1. Positions and Honors:

Positions and Employment

1990                   Attending Physician (General Medicine), Trains of Colombia.

1990-1993         Research-Teaching Assistant (Biomedical Sci.), University of California, Riverside.

1993-1996          Postdoctoral Fellow (Pharmacology), University of Colorado Health Sciences Center

1996-1998          Instructor (Pharmacology), University of Colorado Health Sciences Center

1998-                   Assistant Professor of Neurosciences, Univ. New Mexico School of Medicine

Other Experience and Professional Memberships

1994-Research Society on Alcoholism

1995-Society for Neurosciences

1999-2002 University of New Mexico HSC Animal Care & Use Committee

2000-University of New Mexico M.D./Ph.D. Program Steering Committee

2002-2006-Regular member; ALTOX-3 Study Section, NIH

Honors

1987      Honor's graduation as the student with the highest GPA, Class of 1987, Colombian School of Medicine.

2002      UNM School of Medicine-Dean's distinguished award for outstanding faculty performance.

2.   Selected Publications (From a total of  54)

1. Valenzuela, CF.,  Kerr, J.A., and Johnson, DA. Quinacrine binds to the lipid-protein interface of the Torpedo acetylcholine receptor: A fluorescence study. J. Biol. Chem. 267, 8238-8244, 1992.

2. Arias, HR., Valenzuela, CF., and Johnson, DA. Transverse localization of the quinacrine binding site on the Torpedo acetylcholine receptor. J. Biol. Chem.  268, 6348-6355, 1993.

3. Arias, HR., Valenzuela, CF., and Johnson, DA. Quinacrine and ethidium bind to different loci on the Torpedo acetylcholine receptor. Biochemistry. 32, 6237-6242, 1993.

4. Valenzuela, CF., Johnson, DA., and Yguerabide, J. Transverse distance between the membrane and the agonist binding sites on the Torpedo acetylcholine receptor: a fluorescence study. Biophys. J. 66, 674-682, 1994.

5. Valenzuela, CF., Weign, P., Dowding, A., and Johnson, D.A. Antibody-induced changes of the Torpedo acetylcholine receptor: A fluorescence study. Biochemistry. 33, 6586-6594, 1994.

6. Valenzuela, CF., Machu, TK., McKernan, RM, Whiting, P., VanRenterghem, BB., McManaman JL., Brozowski, SJ., Smith, GB., Olsen, RW., and Harris, RA. Tyrosine kinase phosphorylation of GABA_A receptors. Mol. Brain. Res. 31, 165-172, 1995.

7. Valenzuela, CF., Kazlauskas, A., Brozowski, SJ., Weiner, JF., DeMali, KA., McDonald, BJ., Moss, SJ., Dunwiddie, TV., and Harris, RA. Platelet-derived growth factor is a novel modulator of type A GABA-gated ion channels. Mol. Pharmacol. 48, 1099-1107, 1995.

8. Valenzuela, CF., Xiong, Z., MacDonald, JF., Weiner, JL., Frazier, CJ., Dunwiddie, TV., Kazlauskas, A., Whiting, PJ., and Harris, RA. Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) induces a long-term inhibition of NMDA receptor function. J. Biol. Chem. 271, 16151-16159, 1996.

9. Mascia, M.P., Mihic, S.J., Valenzuela, C.F., Schofield, P.R., Harris, R.A. A single amino acid determines differences in ethanol actions on strychnine-sensitive glycine receptors. Mol. Pharmacol. 50, 402-406, 1996.

10. Huidobro-Toro, JP., Valenzuela, CF., and Harris, RA.  Modulation of GABA_A-Rs by G protein coupled 5-HT_2C receptors. Neuropharmacol. 35, 1355-1363, 1996.

11. Weiner, JL, Valenzuela, CF., Watson, PL., Frazier, CJ., and Dunwiddie, TV. Elevation of basal PKC activity increases ethanol sensitivity of GABA_A receptors in rat hippocampal CA1 neurons. J. Neurochem. 68, 1949-1959, 1997 .

12. Mihic, SJ., Harrison, NL., Ye, Q., Wick, MJ., Koltchine, VV., Finn, SE., Hanson, K., Mascia, MP., Valenzuela, CF., and Harris, RA. A single amino acid determines sensitivity of glycine receptors to general anesthetics. Nature  389, 385-389, 1997.

