UASOM Faculty Profiles

Faculty Detail


Name	KAREN LYNNETTE GAMBLE Associate Professor Tate Jordan Thomas Professorship in Psychiatric Medicine Director of the Neuroscience Theme, Graduate Biomedical Sciences graduate program
Campus Address	SC 1057
Phone	(205) 934-4663
E-mail	klgamble@uab.edu
Other websites

Education

Undergraduate	King University	1996	BA
Graduate	Georgia State University	2004	PhD
Residency	Vanderbilt University	2009	Post-Doctoral Fellowship

Certifications

Clinical and Translational Science Training Program, UAB CCTS

2012

Faculty Appointment(s)

Appointment Type Department Division Rank

Primary Psych - Behavioral Neurobiology Psych - Behavioral Neurobiology Professor

Secondary Neurobiology Neurobiology Assistant Professor

Center Professor

Center Alzheimer's Disease Center Alzheimer's Disease Center Professor

Center Civitan International Research Center Civitan International Research Center Professor

Center Comprehensive Diabetes Center Comprehensive Diabetes Center Professor

Center Comprehensive Neuroscience Center Comprehensive Neuroscience Center Professor

Center Ctr for Clinical & Translational Sci Ctr for Clinical & Translational Sci Professor

Center Ctr for Exercise Medicine (Org Ret) Ctr for Exercise Medicine (Org Ret) Professor

Center Ctr Neurodegeneration & Exp Ther (CNET) Ctr Neurodegeneration & Exp Ther (CNET) Professor

Center Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute Professor

Center Nutrition Sciences Research Nutrition Obesity Res Ctr (NORC) Professor

Center Vision Science Research Center (Org-Ret) Vision Science Research Center (Org-Ret) Professor

Graduate Biomedical Sciences Affiliations

Cell, Molecular, & Developmental Biology

Genetics, Genomics and Bioinformatics

Neuroscience

Biographical Sketch

The overall goal of my research program is to investigate environmental modulation of circadian clock function in mammalian systems and the contribution of clock disruption to pathological disease. I have spent the past ~20 years investigating chronobiological systems including training in the laboratories of Drs. Elliott Albers and Doug McMahon. I have conducted research in numerous species, including hamsters, mice, and humans. I received my PhD training at Georgia State University in Behavioral Neuroscience, where my training was greatly influenced by not only Dr. Albers, but also Drs. Tim Bartness, Kim Huhman, and Gianluca Tosini (Morehouse School of Medicine). My postdoctoral training began in 2004 at Vanderbilt University in the McMahon laboratory, where I transitioned to research using transgenic mouse models and learned electrophysiology and organotypic culture imaging. In the vibrant chronobiology community at Vanderbilt, I received additional mentoring and training from Drs. Carl Johnson, Terry Page, Shin Yamazaki, and Randy Blakely. This training well prepared me for my faculty position which began in 2009 at University of Alabama at Birmingham. At UAB, I enjoy the outstanding neuroscience community, inter-disciplinary collaborations in research and teaching, as well as opportunities to educate the next generation of scientists. To this end, I am currently serving as the Director of the Neuroscience theme in the Graduate Biomedical Sciences Program.

Society Memberships

Organization Name Position Held Org Link

Society for Neuroscience Member www.sfn.org

Society for Research in Biological Rhythms Member www.srbr.org

Society for Research in Biological Rhythms 2016 Professional Development Chair www.srbr.org

Society for Research in Biological Rhythms 2012 Facilities Coordinator

Society for Research in Biological Rhythms 2012 Travel Awards Committee, Member

Society for Research in Biological Rhythms 2014 Trainee Day Committee, Organizer

Society for Research in Biological Rhythms 2012 Trainee Day Committee, Member

Research/Clinical Interest

Title
NIH funded projects (active): Circadian dysfunction in neurodegenerative disease; The nigral molecular clock and vulnerability to neurodegeneration
Description
The overall goal of my research program is to investigate environmental modulation of circadian clock function in mammalian systems and the contribution of clock disruption to pathological disease. One of the most exciting discoveries that has emerged in recent years is that the circadian molecular clock regulates excitability in neurons that are spontaneously active in the absence of synaptic input. The intrinsic 24-h rhythm in membrane properties of neurons of the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) has been known for over 30 years. For example, we recently discovered that a sub-threshold sodium current critical for pacemaking exhibits day-night differences in SCN neurons and is regulated by glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK3), an important regulator of cognition and neurodegeneration (Paul, et al, 2016, Nat Comm). It is surprising that we know very little about how the circadian clock regulates excitability in other brain regions. Thus, the first goal of my research program is to use our knowledge of molecular clock-controlled gene regulation and day-night differences in membrane physiology in central clock SCN neurons in order to better understand how the molecular clock controls excitability and behavior in other areas of the brain (physiology). In many neurological and neurodegenerative diseases, hyperexcitability is a common pre-clinical symptom of brain dysfunction and/or neurodegeneration. Thus, the second important goal of my research program is to understand the health consequences of aberrant circadian regulation and internal and external dyssynchrony (pathology). The Gamble laboratory is addressing this scientific problem through pre-clinical basic research utilizing transgenic animal models as well as translational research in shift work nurses and collaborative efforts to investigate addiction and attentional impairment in patient populations.

Selected Publications

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=r5-GrMYAAAAJ&hl=en

Keywords

circadian rhythms, biological clocks, shift work, entrainment, suprachiasmatic nucleus