Principal Investigator/Program Director (Last, First, Middle):
Colwell, Christopher, S.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH
Provide the following information for the key personnel and other significant contributors in the order listed on Form Page 2.
Follow this format for each person. DO NOT EXCEED FOUR PAGES.
NAME
POSITION TITLE
Colwell, Christopher, S.
Associate Professor
eRA COMMONS USER NAME
Colwell2
EDUCATION/TRAINING (Begin with baccalaureate or other initial professional education, such as nursing, and include postdoctoral training.)
INSTITUTION AND LOCATION
DEGREE
(if applicable)
YEAR(s)
B.S.
Ph.D.
1985
1991
Vanderbilt University
University of Virginia
FIELD OF STUDY
Neuroscience
Biology
A. Professional Training and Experience:
1991, Postdoctoral Fellow, NSF Center for Biological Timing, University of Virginia
1992, Postdoctoral Fellow, Mental Retardation Research Center, University of California -Los Angeles
1994, Visiting Assistant Professor, Mental Retardation Research Center, University of California -Los Angeles
1997, Visiting Scientist, Department of Physiology, University of Saarland, Germany
1997, Assistant Professor, Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California -Los Angeles
2002, Associate Professor, Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California -Los Angeles
B. Selected publications (in reverse chronlogical order)
Brown T, Colwell CS, Waschek J, Piggins H (2007) Disrupted neuronal activity rhythms in the suprachiasmatic
nuclei of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide-deficient mice. J. Neurophysiol. In press.
Kim YI, Choi H-J, Colwell CS (2006) BDNF Regulation of NMDA Receptor-Mediated Synaptic Currents in
Suprachiasmatic Nucleus Neurons. J. Neurosci. Res. 84(7):1512-20.
Colwell CS (2006) BK channels and circadian output. Nature Neurosci. 9(8): 985-6.
Michel S, Clark JP, Ding JM, Colwell CS (2006) BDNF and Neurotrophin Receptors Modulate GlutamateInduced Phase Shifts of the Suprachiasmatic Nucleus. Eur. J. Neurosci. 24(4):1109-16.
Feng JM, Hu YK, Xie LH, Colwell CS, Shao XM, Sun XP, Chen B, Tang H, Campagnoni AT (2006) Golli
protein negatively regulates store depletion-induced calcium influx in T cells. Immunity 24(6):717-727.
Michel S, Itri J, Han JH, Gniotczynski K, Colwell CS (2006) Regulation of glutamatergic signalling by PACAP in the
mammalian suprachiasmatic nucleus. BMC_Neurosci. 7:15.
Itri JN, Michel S, Vansteensel MJ, Meijer JH and Colwell CS (2005) Fast Delayed Rectifier Potassium Current
Required for Circadian Neural Activity. Nat. Neurosci. 8(5):650-6
Wang LM, Suthana NA, Chaudhury D, Weaver DR, and Colwell CS (2005) Melatonin Inhibits Hippocampal
Long Term Potentiation. Eur. J. Neurosci. 22: 2231-2237
Chaudhury D, Wang LM, and Colwell CS (2005) Circadian Regulation of Hippocampal Long Term Potentiation
J. Biol. Rhythms. 20 (3) 225-236.
Aton SJ, Colwell CS, Harmar AJ, Waschek J, and Herzog ED (2005) Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide
mediates circadian rhythmicity and synchrony in distinct subsets of mammalian clock neurons. Nat
Neurosci. 8(4): 476-483.
Colwell CS (2005) Bridging the gap: coupling single-cell oscillators in the suprachiasmatic nucleus.
Nature Neurosci. 8 (1): 10-12.
Colwell CS, Michel S, Itri J, Rodriguez W, Tam J, Lelievre V, Hu Z and Waschek JA (2004) Selective deficits in the
circadian light response in mice lacking PACAP. Am. J. Physiol. 287: R268-274.
Itri J, Michel S, Waschek JA, Colwell CS. (2004) Circadian rhythm in inhibitory synaptic transmission in the mouse
suprachiasmatic nucleus. J Neurophysiol. 92(1): 311-319.
Colwell CS and Michel S (2003) Sleep and Circadian Rhythms: Do sleep centers talk back to the clock?
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Principal Investigator/Program Director (Last, First, Middle):
Colwell, Christopher, S.
