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Gregg C. Allen, PhD

Gregg C. Allen
Gregg C. Allen, PHD

Associate Professor

Contact

Neuroscience & Experimental Therapeutics1
2002 Medical Research and Education Building 8447 Riverside Pkwy
Bryan, TX 77807-3260
gregg.allen@tamu.edu
Phone: 979.436.0329
Fax: 979.436.0086

Education and Training

  • Texas A&M University, PhD
  • University of Oregon, B.S
  • Vanderbilt University, Postdoctoral Research Associate

Research Interests

  • My primary interests in teaching are undergraduate medical education in the Anatomical Sciences. During the Fall semester, I instruct within the team-taught Medical Gross Anatomy and Medical Histology disciplines; Spring semester is Medical Neuroscience. I pursue scholarly teaching activities focusing upon pedagogy and teaching theory to further enhance the educational experience of future medical professionals.
  • My primary research interest focuses on the unique properties of neurons that generate circadian rhythms and the interactions between them that mediate their ability to coordinate molecular and physiological rhythms in tissues and, ultimately, regulate rhythmic behaviors. Using a combination of molecular, cellular, and behavioral analyses in the mouse model my research aims to identify how cells within the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) of the anterior hypothalamus function as a biological clock in generating circadian output signals that synchronize rhythmic processes within diverse tissues throughout the body.

Teaching Interests

  • Allen, GC, Cunningham, AC, Thompson, BJ, Dalley, AF, Wente, SR, Norden, JJ, Richmond, A and Chalkley, R (2008) "The Anatomy of a Scientist-Educator Postdoctoral Training Program." Am. Assoc. Anatomists (AAA) at Experimental Biology 2008 Annual Meeting Abstr.
  • Cunningham, AC, Allen, GC, Thompson, BJ, Dalley, AF, Wente, SR, Norden, JJ and Chalkley, R (2007) "Found: More Anatomy Instructors." Am. Assoc. Clinical Anatomists (AACA) 2007 Annual Meeting Abstr.
  • Cunningham, AC, Allen, GC, Thompson, BJ, Elzie, CA, Ramnanan CJ, Dalley, AF, Wente, SR, Norden, JJ and Chalkley, RG (2007) "The Vanderbilt Scientist-Educator Program." 2007 Annual IRACDA Conference Abstr.
  • Thompson, BJ, Cunningham, A, Allen, G, Dalley, AF, Wente, SR and Chalkley, RG (2007) "Preparing Tomorrow's Medical Educators." Am. Assoc. Anatomists (AAA) at Experimental Biology 2007 Annual Meeting Abstr.

