BUSINESS ADDRESS
McGovern Institute for Brain Research and Center for Cancer Research
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
E18-505, 77 Massachusetts Ave.
Cambridge, MA 02139
TEL: (617)253-3010
FAX: (617)253-5202
EDUCATION
1993-1998 Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
Ph.D. Dept. of Cell Biology, Thesis with Ronald Davis: Neuroanatomical dissection of Drosophila mushroom bodies, and the identification of D-mef2 as critical to their formation
1991-1993 Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY
Graduate research with Carol Greider
1988-1991 Indiana University, Bloomington, IN B.S. Microbiology Undergraduate research with Miriam Zolan
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
2005-current Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
Research Scientist with Ann Graybiel and David Housman Development and characterization of mouse models that are deficient in forebrain-enriched signaling molecules of the Ras/Rap/MAP kinase cascade. This work has identified new candidates for the treatment of movement disorders, neuropsychiatric disorders and drug addiction.
2000-2005 Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
Postdoctoral Fellow with Ann Graybiel and David Housman
1998-2000 Baylor College of Medicine
Postdoctoral Associate with Ronald Davis
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
1991 Instructor for Introductory Biology Laboratory with Carl Moos, SUNY Stony Brook, NY
1991 Assistantship for Introductory Genetics with Peter Gergen, SUNY Stony Brook, NY
SUPERVISORY EXPERIENCE (MIT Undergraduate Research Program)
Urvashi Upadhyay
Sudeb Dalai
Catherine Smith
Lara Hershcovitch
Mariam Shaikh
Jin Suk Calvin Kim
Seema Verma
Tao Liu
George Zhengliang Li
Lulu Wang
Zachary Nash
AWARDS AND FELLOWSHIPS
2008-present Michael J Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, Target Validation Grant, Co-PI2006 Outstanding MIT Undergraduate Research Mentorship Award
2005-present Simons Grant for Autism Research (Key Personnel)
2002-2005 Postdoctoral NIMH F32 Research Fellowship
1993-1996 Predoctoral NIMH F31 Research Fellowship
1991-1992 Predoctoral NIH T32 Research Fellowship SUNY Stony Brook
1990-1991 Undergraduate Howard Hughes Medical Initiative Award
1990 Undergraduate Honors Research Award (Indiana University)
INVITED TALKS
CalDAG-GEFI modulates behavioral sensitization to psychomotor stimulants and is required for cortico-striatal long-term potentiation. University of Connecticut Behavioral Neuroscience Seminar Series, Storrs, CT, April 3, 2008.
Toward a molecular basis of repetitive behaviors. Tufts University Neuroscience Seminar Series, Boston, MA, March 5, 2008.
The striatum-enriched signaling molecule, CalDAG-GEF1, modulates behavioral responses to amphetamine and cocaine. Stanley Center Seminar Series at the Broad Institute, MIT. Cambridge, MA, Oct. 24, 2007.
The striatal signaling molecules CalDAG-GEF1 and CalDAG-GEF2 modulate repetitive and locomotor behaviors induced by psychostimulants. NIMH Workshop on Translational Approaches to Studying Repetitive Behavior and Resistance to Change in Autism, Washington, D.C., Sept. 7, 2007.
AD HOC MANUSCRIPT REVIEWS
Neuropsychopharmacology, publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology
Journal of Neurodevelopmental Disorders
PATENT APPLICATION
Crittenden, J.R., Housman, D.E. and Graybiel. A.M. The use of protein inhibitors as antithrombotic agents. Filed June 2, 2003.
PUBLICATIONS
Crittenden, J. R., Sauvage, M., Cepeda, C., Andre, V., Costa, C., Martella, G., Liu, T., Verma, S., Harlan, P., Levine, M., Calabresi, P., Housman, D. E., and Graybiel, A. M. CalDAG-GEFI modulates behavioral sensitization to psycho-motor stimulants and is required for cortico-striatal long-term potentiation. (In preparation).
Crittenden, J. R., Dunn, D. E., Merali, F. I., Woodman, B., Borkowska, A. E., Bates, G. P., Housman, D. E., Lo, D. C., and Graybiel, A. M. Loss of CalDAG-GEFI expression in Huntington’s disease correlates with aggregate formation and neuroprotection. (In preparation).
Crittenden, J. R., Cantuti-Castelvetri, I., Saka, E., Keller-McGandy, C., Fernandez-Hernandez, L., Kett, L. R., Young, A. B., Standaert, D. G., and Graybiel, A. M. Dysregulation CalDAG-GEFI and CalDAG-GEFII predicts the severity of motor side-effects induced by anti-Parkinsonian therapy. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 106, 2892-6 (2009).
Pasvolsky R., Feigelson S. W., Kilic S. S., Simon A. J., Tal-Lapidot G., Grabovsky V., Crittenden, J. R., Amariglio N., Safran M., Graybiel A. M., Rechavi G., Ben-Dor S., Etzioni A., and Alon R. A LAD-III syndrome is associated with defective expression of the Rap-1 activator CalDAG-GEFI in lymphocytes, neutrophils, and platelets. J Exp Med 204, 1571-82 (2007).
