Greta Ann Herin

“My mission is to prepare EMU students for the rigors of service in health-related fields. I seek to foster the development of critical thinking in all my students to allow them to be well-informed decision-makers, consumers of information, and lifelong learners.”

Dr. Greta Ann Herin is currently teaching Human Anatomy and Physiology I and II, Mammalian Physiology, Neuropsychology, Advanced Neurobiology, and a Colloquium called “Passion and Obsession”.

She has also taught: Mammalian Anatomy, Molecules, Genes, and Cells, and co-taught Concepts in Biology.

Greta Ann serves as a Pre-professional Health Sciences advisor.

She has dual Bachelors Degrees in Biochemistry and Psychology from Kansas State University and a Ph.D. in Neurobiology from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. Her dissertation was on interactions among modulators of NMDA receptors, an important glutamate receptor in the brain. In addition Greta Ann did a post-doctoral fellowship at the Max-Planck Institute for Brain Research in Frankfurt, Germany. There she studied metabotropic glutamate receptors.
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Thanks to the generous support of Anonymous Donors, Dr. Herin is leading three students in original research this year.

Doctor of Philosophy
Program in Neurobiology (2003)
Department of Neurobiology
University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA
Dissertation Advisor: Elias Aizenman, Ph.D.

Bachelors of Sciences
Biochemistry (1994)
Psychology (1993)
Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS

Journal articles

• Caldwell, J.H+., Herin, G.A+., Nagel, G., Bamberg, E., Scheschonka, A., Betz, H. (2008).
  Increases in intracellular calcium triggered by channelrhodopsin-2 potentiate the response of metabotropic glutamate receptor mGluR7.
  J Biol Chem. Sep 5;283(36):24300-7. Epub Jul 3.
  + co-first authors

• Zhang C.S., Bertaso F., Eulenburg V., Lerner-Natoli M., Herin G.A., Bauer L., Bockaert J., Fagni L., Betz H., Scheschonka A. (2008)
  Knock-in mice lacking the PDZ-ligand motif of mGluR7a show impaired PKC-dependent autoinhibition of glutamate release, spatial working memory deficits, and increased susceptibility to pentylenetetrazol.
  J Neurosci. 2008 Aug 20;28(34):8604-14.

• Mead, K., Dearworth, J., Grisham, W., Herin, G.A., Jarrad, H., Paul, C.A., Waldeck, R., Yates, J., Young, J. (2007)
  IFEL Tour: A description of the Introduction to FUN Electrophysiology Labs Workshop at Bowdon College July 27-30.
  Journal of Undergraduate Neuroscience.

• Herin, G.A. and Aizenman, E. (2004)
  Amino terminal domain regulation of NMDA receptor function.
  European Journal of Pharmacology 500(1-3): 101-11. Invited Review.

• Lu, Y., Epstein, P., Li, Y., Herin, G.A., Aizenman, E., and Rosenberg, P. (2004)
  Elevation of intracellular cAMP evokes activity-dependent release of adenosine in cultured rat forebrain neurons.
  European Journal of Neuroscience 19(10): 2669-81.

• Legos J.J., McLaughlin, B., Skaper, S.D., Strijbos, P.J.M.L., Parsons, A.A., Aizenman, E., Barone, F.C., Herin, G.A., Erhardt, J.A. (2001)
  The selective p38 inhibitor SKB-239063 protects primary neurons from mild to moderate excitotoxic injury.
  European Journal of Pharmacology 447(1): 37-42.

• Herin, G.A., Du, S., and Aizenman, E. (2001)
  The neuroprotective agent ebselen modifies the NMDA receptor via the redox modulatory site.
  Journal of Neurochemistry 78(6): 1307-1314.

• Aizenman, E.A., Sinor, J.D., Brimecombe, J.C., Herin, G.A. (2000)
  Alterations of N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor properties after chemical ischemia.
  Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics 295(2): 572-577.

Other

• Herin, G.A. (2003) Studies on Role of the N-terminal Domain of NR1 in the Redox Modulation of NR2A-Containing NMDA Receptors. Ph.D. Dissertation. University of Pittsburgh ETD

Meeting Presentations

• Herin G.A., Caldwell III, J.H., Scheschonka, A., Betz, H. (2006) Intracellular calcium modulates beta-gamma signaling of the metabotropic glutamate receptor 7. Federation for European Neuroscience Abstracts.

• Herin, G.A., Zheng, F., Le, P., and Aizenman, E. (2002) Evidence for an interaction between N-terminal redox sensitive cysteines and a polyamine modulatory site of the NR1/NR2A NMDA receptor. Society for Neuroscience Abstracts 28 2002.

• Herin, G.A., Sinor, J.D., and Aizenman, E. (2001) Spermine inhibits DTT potentiation of responses mediated by cysteine mutant recombinant NMDA receptors. Society for Neuroscience Abstracts 27 2001.

• Herin, G.A. and Aizenman, E. (2000) Ebselen oxidizes the NMDA receptor: A novel mechanism for neuroprotection. Society for Neuroscience Abstracts 26 2000.

• Hartnett, K.A., Brimecombe, J.C., Herin, G.A., Sinor, J.C., and Aizenman, E. (1998) Chemical ischemia attenuates excitotoxic injury and modifies NMDA receptor properties. Society for Neuroscience Abstracts 24 1998.

• Lippold, J.J., Herin, G.A., Freeman, L.C. (1997) Complex modulation of cardiac Iks by protamine: a potential model for differential modulation of sino-atrial node and ventricular currents by endogenous peptides. Biophysical Society Abstracts 1997.

• Mason, D.E., Lippold, J.J., Herin, G.A., Freeman, L.C., (1997) Three K+ channels in porcine granulosa cells: A role in steriodogenesis? Biophysical Society Abstracts 1997.
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  Other

• Student Speaker Biomedical Graduate Student Symposium (2002)

Guest Speaker, Brain Injury Support Group (2009)
Harrisonburg Citizen’s Academy (2007)
Trinity Lutheran Church Deacon for Youth (2003-2006)
Pittsburgh Mennonite Church Youth Group Leader (2001-2003)
Student Host Center for Neuroscience Annual Retreat (1999)

Faculty Scholarship Summer Research Award (2007, 2008)
Scottish Rite Schizophrenia Research Fellowship (2002-2003)
Center for Neuroscience at the University of Pittsburgh Travel Award (1997)

Member Society for Neuroscience (1998-2004, current)
Member Faculty for Undergraduate Neuroscience (2006-current)
Member Human Anatomy and Physiology Society (2008-current)

Passion/Obsession (2007)
Advanced Neuroscience (2009)