Nature Neurosci. 6(10): 1005-1006.
Colwell CS, Michel S, Itri J, Rodriguez W, Tam J, Lelievre V, Hu Z, Liu X and Waschek JA (2003) Disrupted
Circadian Rhythms and Synaptic Communication in Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide-Deficient Mice. Am. J.
Physiol.. 285(5): R939-R949.
Itri J, Colwell CS (2003) Presynaptic regulation of inhibitory synaptic transmission by vasoactive intestinal peptide
(VIP) in the mouse suprachiasmatic nucleus. J. Neurophysol. 90(3):1589-97.
Michel S, Itri J, Colwell CS (2002) Excitatory Mechanisms in the Suprachiasmatic Nucleus: the role of AMPA/KA
glutamate receptors. J. Neurophysiol. 88:817-828.
Chaudhury D, Colwell CS (2002) Circadian Modulation of Learning and Memory in Fear-Conditioned Mice.
Beh. Brain Res. 133: 95-108.
Michel, S, Colwell CS (2001) Cellular Communication and Coupling within the Suprachiasmatic Nucleus.
Chronobiology Int. 18(4): 579-600.
Colwell CS (2001) NMDA-Evoked Calcium Transients and Currents in the Suprachiasmatic Nucleus: Gating by
the Circadian System. Eur. J. Neurosci., 13(7): 1420-1428.
Colwell CS (2000) Rhythmic Coupling Among Cells in the Suprachiasmatic Nucleus. J. Neurobio,
43(4): 379-388.
Colwell CS (2000) Circadian Modulation of Calcium Levels in Cells in the Suprachiasmatic Nucleus.
Eur. J. Neurosci., 12(2): 571-576.
Flett J, Colwell CS (1999) Serotonin Modulation of Calcium Transients in Cells in the Suprachiasmatic
Nucleus. J. Biol. Rhythms 14(5): 354-363.
Colwell CS, Levine MS (1999) Metabotropic glutamate receptor modulation of excitotoxicity in the neostriatum:
role of calcium channels. Brain Res. 833(2): 234-241.
Colwell CS, Cepeda C, Crawford C, Levine MS (1998) Postnatal Development of NMDA Evoked Responses in
the Neostriatum. J. Dev. Neurobiol. 20: 154-163.
Cepeda C, Colwell CS, Levine MS (1998) Dopaminergic Modulation of Early Signs of Excitotoxicity in
Visualized Rat Neostriatal Neurons. Eur. J. Neurosci. 10/11: 3491-3497.
Colwell CS (1997) Time to Get Excited by GABA. Nature 387:554-555.
Colwell CS, Levine MS (1997) Histamine modulates NMDA-dependent swelling in the developing neostriatum.
Brain Res. 766: 205-212.
Cepeda C, Colwell CS, Itri JN, Chandler SH, Levine MS (1997) Dopaminergic Modulation of NMDA-Induced
Whole Cell Currents in Neostriatal Neurons in Slices: Contribution of Calcium Conductances. J.
Neurophysiol. 79: 82-94.
Colwell CS, Altemus KL, Cepeda C, Levine MS (1996) Regulation of NMDA-induced toxicity in the neostriatum:
a new role for metabotropic glutamate receptors? Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 93:1200-1204.
Colwell CS, Altemus KL, Levine MS (1996) Metabotropic glutamate receptor activation selectively limits
excitotoxic damage in the intact neostriatum. Brain Res. 726:223-226.
Colwell CS, Levine MS (1996) Glutamate receptor-induced toxicity in neostriatal cells. Brain Res. 724: 205212.
Colwell CS, Levine MS (1995) Excitatory synaptic transmission in neostriatal neurons: regulation by cyclic
AMP-dependent mechanisms. J. Neurosci. 15:1704-1713.
Colwell CS, Menaker M. (1995) Regulation of circadian rhythms by excitatory amino acids. In: Excitatory amino
acids: Their role in neuroendocrine function. Brann DW, Mahesh VB (Eds), CRC Press, pp. 223-252.
Rea MA, Glass JD, Colwell CS (1994) Serotonin modulates the photic response of the circadian oscillator in the
hamster suprachiasmatic nucleus. J. Neurosci. 14:3635-3642.
Colwell CS, Levine MS (1994) Metabotropic glutamate receptors modulate NMDA receptor function in
neostriatal neurons. Neurosci. 61:497-507.