Bergmeier W., Goerge T., Wang H. W., Crittenden J. R., Baldwin A. C., Cifuni S. M., Housman D. E., Graybiel A. M., and Wagner D. D. Mice lacking the signaling molecule CalDAG-GEFI represent a model for leukocyte adhesion deficiency type III. J Clin Invest 117, 1699-707 (2007).
Crittenden, J. R., Heidersbach, A. and McManus, M. T. Lentiviral strategies for RNAi knockdown of neuronal genes. Current Protocols in Neuroscience (2007).
Bernadi, B., Guidetti, G. F., Campus, F. Crittenden, J. R., Graybiel, A. M., Balduini, C. and Torti. M. The small GTPase Rap1b regulates the cross-talk between platelet integrin a2b1 and integrin aIIbb3. Blood 107, 2728-2735 (2006).
Crittenden, J. R., Bergmeier*, W., Zhang, Y., Piffath, C. L., Liang, Y., Wagner, D. D., Housman, D. E. and Graybiel, A. M. CalDAG-GEFI integrates signaling for platelet aggregation and thrombus formation. Nature Medicine 10, 982-986 (2004).
Crittenden, J. R. RNA Modalities in Huntington’s Disease Therapy, HDF Workshop Report (2002).
Crittenden, J. R., Skoulakis, E. M. C., Han, K. A., Kalderon, D. and Davis, R. L. Tripartite mushroom body architecture revealed by antigenic markers. Learning and Memory 5, 38-51 (1998).
Harrington, L. A., Hull, C. M., Crittenden, J. R. and Greider, C. W. Gel shift and UV cross-linking analysis of Tetrahymena telomerase. J Biol Chem 270, 8893-8901 (1995).
Zolan, M. E., Crittenden, J. R., Heyler, N. K. and Seitz, L. C. Efficient isolation and mapping of rad genes of the fungus Coprinus cinereus using chromosome-specific libraries. Nucleic Acids Research 20, 3993-3999 (1992).
SCIENTIFIC CONFERENCE POSTER PRESENTATIONS
Crittenden, J. R., Dunn, D., Merali, F. I., Woodman, B., Bates, G. P., Housman, D. E., Lo, D. C. and Graybiel, A. M. Down-regulation of the striatum-enriched signaling molecule, CalDAG-GEF1/RasGRP2, is protective in a model of mutant Htt-induced neurodegeneration. The Hereditary Disease Foundation Milton Wexler Celebration Meeting, Cambridge, MA 2008.b>
Crittenden, J. R., Sauvage, M., Cepeda, C., Andre, V., Costa, C., Martella, G., Liu, T., Verma, S., Levine, M., Calabresi, P., Housman D.E., and Graybiel, A. M. CalDAG-GEFI modulates behavioral sensitization to psychomotor stimulants and is required for cortico-striatal long-term potentiation. The American College of Neuropsychopharmacology Annual Meeting, Boca Raton, FL 2007.
Crittenden, J. R., Cantuti-Castelvetri, I., Saka, E., Fernandez-Hernandez, L., Keller-McGandy, C., Harlan, P., Kett, L. R., Housman, D. E., Standaert, D. G., Young, A. B., and Graybiel, A. M. The striatal signaling molecule, CalDAG-GEF2, is up-regulated in the dopamine-depleted striatum of hemi-parkinsonian rats. Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA 2007.
Crittenden, J. R., Picconi, B., Ghiglieri, V., Calabresi, P., Harlan, P., Housman D. E., and Graybiel A. M. CalDAG-GEFI is required for sensitization to amphetamine-induced stereotypy and cortico-striatal LTP, but not for locomotor sensitization and LTD. Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting, Washington, D.C. 2006.
Crittenden, J. R., Sauvage, M., Picconi, B., Costa, C., Martella, M., Andre, V., Cepeda, C., Levine, M., Calabresi, P. Housman D. E., and Graybiel, A. M. The striatum-enriched signaling molecule, CalDAG-GEFI, is essential for cortico-striatal LTP and sensitization of drug-induced stereotypies. Cellular and Molecular Treatments of Neurological Diseases Meeting, Cambridge, MA 2006.
Crittenden, J. R., Sauvage, M., Picconi, B., Costa, C., Martella, M., Andre, V., Cepeda, C., Levine, M., Calabresi, P. Housman D. E., and Graybiel, A. M. The striatum-enriched signaling molecule, CalDAG-GEFI, is essential for cortico-striatal LTP and sensitization of drug-induced stereotypies. The Hereditary Disease Foundation HD (CAG)n Meeting, Cambridge, MA 2006.
Crittenden, J. R., C. Costa, G., Martella, G., Calabresi, P., Harlan, P., Sauvage, M., Housman D. E., and Graybiel, A. M. CalDAG-GEFI is critical for striatal plasticity. Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting, Washington, D.C. 2005.
Crittenden, J. R., Bergmeier, W., Zhang, Y., Liang, Y., Wagner, D. D., Housman, D. E. and Graybiel, A. M. Calcium and diacylglycerol signal through CalDAG-GEFI to control platelet aggregation. Gordon Research Conference, Newport, RI, 2004.
Crittenden, J. R. and Davis, R.L. The role of D-mef2 in developing mushroom bodies. 40th Annual Drosophila Research Conference, Bellvue, WA, 1999.