RESEARCH INTERESTS

• Neuroinflammation associated with long-term use of psychostimulant drugs (methamphetamine, nicotine) at the synapse
• Prenatal drug exposure and synaptic development
• Application of novel anti-inflammatory drugs to attenuate inflammation at the synapse
• Sex differences and drug abuse
• Molecular mechanisms of microRNAs at the synapse

LAB PERSONNEL

	Vicki Schaal Research Technologist II		Sneh Koul Research Technologist I
	Murali Kuracha, PhD Postdoctoral Research Associate		Sneham Tiwari, Ph.D. Postdoctoral Research Associate
	Melissa Campbell Research Administrator		Sid Gillella High School Researcher
	Murali Devanaboyina  High School Researcher		Kunal Sualy, MD Clinical Research Fellow

Lab Alumni

	Nate Lombardo Research Scholar		Nate Zaroban Medical Student
	Rahul Guda Undergraduate Researcher		Gabriel Gallegos, MD Clinical Research Fellow

Currently accepting PhD and MD/PhD students for graduate studies and lab rotations.

Positions available:
- Postdoctoral Fellowship
- Residents and Clinical Fellows with research interests in the neurobiology of drug addiction

Contact gpendyala@unmc.edu for more information.

LAB TECHNIQUES

• Rodent animal models
• Cell and Molecular biology
• Biochemical Isolation of Synapses
• In vitro primary (neuronal, glial) and mixed cultures
• High throughput “Omics” approaches (Genomics, Transcriptomics, Proteomic)

LAB NEWS

CURRENT FUNDING

NIH/NIDA-RO1DA046852
Award Period: 9/30/2018 to 6/30/2023
Title: "Extracellular vesicles, meth relapse, and sex differences"
Role: Principal Investigator

NIH/NIDA-DA046284
Award Period: 04/15/2019-03/31/2021
Title: "Therapeutic Efficacy of Ibudilast to Attenuate Inflammation at the Synapse"
Role: Principal Investigator

NE DHHS LB506- 2020-42
Award Period: 07/01/2019-06/30/2020
Title: " Nicotine Addiction and Sex Differences: Role of Extracellular Vesicles"
Role: Principal Investigator

COBRE - Nebraska Center for Nanomedicine Pilot project
Award Period: 03/01/2019-02/28/2020
Title: “Characterizing Synaptic Architecture in Pre and Postnatal Oxycodone Exposed Offspring Using Clarity”
Role: Principal Investigator

 
PREVIOUS FUNDING

UNMC Office of Vice Chancellor of Research Core grant
Award Period: 01/01/2018-12/31/2018
“Oxycodone Exposure and Synaptic Development”
Role: Principal Investigator

Nebraska Center for Substance Abuse Research
Award Period: 11/1/17-10/31/18
Title: “Systems biology approach to identify novel blood biomarkers associated with opioid tapering”
Role: Principal Investigator

COBRE - Nebraska Center for Nanomedicine Pilot project
Award Period: 01/01/2018-06/30/2018
Title: “In vivo neuroimaging of brain metabolites after oxycodone exposure”
Role: Principal Investigator

Nebraska Research Initiative
Award Period: 07/1/15-06/30/17
Title: “Ageing and NeuroAIDS: Decoding the synapse”
Role: Co- Principal Investigator
 
IDEA Award, Department of Defense
Award Period: 09/30/13-09/29/16
Title: “Mechanisms of synaptic alterations in a neuroinflammation model of Autism”
Role: Co- Investigator
 
Nebraska Research Initiative
Award Period: 07/1/12-06/30/14
Title: “Strategies to prevent relapse in chronic methamphetamine users”
Role: Principal Investigator
 
NE DHHS –LB506 2014-04B
Award Period: 07/1/13-06/30/14
Title: “Sex Differences in Nicotine addiction: A systems approach to decipher the synapse”
Role: Principal Investigator

REPRESENTATIVE PUBLICATIONS
(Past two years)

Moore D, Meays BM, Madduri LSV, Shahjin F, Chand S, Niu M, Albahrani A, Guda C, Pendyala G, Fox HS, Yelamanchili SV. "Downregulation of an Evolutionary Young miR-1290 in an iPSC-Derived Neural Stem Cell Model of Autism Spectrum Disorder." Stem Cells Int. 2019 May 2;2019:8710180. doi: 10.1155/2019/8710180. eCollection 2019. PMID: 31191687

Pittenger SA, Schaal VL, Moore D, Guda RS, Koul S, Yelamanchili SV, Bevins RA and Pendyala G# (2018) “MicroRNA cluster miR199a/214 are differentially expressed in female and male rats following nicotine self- administration” Scientific Reports 8:17464 doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-35747-z #Corresponding author

Thangaraj A, Periyasamy P, Liao K, Bendi VS, Callen S, Pendyala G, Buch S.HIV-1 TAT-mediated microglial activation: Role of mitochondrial dysfunction and defective mitophagy. Autophagy. 2018 Jul 3. doi: 10.1080/15548627.2018.1476810. PMID: 29966509 [Epub ahead of print]

Pendyala G, Chou S, Jung Y, Coiro P, Spartz E, Ragunatham P, Li M and Dunaevsky A (2017) “Maternal immune activation causes behavioral impairments and altered cerebellar cytokine and synaptic protein expression” Neuropsychopharmacology 42(7):1435-1446.

Hu, G, Liao K, Yang L, Pendyala G, Kook Y, Fox HS and Buch S (2017) “Tat-mediated induction of miRs-34a & 138 promotes astrocytic activation via down regulation of SIRT1: Implications for aging in HAND” Journal of Neuroimmune Pharmacology  12(3):420-432.

Pendyala G, Marcario JK, Riazi M, Fleming K, Marquis J, Lisco SJ, Cheney PD and Buch SJ (2016) “Effect of morphine on behavioral task performance in SIV-infected rhesus macaques” Journal of Neuroimmune Pharmacology Jun; 11(2): 348-375. 

Charnitkov S, Pittenger S, Thapa I, Bastola DR, Bevins RA and Pendyala G# (2015) “Ibudilast reverses the decrease in the synaptic signaling protein phosphatidyl ethanolamine- binding protein 1 produced by chronic methamphetamine intake in rats” Drug and Alcohol Dependence Jul 1; 152:15-23

Pendyala G, Perisamy P, Callen S, Fox HS, Lisco SJ and Buch S (2015) “Chronic SIV and Morphine treatment increases heat shock protein 5 expression at the synapse” Journal of Neurovirology Oct; 21(5): 592-8.

Coiro P, Ragunathan P, Anand S, Spartz E, Pendyala G, Chou C, Jung Y, Meays B, Roy S, Li M and Dunaevsky A (2015) "Impaired Synaptic Development in a Maternal Immune Activation Mouse Model of Neurodevelopmental Disorders" Brain, Behavior and Immunity 50: 249-58.

Additional Publications in Pubmed. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/myncbi/1NwKZMtTqHnQJ/bibliography/47962309/public/?sort=date&direction=descending

COLLABORATORS

	Rick Bevins, PhD Dept. of Psychology, UNL		Shilpa Buch, PhD Dept. of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, UNMC
	Siddappa Byrareddy, PhD Dept. of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, UNMC		Sowmya Yelamanchili, PhD Dept. of Anesthesiology, UNMC
	Hakho Lee, PhD Dept. of Radiology, Harvard University		Cristina Woo, PhD Dept. of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University
	Mohanad Shukry, MD Dept. of Anesthesiology, UNMC		Ann Anderson Berry, MD, PhD Dept. of Pediatrics, UNMC

LAB PHOTOS