Representative Publications

  • Ratajczak, CK, Asada, M, Allen, GC, McMahon, DG, Muglia, LM, Smith, D, Bhattacharyya, S and Muglia, LJ (2012) "Generation of Myometrium-Specific Bmal1 Knockout Mice for Parturition Analysis. Reprod. Fertil. Dev. 24:759-767.
  • Farnell, YF, Shende, VR, Neuendorff, N, Allen, GC and Earnest, DJ (2011) "Immortalized Cell Lines for Real-Time Analysis of Circadian Pacemaker and Peripheral Oscillator Properties." Eur. J. Neurosci. 33:1533-1540.
  • Hundahl, CA, Allen GC, Hannibal J, Kjaer K, Rehfeld JF, Dewilde S, Nyengaard JR, Kelsen J and Hay-Schmidt A (2010) "Anatomical Characterization of Cytoglobin and Neuroglobin mRNA and Protein Expression in the Mouse Brain." Brain Res. 1331:58-73.
  • Farnell, YZ, Allen, GC, Neuendorff, N, West, JR, Wei-Jung, AC and Earnest, DJ (2009) "Effects of Neonatal Alcohol Exposure on Vasoactive-Intestinal Polypeptide Neurons in the Rat Suprachiasmatic Nucleus." Alcohol 43:387-396.
  • Ruan, G-X, Allen, GC, Yamazaki, S and McMahon, DG (2008) "An Autonomous Circadian Clock in the Inner Mouse Retina Regulated by Dopamine and GABA." PLOS Biology 6(10):e249. doi:10.1371/journal.pbio. 0060249.
  • Hundahl, CA, Allen, GC, Nyengaard, JR, Dewilde, S, Carter, BD, Kelsen, J and Hay-Schmidt, A (2008) "Neuroglobin in the Rat Brain: Localization." Neuroendocrinology (May 2 Epub DOI: 10.1159/000129698).
  • Farnell, YZ, Allen, GC, Nahm, S-S, Neuendorff, N, West, JR, Chen, W-JA and Earnest, DJ (2008) "Neonatal Alcohol Exposure Differentially Alters Clock Gene Oscillations within the Suprachiasmatic Nucleus, Cerebellum and Liver of Adult Rats." Alcohol. Clin. Exp. Res. 32:544-552.
  • Gamble, K, Allen, GC, Zhou, T and McMahon, DG (2007) "Gastrin-releasing Peptide Mediates Light-Like Resetting of the Suprachiasmatic Nucleus Circadian Pacemaker through CREB and Per1 Activation." J. Neurosci. 27:12078-12087.
  • Menger, GJ, Allen, GC, Neuendorff, N, Nahm, SS, Thomas, TL, Cassone, VM and Earnest, DJ (2007) "Circadian Profiling of the Transcriptome in NIH/3T3 fibroblasts: Comparison with Rhythmic Gene Expression in SCN2.2 Cells and the Rat SCN." Physiol. Genomics 29:280-289.
  • Allen, GC, Farnell, YZ, Maeng, J-U, West JR, Chen, W-JA and Earnest, DJ (2005) "Long-Term Effects of Neonatal Alcohol Exposure on Photic Re-entrainment and Phase-Shifting Responses of the Activity Rhythm in Adult Rats." Alcohol 37:79-88.
  • Allen, GC, West, JR, Chen, W-JA and Earnest, DJ (2005) "Neonatal Alcohol Exposure Permanently Disrupts the Circadian Properties and Photic Entrainment of the Activity Rhythm in Adult Rats." Alcohol. Clin. Exp. Res. 29:1845-1852.
  • Allen, GC, Qu, X and Earnest, DJ (2005) "TrkB-Deficient Mice Show Diminished Phase Shifts of the Circadian Activity Rhythm in Response to Light." Neurosci. Letters 378:150-155.
  • Allen, GC and Earnest, DJ (2005) "Overlap in the Distribution of TrkB Immunoreactivity and Retinohypothalamic Tract Innervation of the Rat Suprachiasmatic Nucleus." Neurosci. Letters 376:200-204.
  • Farnell, YZ, West, JR, Chen, W-J, Allen, GC and Earnest, DJ (2004) "Developmental Alcohol Exposure Alters Light-Induced Phase Shifts of the Circadian Activity Rhythm in Rats." Alcohol. Clin. Exp. Res. 28:1020-1027.
  • Allen, GC, Farnell, Y, Bell-Pedersen, D, Cassone, VM and Earnest, DJ (2004) "Effects of Altered Clock Gene Expression on the Pacemaker Properties of SCN2.2 Cells and Oscillatory Properties of NIH/3T3 Cells." Neuroscience 127:989-999.
  • Allen, GC, West, JR, Chen, W-J and Earnest, DJ (2004) "Developmental Alcohol Exposure Disrupts Circadian Regulation of BDNF in the Rat Suprachiasmatic Nucleus." Neurotoxicol. Teratol. 26:353-358.
  • Allen, GC and Earnest, DJ (2002) "Real-Time Analysis of Rhythmic Gene Expression in Immortalized Suprachiasmatic Nucleus Cells." NeuroReport 13:2027-2030.
  • Allen, G, Rappe, J, Earnest, DJ and Cassone, VM (2001) "Oscillating on Borrowed Time: Diffusible Signals from Immortalized SCN Cells Regulate Circadian Rhythmicity in Cultured Fibroblasts." J. Neurosci. 21:7937-7943.
  • Liang, F-Q, Allen, G and Earnest, D (2000) "Role of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor in the Circadian Regulation of the Suprachiasmatic Nucleus by Light." J. Neurosci. 20:2978-2987.
  • Champney, TH, Allen, GC, Zannelli, M and Beausang, LA (1998) "Time Dependent Effects of Melatonin on Immune Measurements in Male Syrian Hamsters." J. Pineal Res. 25:142-146.