13. Harris, RA., Valenzuela, CF., Brozowski, SJ., Chuang, L., Hadingham K., Whiting, PJ., Adaptation of GABA_A receptors to alcohol exposure: studies with stably transfected cells. J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther. I284, 180-188, 1998.

14. Valenzuela, CF., Wick, MJ, Cardoso, RA., Weiner, JL., Bleck, V., and Dunwiddie, TV.  Effects of ethanol on recombinant glycine receptors expressed in mammalian cells. Alcohol. Clin. Exp. Res. 22, 1132-1136, 1998.

15. Valenzuela, CF., Cardoso, RA., Nixon, KM., Lickteig, R., Browning, MD., and Harris, RA.  Acute effects of ethanol on recombinant kainate receptors: lack of role of protein phoshorylation. Alcohol. Clin. Exp. Res. 22, 1292-1299, 1998.

16. Valenzuela, CF., Bhave, S., Hoffman P., and Harris, RA.  Acute effects of ethanol on pharmacologically isolated kainate receptors in cerebellar granule neurons: comparison with NMDA and AMPA receptors. J. Neurochem. 71, 1777-1780, 1998.

17. Wick, MJ, Bleck, V., Whatley, VJ, Brozowski, SJ, Nixon KM,  Cardoso, RA. and Valenzuela, CF.  Stable expression of human glycine a₁ and a₂ homomeric receptors in mouse L(tk^-) cells. J. Neurosci. Meth.87:97-103, 1999.

18.Valenzuela, CF., and Cardoso, RA. Acute effects of ethanol on kainate receptors with different subunit compositions. J. Pharmacol. Exp.Ther. 288:1199-1206, 1999.

19. Cardoso, RA, Brozowski, SJ, Chavez-Noriega, L.E., Harpold, M., Valenzuela, CF., and Harris, RA. Effects of ethanol on recombinant human nicotinic acetylcholine receptors expressed in Xenopus oocytes.  J. Pharmacol. Exp.Ther. 289:774-780, 1999.

20. Weiner, J.L, Dunwiddie, T.V., and Valenzuela, C.F. Ethanol inhibition of synaptically evoked kainate responses in rat hippocampal CA3 pyramidal neurons. Mol. Pharmacol. 56:85-90, 1999.

21.Ferreira, V., Valenzuela C.F., and Morato G.S. Role of nitric oxide-dependent pathways in ethanol-induced anxiolytic effects in rats. Alcoholism Clin Exp. Res. 23:1898-1904, 1999.

21.Lei, S., Lu., W-Y, Xiong, Z.-G., Orser, B.A., Valenzuela, C.F. and MacDonald, J.F> PDGF receptor-induced feed-forward inhibition of excitatory transmission between hippocampal neurones. J. Biol. Chem, 274: 30617-30623, 1999

22. Partridge, L.D. and Valenzuela, C.F. Ca²⁺ stores-dependent potentiation of Ca²⁺-activated non-selective cation channels in rat hippocampal neurones. J. Physiol. 521:617-627, 2000.

23.Costa, E.T., Soto, E.E., Cardoso, R.A., Olivera, D.S. and Valenzuela, C.F. Acute Effects of ethanol on kainatereceptors in cultured hippocampal neurons. Alcoholism clin Exp. Res. 24:220-224, 2000.

Valenzuela, C.F. Acute Effects of ethanol on kainate receptors in cultured hippocampal neurons. Alcoholism Clin Exp. Res. 24:220-225, 2000

24. E.T. Costa, D.S. Olivera, D. Meyer, V. M. Ferreira, E. E. Soto, S. Frausto, D. D. Savage and C. F Valenzuela.  Fetal Alcohol Exposure Alters Neurosteroid Modulation of Hippocampal NMDA Receptors. J. Biol. Chem. 275, 38268-38274, 2000.

25. Partridge, D.L. and Valenzuela, C.F.  Neurosteroid-induced enhancement of glutamate transmission in rat hippocampal slices. Neurosci Lett. 301, 103-106, 2001.

26.Washbourne P, Thompson PM, Carta M, Costa ET, Mathews JR, Lopez-Benditó G, Molnár Z, Becher MW, Valenzuela CF, Partridge LD and Wilson MC. Genetic ablation of the t-SNARE SNAP-25 distinguishes mechanisms of neuroexocytosis. Nat Neurosci 5: 19-26, 2002.

27. M.Carta, D.S. Olivera, T.S. Dettmer, and C. F. Valenzuela. Ethanol withdrawal upregulates kainate receptors in cultured hippocampal neurons. Neurosci Lett. 327: 128-132, 2002.

