Professional Positions

2003-               Assistant Professor, Department of Physiology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of                                                                  Medicine, Chicago, IL

 

Faculty affiliations

·        Northwestern University Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program (NUIN)

·        Northwestern University Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer's Disease Center (CNADC)

 

Professional activities

Professional memberships

·        Society for Neuroscience

·        Molecular and Cellular Cognition Society

·        Asia-Pacific Society for Neurochemistry

 

Other professional activities

·        Reviewer for Cell, Neuron, Nature Neuroscience, Journal of Neuroscience, P.N.A.S., EMBO Journal, Journal of Cell Science, Journal of Cell Biology, Hippocampus, Neurobiology

·        Grant reviewer: National Science Foundation, Wellcome Trust, Israel Science Foundation

·        Symposia chair/co-chair:

o       Society for Neuroscience Meeting (minisymposium chair): Mechanisms of Structural Plasticity of Dendritic Spines. San Diego, CA, 2004

o       International Society for Neurochemistry Meeting (symposium chair): Molecular mechanisms of dendritic spine formation and plasticity. Innsbruck, Austria, 2005

o       Winter Conference of Brain Research (panel chair): Mechanisms of structural plasticity of dendritic spines. Steamboat, CO, 2006

o       7th IBRO World Congress of Neuroscience (symposium chair): Mechanisms of structural plasticity at excitatory synapses. Melbourne, Australia, 2007

o       8th Biennial meeting of the Asia-Pacific Society for Neurochemistry (symposium co-chair): Structural organization of dendritic spines and regulatory mechanisms. Shanghai, China, 2008

·        Conference organizer - US-Japan Brain Research Collaborative Program (workshop), Maui, HI, 2006

Honors and Awards

1997                ASBMB Young Scientists’ Travel Award

1997                Biochemistry Dissertation Research Recognition Award, SUNY at Buffalo

2003                Japan Foundation for Aging and Health Award

2003/2004       Patrick Coelingh Investigator, National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression

2007                Southwest Florida Investigator, National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression                                                                                  

Public Recognition

·        printed media: Newsweek, Chicago Tribune, Psychology Today, Lancet Neurology, Women’s Health Magazine

·        TV News outlets: WBBM-TV (Chicago), WCSH-TV (Portland), WLBZ-TV (Bangor), WLWT-TV (Cincinnati), WP:S-TV (Lake Charles), WTLV-TV (Jacksonville), WVTM-TV (Birmingham), CHEK-TV (Vancouver) KFDX-TV (Wichita Falls), KBSI-TV (Paducah), KOBI-TV (Medford), KMTR-TV (Eugene), KULR-TV (Billings), WICU-TV (Billings), WMTV-TV (Madison), WPTV-TV, (West Palm Beach), WPTZ (Burlington), KNSD-TV (San Diego), WSIL-TV (Paducah)

·        Websites: Northwestern NewsCenter Podcast, NARSAD, Schizophrenia Research Forum, AlzForum

 

Publications

1.     X. Wang, P. Penzes, and J. L. Napoli (1996) Cloning of a cDNA Encoding an Aldehyde Dehydrogenase and its Expression in Escherichia Coli: Recognition of Retinal as Substrate. J. Biol. Chem. 271, 16288.

2.     P. Penzes, X. Wang, Z. Sperkova, and J. L. Napoli (1997) Cloning of a rat cDNA encoding retinal dehydrogenase isozyme type I and its expression in E.coli. Gene 191, 167.

3.     P. Penzes, X. Wang, and J. L. Napoli (1997) Enzymatic characteristics of retinal dehydrogenase type I expressed in Escherichia coli. Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1342, 175.

4.     P. Penzes and J. L. Napoli (1999) Holo-Cellular Retinol-Binding Protein: Distinction of Ligand-Binding Affinity from Efficiency as Substrate in Retinal Biosynthesis. Biochemistry 38, 2088.

5.     P. Penzes, R. C. Johnson, V. Kambampati, M. R. Alam, R. E. Mains, and B. A. Eipper (2000) An Isoform of Kalirin, a Neuronal GDP/GTP Exchange Factor for Rac1, is Enriched the Postsynaptic Density. J. Biol. Chem.  275, 6395.

6.     D. Caldwell, D. N. Darlington, P. Penzes, R. C. Johnson, B. A. Eipper, and R. E. Mains (1999) The Novel Kinase P-CIP2 Interacts with the Cytosolic Routing Determinants of the Peptide Processing Enzyme Peptidylglycine alpha-Amidating Monooxygenase. J. Biol. Chem. 274, 34646.

