Contact Information
Research Interests
Neurodevelopment, Signal Transduction, Synaptic Transmission, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Epilepsy
Research Description
An imbalance in neuronal and synaptic excitability is a common abnormality observed in patients with various psychiatric and neurological disorders. Identifying and understanding the mechanisms underlying the regulation of excitability will potentially reveal novel therapeutic targets for these diseases. My laboratory utilizes various approaches including molecular and cell biology, biochemistry, electrophysiology, and mouse genetics to understand the regulation of excitability homeostasis at synaptic, neuronal, network and system levels. We particularly study three diseases that are associated altered neuronal excitability: epilepsy, autism spectrum disorders and Alzheimer's disease.
Education
B.S. 2002 National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
M.Sc. 2004 National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
Ph.D. 2009 University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
Postdoc 2010-2014 University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX
Grants
National Institute of Health (NINDS, NIMH, NIA, NCATS)
Brain and Behavioral Research Foundation
Simons Foundation
American Heart Association
FRAXA Research Foundation
UIUC Campus Research Board
Alzheimer's Association
Awards and Honors
2020 James and Maxine Heath Excellence in Teaching Award
2019 Arnold O. Beckman Research Award
2016 - 2024 Teachers Ranked as Excellent
2015, 2018 NARSAD Young Investigator Award
2014 Simons Foundation Autism Initiative-Explorer Award
2011 National Research Service Award (NRSA) from NIH
2011 Meritorious Award at Postdoctoral Symposium at UTSW
2010 Dr. Marvin and Hadassah Bacaner Research Award, University of Minnesota
2008 Veneziale-Steer Research Award, University of Minnesota
2008 Milne Brandenberg Graduate Research Award, University of Minnesota
Courses Taught
MCB 402 - Sys & Integrative Physiology
MCB 466 - Neuro & Molecular Pharmacology
Additional Campus Affiliations
Neuroscience Program
Beckman Institute
External Links
Recent Publications
Kumar V, Lee KY, Acharya A, Babik MS, Christian-Hinman CA, Rhodes JS and Tsai NP (2024) mGluR7 allosteric modulator AMN082 corrects protein synthesis and pathological phenotypes in FXS. EMBO Mol Med (in press)
Yook Y, Lee KY, Kim E, Lizarazo S, Yu X, and Tsai NP (2024) Hyperfunction of PSD-95 Promotes Seizure Response in Early-Stage Aβ Pathology. EMBO Rep (in press)
Lee KY, Wang H, Yook Y, Rhodes JS, Christian-Hinman CA, and Tsai NP (2023) Tumor suppressor p53 modulates activity-dependent synapse strengthening, autism-like behavior and hippocampus-dependent learning. Molecular Psychiatry 28,3782–3794 [Link to paper] [News release]
Lizarazo S, Yook Y, and Tsai NP (2022) Amyloid beta induces Fmr1-dependent translational suppression and hyposynchrony of neural activity via phosphorylation of eIF2α and eEF2. J Cell Physiol 237:2929-2942 [Link to paper]
Lee KY, Zhu J, Cutia CA, Christian-Hinman CA, Rhodes JS and Tsai NP (2021) Infantile spasm-linked Nedd4-2 mediates hippocampal plasticity and learning via cofilin signaling. EMBO Rep 22:e52645 Link to paper
Liu DC, Lee KY, Lizarazo S, Cook JK and Tsai NP (2021) ER stress-induced modulation of neural activity and seizure susceptibility is impaired in a fragile X syndrome mouse model. Neurobiol Dis 158: 105450 Link to paper
Eagleman DE, Zhu J, Liu DC, Seimetz J, Kalsotra A and Tsai NP (2020) Unbiased Proteomic Screening Identifies a Novel Role for the E3 Ubiquitin Ligase Nedd4-2 in Translational Suppression during ER Stress. J Neurochem 157:1809-1820 Link to paper
Liu DC, Eagleman DE and Tsai NP (2019) Novel Roles of ER Stress in Repressing Neural Activity and Seizures through Mdm2- and p53-dependent Protein Translation. PLOS Genet. 15(9):e1008364 [Link to paper][News release]
Lee KY, Jewett KA, Chung HJ and Tsai NP (2018) Loss of fragile X protein FMRP impairs homeostatic synaptic downscaling through tumor suppressor p53 and ubiquitin E3 ligase Nedd4-2. Hum Mol Genet. 27:2805–2816 [Link to paper][News release 1][News release 2]
Liu DC, Seimetz J, Lee KY, Kalsotra A, Chung HJ, Lu H and Tsai NP (2017) Mdm2 mediates FMRP- and Gp1 mGluR-dependent protein translation and neural network activity. Hum Mol Genet. 26:3895–3908 [Link to paper]
Zhu J, Lee KY, Jewett KA, Man HY, Chung HJ and Tsai NP (2017) Epilepsy-associated gene Nedd4-2 mediates neuronal activity and seizure susceptibility through AMPA receptors. PLOS Genet. 13:e1006634 [Link to paper][Commentary][MCB News]
Jewett KA, Zhu J, and Tsai NP (2015) The tumor suppressor p53 guides GluA1 homeostasis through Nedd4-2 during chronic elevation of neuronal activity. J Neurochem 135:226-233
Wilkerson JR*, Tsai NP*, Maksimova MA, Wu H, Cabalo NP, Loerwald KW, Dictenberg JB, Gibson JR and Huber KM (2014). A role for dendritic mGluR5-mediated local translation of Arc/Arg3.1 in MEF2-dependent synapse elimination. Cell Rep 7:1589-1600 (*equal contribution)
Tsai NP*, Wilkerson, JR*, Guo, W, Maksimova, MA, DeMartino, GN, Cowan CW and Huber KM (2012) Multiple autism-linked genes mediate synapse elimination via proteasomal degradation of a synaptic scaffold PSD-95. Cell 151: 1581-1594 (*equal contribution)