28.L.D. Partridge, C. F. Valenzuela. Neurosteroids enhance bandpass filter characteristics of the rat Schaffer collateral-to-CA1 synapse. Neurosci Lett. 326: 1-4, 2002.

29. Meyer, D.A., Carta, M., Partridge, L.D., Covey, D. F., and Valenzuela, C.F.  Neurosteroids enhance spontaneous glutamate release in hippocampal neurons. J. Biol. Chem. 277, 28725-28732, 2002.

30.        Carta, M, Allan, A.M., Partridge, L.D., and Valenzuela, C.F. Effect of cocaine on 5-HT3 receptor-mediated currents in hippocampal neurons from transgenic mice overexpressing the receptor. Eur. J. Pharmacol. 459, 167-169, 2003.

31. Dettmer, T.S., Barnes, A., Iqbal, U., Bailey, C.D.C., Reynolds, J.N., Brien, J.F., and Valenzuela, C.F. Chronic prenatal ethanol exposure alters ionotropic glutamate receptor expression subunit protein levels in the adult guinea pig cerebral cortex. Alcoholism. Clin. Exp. Res. 27, 677-681, 2003.

32.      Costa, ET, Ferreira, VM, Valenzuela C.F. Evidence that Nitric Oxide Regulates the Acute Effects of Ethanol on NMDA Receptors in vitro. Neuroscience Lett. 343, 41-44, 2003.

33. 46. Carta, M., Partridge, L.D., Savage, DD., Valenzuela, C.F. Neurosteroid Modulation of Glutamate Release in Hippocampal Neurons: Lack of an Effect of a Chronic Prenatal Ethanol Exposure Paradigm. Alcoholism. Clin. Exp. Res. 27, 1194-1198, 2003

34.       Carta, M., Ariwodola, O.J., Weiner, J.L., and Valenzuela, C.F. Alcohol potently inhibits the kainate receptor-dependent excitatory drive of hippocampal interneurons. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA.  Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA.  100, 6813-6818, 2003.

C. Research Support:

Ongoing Research Support:

 “Effects of Chronic Alcohol Exposure on Kainate Receptor-mediated Neurotransmission in the Hippocampus”.

P.I: C. F. Valenzuela.

Agency: U.S. Army.

Type: Special Programs; Period: 7-1-00 to 6-31-03 (non-cost extension until 6-31-04)

Goal : to study the effects of chronic alcohol exposure on kainate receptor-mediated neurotransmission in the hippocampus

“Fetal alcohol exposure, NMDA receptors and neurosteroids”

P.I. C.F. Valenzuela

Agency: NIH/NIAAA

Type: R01-12684; Period 03-01-01 to 02-31-05

Goal: The major goal of this project is to study alterations in the modulatory actions of neurosteroids induced by fetal alcohol exposure

“Presynaptic site of action of neurosteroids: "

P.I. Donald Partridge

Co-P.I. Valenzuela

Agency: NIH/NIMH

Type: R21-63126; Period 05-01-02 to 04-30-04

Goal: To characterize the effect of neurosteroids on glutamate release in hippocampal neurons.

"Alcohol research training in neurosciences."

Nora Perrone-Bizzozero (P.I.),

C.F. Valenzuela (Core Faculty)

Agency: NIH-NIAAA

Type: T32-AA14127 Period: 07/01/03-06/30/08.

Goal: training grant for graduate students

Completed Research Projects

 “Phosphorylation and actions of ethanol on ion channels”

P.I: C.F. Valenzuela.  Mentors: R.A. Harris and T.V. Dunwiddie (at Colorado); John Connor and D. Partridge (at N.M.)

Agency: NIH/NIAAA; Type: KO1 (AA00227). Period: 8-1-96 to 7-31-00

Goal : to characterize the role of phosphorylation in mediating or modulating the effects of ethanol on ligand-gated ion channels.

“Impact of Long-Term Ethanol Exposure on Hippocampal Kainate Receptors:

P.I.: C. F. Valenzuela . Agency: Alcoholic Beverages Medical Foundation

Type: Grant-in-aid; Period: 7-1-00 to 6-31-02

Goal : To study characterize the effects of chronic alcohol exposure on kainate receptors in cultured neurons.

Contact the Hispanic and Native American Center of Excellence
University of New Mexico School of Medicine
(505) 272-1419

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