Curriculum Vitae
Name:
Julie Suzanne Pendergast
Office Address:
7465 Medical Research Building IV
2213 Garland Avenue
Nashville, TN 37232-0475
Office Phone:
615-936-5177
Date/place of birth: April 27, 1977, Davenport, Iowa, USA
Education:
 University of Illinois (Urbana, IL), Bachelor of Science, May 1999 (major: Cell and Structural
Biology; minor: Chemistry)
 University of Illinois (Urbana, IL), Master of Science (Biology), May 2001
 University of Miami (Miami, FL), Doctor of Philosophy (Neuroscience), January 2007
Dissertation title: Estrogen Receptor  Contributes to the Transient Sex Difference in
Tyrosine Hydroxylase Expression in the Mouse Locus Coeruleus
 Research Fellowship in Chronobiology, Vanderbilt University (Nashville, TN), Shin Yamazaki,
mentor, 2007-2012
Academic Appointments:
Instructor, Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt
University Medical Center, 2012-present
Professional organizations:
 Society for Research on Biological Rhythms
Professional activities:
Intramural:
 Teaching Assistant: Animal Physiology and Ecology Laboratory, University of Illinois (Urbana, IL),
1999-2001
 Develop and deliver molecular biology laboratory session, University of Miami School of
Medicine, 2003
 Develop and deliver lecture in Biological Clocks Course, Vanderbilt University “Human Circadian
Rhythms: Conflict between Nature and Society,” 2008
 Scientist Member of the Division of Animal Care Communication Committee, 2013-present
Extramural:
 Ad hoc reviewer: Journal of Neuroscience, PLoS ONE, American Journal of PhysiologyRegulatory, Integrative & Comparative Physiology, Journal of Biological Rhythms, Journal of
Circadian Rhythms
Special awards or recognition for professional activities:
 Voted as teacher ranked as excellent by her students with special outstanding recognition,
University of Illinois (Urbana, IL), 1999-2001
 John G. Heiligenstein Award for Excellence in Teaching of Biology, University of Illinois (Urbana,
IL), 2001
 Young Investigator Award, Vanderbilt University Digestive Disease Research Center, 2013-
1
present
Teaching activities:
Research Supervision (undergraduate students):
 Luis Tuesta, 2005-2007, current position: doctoral candidate, Scripps Research Institute
 Rio Friday, 2007-2009, current position: Genetic counselor (with Master’s degree), Holy
Redeemer Health System
 Katrina Branecky, 2012-present, current position: Vanderbilt University undergraduate student
Research Program:
ACTIVE
P30 DK058404
Peek (PI)
07/01/13-5/31/14
NIH/NIDDK Digestive Disease Research Center Pilot Project
Circadian organization of the digestive system and high-fat diet
The major goals of this project are to determine if consumption of high-fat diet causes desynchrony of
circadian clocks in digestive tissues and whether this desynchronization can be prevented by
manipulation of meal timing.
Role: PI (Pilot Project)
COMPLETE
F32NS061437-01
Pendergast (PI)
09/01/08-08/31/11
NIH/NINDS
The role of the circadian clock in encoding seasonal variations in day length.
The major goals of this project are to create a reproductively photoperiodic animal model and use this
model to understand how day length is encoded by the circadian clock.
Role: PI
Publications:
1. Articles in refereed journals:
1. Hu WH*, Pendergast JS*, Mo XM, Brambilla R, Bracchi-Ricard V, Li, F, Walters WM, Blits B, He
L, Schaal SM, and Bethea JR. NIBP, a Novel NIK and IKK-beta binding Protein that Enhances
NF-kappaB Activation. J Biol Chem, 2005. 280(32): 29233-41. * Both authors contributed equally
to the work. PMID: 15951441
2. Reyes BA, Pendergast JS, Yamazaki S. Mammalian peripheral circadian oscillators are
temperature compensated. J Biol Rhythms, 2008. 23(1): 95-8. PMID: 18258762
3. Kusanagi H, Hida A, Satoh K, Echizenya M, Shimizu T, Pendergast JS, Yamazaki S, Mishima K.
(2007) Expression profiles of ten circadian clock genes in human peripheral blood mononuclear
cells. Neuroscience Research, 2008. 61(2): 136-42. PMID: 18336944
4. Pendergast JS, Tuesta LM, and Bethea JR. Estrogen receptor beta contributes to the transient
sex difference in tyrosine hydroxylase expression in the mouse locus coeruleus. J
Neuroendocrinology, 2008. 10: 1155-64. PMID: 18580559
5. Mistlberger, RE, Yamazaki S, Pendergast JS, Landry, GJ, Takumi, T, Nakamura, W. Comment
on “Differential rescue of light- and food-entrainable circadian rhythms.” Science, 2008. 322: 675.