7.     R. C. Johnson, P. Penzes, B. A. Eipper, and R. E. Mains (2000) Isoforms of Kalirin, a Neuronal Dbl Family Member, Generated through Use of Different 5'- and 3'-Ends Along with an Internal Translational Initiation Site. J. Biol. Chem. 275, 19324.

8.     P. Penzes, R. C. Johnson, R. Sattler, X. Zhang, V. Kambampati, R. L. Huganir, R. E. Mains, and B. A. Eipper (2001) The neuronal Rho-GEF Kalirin-7 interacts with PDZ domain-containing proteins and regulates dendritic morphogenesis. Neuron 29, 229.

9.     P. Penzes, R. C. Johnson, V. Kambampati, R. E. Mains, and B. A. Eipper (2001) Distinct roles for the two GEF domains of kalirin in regulation of neurite growth and neuronal morphology.  J. Neurosci. 21, 8426.

10.  P. Penzes, A. Beeser, J. Chernoff, M. Schiller, B. A. Eipper, R. E. Mains, and R. L. Huganir (2003) Rapid induction of dendritic spine morphogenesis by trans-synaptic ephrinB-EphB receptor activation of the Rho-GEF kalirin. Neuron 37, 263. Faculty of 1000 recommended.

11.  Z. Xie, R. L. Huganir and P. Penzes (2005) Dendritic spine structural plasticity is regulated by small GTPase Rap1 and PDZ protein AF-6. Neuron 48, 605-618. Faculty of 1000 “Must Read”.

12.  C. Schrick, A. Fischer, D. Srivastava, N. Tronson, P. Penzes, J. Radulovic (2007) N-cadherin regulates cytoskeletally-associated IQGAP1/ERK signaling and memory formation. Neuron 55, 786.

13.  Z. Xie, D. P. Srivastava, H. Photowala, K. Li, M. E. Cahill, K. M. Woolfrey, C. Y. Shum, D. J. Surmeier, P. Penzes (2007) Kalirin-7 controls activity-dependent structural and functional plasticity of dendritic spines. Neuron 56, 640. Faculty of 1000 “Must Read”.

14.  P. Penzes (2007) Pumping up the synapse. Neuron 56, 942.

15.  Z. Xie, H. Photowala, K. Woolfrey, M. E. Cahill, D. P. Srivastava, C. Y. Shum, R. L. Huganir, P. Penzes (2008) Coordination of synaptic adhesion with dendritic spine remodeling by AF-6 and kalirin-7. J. Neuroscience. June 11.

16.  P. Penzes, K. A. Jones (2008) Dendritic spine dynamics – a key role for Kalirin-7. Trends Neurosci. (invited review), in press

 

Research Support

 

Ongoing Research Support

R01 MH071316-01A1             Penzes (PI)                              6/1/05-5/31/10                                     Total: $900,000

NIH/NIMH

Role of kalirin-7 and Rac1 in synaptic plasticity.

 

R01MH071316-S1                              Penzes (PI)                              6/1/05-5/31/10                         Total: $10,000

NIH/NIMH BRCP supplement

Role of kalirin-7 and Rac1 in synaptic plasticity.

 

Young Investigator Award                   Penzes (PI)                              7/1/07-6/30/09                         Total: $60,000

NARSAD

 

Completed Research Support

R03 MH61873                                     Penzes (PI)                                          9/21/01-8/31/03                                    Total: $100,000

NIH/NIMH

Regulation of the actin cytoskeleton in dendritic spines.

 

Young Investigator Award                   Penzes (PI)                                          7/1/03-6/30/04                         Total: $60,000

National Alliance for Research in Schizophrenia and Depression (NARSAD)

Regulation of serotonin signaling by interactions of 5HT2A with PDZ domain-containing proteins and the Rac1-GEF kalirin.

 

grant                                                    Penzes (PI)                                          7/1/04-6/30/05                                    Total: $60,000

American Federation for Aging Research (AFAR)

Regulation of structural plasticity of excitatory synapses.

 

Pilot grant                                                        Penzes (PI)                                          7/1/04-6/30/05                                    Total: $30,000

Northwestern Alzheimer’s Disease Center

Synaptic structural plasticity in Alzheimer's model mice.

 

grant                                                    Penzes (PI)                                          7/1/04-6/30/06                                     Total: $120,000

National Alliance for Autism Research (NAAR)

Regulation of structural plasticity of excitatory synapses.