Chemists Present at International Meeting for Brain Chemistry Monitoring

Two graduate students and one faculty member will represent the University of Arkansas at the upcoming Monitoring Molecules in Neuroscience International Conference on In Vivo Methods in Brussels, Belgium, Sept 12-16.

Julie Stenken, holder of the 21st Century Chair of Proteomics and a professor of chemistry and biochemistry, will give an invited talk titled "In vivo Microdialysis Sampling of Cytokines Combined with qRT-PCR Expression Validation." Cytokines are important signaling proteins produced during responses of inflammatory cells. Stenken will also co-chair a session titled "Technical Advances in in vivo Monitoring" with Robert Kennedy, University of Michigan.

Stenken's graduate student Anthony Herbaugh, who is studying cell and molecular biology, will present a poster titled "Development of in Vivo Antibody-Enhanced Microdialysis Collection of CCL2 from Rat Brain." CCL2 is an important signaling protein that is involved in regulating many important brain functions. Developing improved methods for sampling this elusive protein is key to improving treatments for alcoholism, pain and many other inflammatory neurodegenerative diseases.

Graduate student Anupama Aggarwal will also present a poster titled "Microelectrode Array for Dopamine Detection through Redox Cycling." An in vitro study found dopamine is an important catecholamine neurotransmitter that regulates how people feel and behave. Its dysfunction can lead to different neurological diseases. Redox cycling which is used to measure very low concentrations of dopamine may provide more insight into dopamine mechanisms and regulation. Aggarwal is advised by professor Ingrid Fritsch.

The theme of the 13th In Vivo Methods Meeting is to bring together international researchers who are creating new neurochemical tools to measure chemicals in the brain. The first meeting was in Nottingham, United Kingdom in 1982.

For more information, contact Stenken, department of chemistry and biochemistry, at jstenken@uark.edu.