Course Member

Research Interests:

I am interested in neuromodulation, evolution of neural circuits, and neuromics. My main research animal is the nudibranch mollusc, Tritonia diomedea. There are serotonergic neurons in this animal intrinsic to the Central Pattern Generator for the swim motor pattern.  We have looked at homologous neurons in related species.  We are also developing a web-based tool for cataloging neurons and connections called NeuronBank.
You can visit my lab webpage at www2.gsu.edu/~biopsk.

Publications:

Sakurai A, Katz PS (2009) State-, timing-, and pattern-dependent neuromodulation of synaptic strength by a serotonergic interneuron. J Neurosci. 2009 Jan 7;29(1):268-79. PMID: 19129403

Newcomb, JM and Katz PS (2009) Different functions for homologous serotonergic interneurons and serotonin in species-specific rhythmic behaviours. 276(1654):99-108. PMID: 18782747

Hill ES, Sakurai A, Katz PS. (2008) Transient enhancement of spike-evoked calcium signaling by a serotonergic interneuron, J Neurophysiol. 100(5):2919-28. PMID: 18815341

S Clemens, R Calin-Jageman, and PS. Katz (2007 ) Altering cAMP levels within a central pattern generator modifies or disrupts rhythmic motor output. J. Comp. Physiol. 193(12):1265-71. PMID: 17972082

A. Sakurai, R.J. Calin-Jageman, and P.S. Katz (2007) The potentiation phase of spike timing-dependent neuromodulation by a serotonergic interneuron involves an increase in the fraction of transmitter release. Journal of Neurophysiology. 98(4):1975-87 PMID: 17686912

R. Calin-Jageman, M. Tunstall, B. Mensh,P.S. Katz, W. N. Frost (2007) Parameter space analysis suggests multi-site plasticity contributes to motor pattern initiation in Tritonia. Journal of Neurophysiology 98(4):2382-98. PMID: 17652417

E.S. Hill and P.S. Katz (2007) The role of membrane potential in calcium signaling during rhythmic bursting in Tritonia swim interneurons. Journal of Neurophysiology, 97(3): 2204-2214 PMID: 17229821

R.J. Calin-Jageman, A. Dhawan, H. Yang, H.-C. Wang, H. Tian, P. Phoungphol, C. Frederick, J. Balasooriya, Y. Chen, S.K. Prasad, R. Sunderraman, Y. Zhu, and P.S. Katz (2007) Development of NeuronBank: A Federation of Customizable Knowledge Bases of Neuronal Circuitry,  Proceedings of the Ist IEEE International Workshop on Service Oriented Technologies for Biological Databases and Tools - IEEE Services Computing Workshops (SOBDAT/SCW 2007).  July 13,  Salt Lake City, Utah.

J.M. Newcomb and P.S. Katz (2007) Homologues of serotonergic central pattern generator neurons in related nudibranch molluscs with divergent behaviors, J.Comp.Physiol.A. 193(4): 425-443. PMID: 17180703

P.S. Katz (2006) Evolution and Development of Neural Circuits in Invertebrates. Current Opinion in Neurobiology. 17(1): 59-64. PMID: 17174546