Colwell CS, Whitmore D, Michel S, Block GD (1994) Calcium plays a central role in phase shifting the ocular
pacemaker of Aplysia. J. Comp. Physiol. 175:415-423.
Colwell CS, Kaufman CM, Menaker M (1993) Phase shifting mechanisms in the mammalian circadian system:
new light on the carbachol paradox. J. Neurosci. 13:1454-1459.
Colwell CS, Kaufman CM, Menaker M (1993) Photic induction of Fos in the hamster suprachiasmatic nucleus is
inhibited by baclofen but not by diazepam or bicucullin. Neurosci. Lett. 163:177-181.
Colwell CS, Kaufman CM, Menaker M (1993) Light-induced phase shifts and Fos expression in the hamster
circadian system: the effects of anesthetics. J. Biol. Rhythms 8:179-188.
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Principal Investigator/Program Director (Last, First, Middle):
Colwell, Christopher, S.
Foster RG, Argamaso S, Coleman S, Colwell CS, Lederman A, Provencio I (1993) Photoreceptors regulating
circadian behavior: a mouse model. J. Biol. Rhythms 8:17-25.
Colwell CS, Menaker M (1992) Non-NMDA as well as NMDA receptor antagonists prevent light-induced phase
shifts of the circadian system of the hamster. J. Biol. Rhythms 7:125-136.
Colwell CS, Michel S, Block GD (1992) Evidence that potassium channels mediate the effects of serotonin on
the ocular circadian pacemaker of Aplysia. J. Comp. Physiol., 171: 651-656.
Colwell CS, Khalsa SBS, Block GD (1992) FMRFamide antagonizes the actions of 5-HT and light on a
circadian rhythm recorded from the eye of Aplysia. J. Comp. Physiol. 170: 211-215.
Colwell CS, Foster R (1992) Photic regulation of Fos-like immunoreactivity in the suprachiasmatic nucleus of
the mouse. J. Comp. Neurol., 324: 135-142.
Colwell CS, Khalsa SBS, Block GD (1992) Cellular mechanisms of entrainment. Chronobiol. Intern. 9:163-179.
Colwell CS, Foster R, Menaker M (1991) NMDA receptor antagonists block the effects of light on circadian
behavior in the mouse. Brain Res. 554:105-110.
Colwell CS, Max M, Hudson D, Menaker M (1991) Excitatory amino acid receptors may mediate the effects of
light on the reproductive system of the golden hamster. Biol. of Reproduction 44:604-608.
Colwell CS, Ralph M, Menaker M (1990) Do NMDA receptors mediate the effects of light on circadian behavior
in the golden hamster. Brain Res. 523: 117-120.
Colwell CS (1990) Interactive effects of serotonin and light on the circadian rhythm of neural activity recorded
from the eye of Aplysia. J. Comp. Physiol. 167:841-845.
Colwell CS, Page TL (1990) Circadian rhythms in spontaneous neural activity recorded in vivo and in vitro from
cockroach's central nervous system. J. Comp. Physiol., 166:643-649.
Colwell CS, Page TL (1989) The electroretinogram of the cockroach, Leucophaea maderae. Comp. Biochem.
Physiol. 92:117-123.
Wills SA, Page TL, Colwell CS (1986) Circadian rhythms in the electroretinogram of the cockroach. J. Biol.
Rhythms 1:25-30
C. Research Support
Ongoing Research Support
RO1 NS043169 Colwell (PI)
1/03-12/07
NINDS
Neuropeptides and the Circadian System
There are a number of questions involving coupling of the environment to the SCN and the coupling of
cells within the SCN that are basically questions of cell-to-cell communication. Specifically, we are addressing
two broad questions: (1) How are SCN cells coupled to the environment? In the current proposal, we will focus
on the role of the peptide PACAP in modulating glutamatergic input to SCN neurons. (2) How are SCN cells
that receive retinal information coupled with those that do not? In the current proposal, we will focus on the role
of the peptide VIP in modulating GABAergic input to SCN neurons. Evidence from other systems, as well as
work done in the SCN, suggests that the answers to these questions will ultimately implicate multiple,
redundant coupling pathways. We believe that understanding these mechanisms will eventually provide us with
a physiological explanation for many of the properties of circadian systems. Role: PI
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