PMID: 18974333
6. Pendergast JS, Nakamura W, Friday RC, Hatanaka F, Takumi T, Yamazaki S. Robust food
anticipatory activity in BMAL1-deficient mice. PLoS ONE, 2009. 4(3): e4860. PMID: 19300505
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7. Pendergast JS, Friday RC, Yamazaki S. Endogenous rhythms in Period1 mutant
suprachiasmatic nuclei in vitro do not represent circadian behavior. J Neurosci, 2009. 29(46):
14681-6. PMID: 19923301
8. Pendergast JS, Friday RC, Yamazaki S. Distinct functions of Period2 and Period3 in the mouse
circadian system revealed by in vitro analysis. PLoS ONE, 2010. 5(1): e8552. PMID: 20072700
9. Yeom M, Pendergast JS, Ohmiya Y, Yamazaki S. Circadian-independent cell mitosis in
immortalized fibroblasts. PNAS, 2010. 107(21): 9665-70. PMID: 20457900
10. Pendergast JS, Friday RC, Yamazaki S. Photic entrainment of Period mutant mice is predicted
from their phase response curves. J Neurosci, 2010. 30(36): 12179-84. PMID: 20826680
11. Pendergast JS, Yeom M, Reyes BA, Ohmiya Y, Yamazaki S. Disconnected circadian and cell
cycles in a tumor-driven cell line. Communicative & Integrative Biol, 2010. 3(6): 1-4. PMID:
21331233
12. Um JH, Pendergast JS, Springer DA, Foretz M, Viollet B, Brown A, Kim MK, Yamazaki S, Chung
JH. AMPK regulates circadian rhythms in a tissue- and isoform-specific manner. PLoS ONE,
2011. 6(3): e18450. PMID: 21483791
13. Pendergast JS and Yamazaki S. Masking responses to light in Period mutant mice. Chronobiol
Int, 2011. 28(8): 657-63. PMID: 21793695
14. Pendergast JS, Niswender KD, Yamazaki S. Tissue-specific function of Period3 in circadian
rhythmicity. PLoS ONE, 2012. 7(1): e30254. PMID: 22253927
15. Pendergast JS and Yamazaki S. The mammalian circadian system is resistant to dioxin. J Biol
Rhythms, 2012. 27(2):156-63. PMID: 22476776
16. Pendergast JS, Oda GA, Niswender KD, Yamazaki S. Period determination in the food –
entrainable and methamphetamine-sensitive circadian oscillator(s). Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A,
2012. 109(35):14218-23. PMID: 22891330
17. Pendergast JS, Branecky KL, Yang W, Ellacott KL, Niswender KD, Yamazaki S. High-fat diet
acutely affects circadian organisation and eating behavior. Eur J Neurosci, 2013. 37(8): 1350-6.
PMID: 23331763
18. Takasu NN, Pendergast JS, Olivas CS, Yamazaki S, Nakamura W. In vivo monitoring of multiunit neural activity in the suprachiasmatic nucleus reveals robust circadian rhythms in Period1-/mice. PLoS ONE, 2013. 8(5): e64333. PMID: 23717599
19. Pendergast JS, Niswender KD, Yamzaki S. The complex relationship between the foodentrainable and methamphetamine-sensitive circadian oscillators: evidence from behavioral
studies of Period-mutant mice. Eur J Neurosci, In press.
2. Abstracts:
1. Pendergast JS and Bethea JR. Estrogen receptor beta in the locus coeruleus: characterization
and function. Keystone Symposia: Tissue Selective Nuclear Receptors, Sept 2005.
2. Pendergast JS and Bethea JR. Estrogen receptor beta in the locus coeruleus: characterization
and function. Society for Neuroscience Meeting, Nov 2005.
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3. Pendergast JS and Yamazaki S. Per1-luciferase expression in SCN and pineal explants varies
with day length in photoperiodic rats. Society for Research on Biological Rhythms, May 2008.
4. Pendergast JS, Friday RC, Yamazaki S. Distinct functions of the Period genes in the mammalian
circadian system: Evidence from in vitro and in vivo studies. Society for Research on Biological
Rhythms, May 2010.
5. Pendergast JS and Yamazaki S. Beyond non-canonical rhythmicity: Period-dependent functions
in the food-entrainable and methamphetamine-sensitive circadian oscillator(s). Society for
Research on Biological Rhythms, May 2012.
6. Pendergast JS and Yamazaki S. High-fat diet disrupts circadian organization. Society for
Research on Biological Rhythms, May 2012.
3. Presentations:
1. Pendergast JS and Bethea JR. Estrogen receptor beta-dependent gender differences in the
mouse locus coeruleus. Eastern Atlantic Student Research Forum, Feb 2006.
2. Pendergast JS and Yamazaki S. Circadian oscillator or interval timer: reexamining the food
entrainable oscillator. Rhythms in the Southeast Region, May 2009 (invited presentation).
3. Pendergast JS and Yamazaki S. The mammalian circadian system is resistant to dioxin.
Rhythms in the Southeast Region, May 2011 (invited presentation).
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