships

American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics
Society for Neuroscience
American Physiological Society
American Association for the Advancement of Science
Society for Research on Biological Rhythms
Sleep Research Society (inactive)
World Federation of Sleep Research Societies (inactive)
The Planetary Society
Journal of Biological Rhythms, 1998-2000
Sleep, Journal of Biological Rhythms, Neuroscience, Trends in Neuroscience, American Journal on Mental Retardation, Pharmacology, Biochemistry and Behavior, EEG and Clinical Neurophysiology, Brain Research, Brain Research Bulletin, Neuroscience Letters, Harcourt, Brace and Jovanovich
Ad hoc reviews for NIH, NSF, AFOSR

O'Hara, B. F., MacDonald, E., Clegg, D., Wiler, S. W., Andretic, R., Cao, V. H., Miller, J. D., Heller, H. C., and Kilduff, T. S. Developmental changes in nicotinic receptor mRNAs and responses to nicotine in the suprachiasmatic nucleus and other brain regions. Molecular Brain Research 66: 71-82, 1999.

Wilcox, R. E., Ragan, J. E., Pearlman, R. S., Brusniak, M. Y. -K., Eglen, R. M., Bonhaus, D. W., Tenner, T. E., Jr., and Miller, J. D. High affinity interactions of ligands at recombinant 5HT7 receptors. Submitted to J. Computer-Aided Mol. Design, 2000.

Franken, P., Cao, V. H., Heller, H. C., and Miller, J. D. The glutamate-induced phase shift of the circadian rhythm in single unit activity in the SCN slice: a two pulse study. Brain Research 818: 34-40, 1999.

Miller, J. D. and Dayawansa, W. P. A mathematical model of the SCN clock incorporating physiological and anatomical data. Presented at Society for Research on Biological Rhythms, 2000.

Settachan, D., Binegar, D. L., Qiao, M., Li, W., Frame, L. T., Dickerson, R. L. and Miller, J. D. Effects of Dioxin on the Circadian Clock: Behavioral and Immunohistochemical Observations. Presented at Society for Neuroscience, 2000.

Binegar, D., Dickerson, R., Frame, L., Settachan, D. and Miller, J. D. Effects of an environmental toxicant on the biological clock. Presented at Society for Research on Biological Rhythms, 2000.

Presentation:
Occidental College, Department of Biology, "The Prospects for Life in the Solar System", Los Angeles, 2000.

Miller, J. D., Settachan, D., Frame, L. T., and Dickerson, R. L. 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin +phase advances the deer mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus) circadian rhythm by altering expression of clock proteins. Organohalogen Compounds 42: 23-28, 2000.

Mistlberger, R. E., Antle, M. C., Glass, J. D., and Miller, J. D. Behavioral and serotonergic regulation of circadian rhythms. Biological Rhythms Research 31: 240-283, 2000.

Presentation:
Texas Tech University, Department of Classical and Modern Languages and Literature, "Life on Mars: Science and Fiction", Lubbock, TX, 2000.