Email

duman@bcm.edu

Positions

Associate Professor

Department of Neuroscience
Baylor College of Medicine
Houston, TX US

Education

BS from University of Notre Dame

05/1997 - Notre Dame, Indiana United States

PhD from University of California, Berkeley

12/2002 - Berkeley, California United States

Post-Doctoral Fellowship at University of Washington

06/2007 - Seattle, Washington United States

Post-Doctoral Fellowship at Baylor College of Medicine

02/2013 - Houston, Texas United States

Professional Statement

I am a molecular and cellular neuroscientist with broad interests in neuronal development and injury. I specialize in microscopy and biochemistry using rodent model systems. Currently, my efforts fall into two main categories:

1. I am studying the role of the brain-specific angiogenesis inhibitors (BAIs), an adhesion-GPCR subfamily, on neuronal development. These cell surface receptors contain a number of ligand-binding domains and couple to multiple intracellular signaling pathways. We hypothesize that they serve as molecular signal integrators, thereby coordinating multiple aspects of neuronal development.
2. I also study the effects of radiation on terminally differentiated cells in the brain. Brain cancer is relatively common in children, but recent clinical advances have greatly increased long-term survival and cure rates. Unfortunately, these children experience long-lasting damage to multiple cognitive domains. With our collaborators in the Department of Radiation Oncology at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, we have uncovered evidence that the decades-long prevailing hypothesis that radiation-mediated damage is restricted to undifferentiated cells is incorrect and that radiation directly damages terminally differentiated neurons. We are extending these investigations in order to fully understand the nature of radiation-mediated injuries to neurons and to develop strategies for clinical intervention.

I am resident in Kim Tolias' laboratory, and perform all of my research in collaboration with Dr. Tolias. I share her commitment to graduate education and participate primarily through practical teaching.

Websites

Selected Publications

• Y-K Tu, JG Duman & KF Tolias "The adhesion-GPCR BAI1 promotes excitatory synaptogenesis by coordinating bidirectional trans-synaptic signaling." J. Neuroscience.. 2018;38:8388-3406.
• K Um, S Niu, JG Duman, JX Cheng, Y-K Tu, B Schwechter, F Liu, L Hiles, AS Narayanan, RT Ash, S Mulherkar, K Alpadi, SM Smirnakis & KF Tolias "Dynamic Control of Excitatory Synapse Development by a Rac1 GEF/GAP Regulatory Complex." Dev. Cell. 2014;29:701-715.
• JG Duman, J Dinh, W Zhou, H Cham, VC Mavratsas, M Pacešković, S Mulherkar, SL McGovern, KF Tolias & DR Grosshans "Memantine prevents acute radiation-induced toxicities at hippocampal excitatory synapses." Neuro-Oncol. 2018;20:655-665.
• JG Duman, CP Tzeng, Y-K Tu, T Munjal, B Schwechter, TS Ho & KF Tolias "The Adhesion-GPCR BAI1 Regulates Synaptogenesis by Controlling the Recruitment of the Par3/Tiam1 Polarity Complex to Synaptic Sites.." J. Neurosci.. 2013 Apr 17;33(16):6964-78. Pubmed PMID: 23595754

Memberships

International Society for Neurochemistry

Member (06/2011)

Adhesion-GPCR Consortium

Associate member (03/2017)

Funding

(PQ9) Directed and unbiased studies of synaptic injuries as sequelae of radiotherapy: mapping, sex-dependence, and reversal - #R01CA219667

$2,191,796.00 (09/01/2017 - 08/31/2022)

Grant funding from NIH-NCI

Molecular and cellular mechanisms of neuronal damage caused by anticancer therapies - #CA283569

$2,469,120.00 (03/01/2024 - 02/28/2029)

Grant funding from NIH-NCI