Nathan Rustay, Ph.D.

Undergraduate degree: B.S. (Psychology) 1998, Washington State University

Training at OHSU: 1998 - 2004

Second Year Project (2000): The development of rapid tolerance to the ataxic effects of ethanol in HOT and COLD selected lines of mice. (Mentor: John Crabbe, Ph.D.)

Ph.D. (2004): Genetic and pharmacological characterization of rapid tolerance to the ataxic effects of ethanol in mice. (Mentor: John Crabbe, Ph.D.)

Current position: Sr. Research Pharmacologist, Neuroscience Research, Abbott Laboratories

Email: nathan.rustay@abbott.com

Background & Interests

As an undergraduate psychology major, I became very interested in how the brain works. In particular, I was very interested in how the brain can adapt through experience, which can lead to significant changes in behavior. I was fortunate to get involved in a lab which studied cocaine self- administration and seeking behavior. This experience solidified my interest in neuroscience and steered me in the direction of OHSU's department of Behavioral Neuroscience.

I must admit, my first few months in the department were quite daunting - getting to interact with, and be taught by some of the most respected names in the drug and alcohol research realm. As it turned out, the faculty expertise was a huge asset to my scientific development. The faculty also proved to be very approachable and willing to help in any way they were able. I found the opportunity to rotate through a few labs in my first year very useful, as I wasn't completely sure of the direction I wanted my research to take. When rotating in Dr. John Crabbe's lab, I found an interest in behavioral genetics, another area in which the department is incredibly strong. My research focused on the development of tolerance to alcohol's incoordinating effects, using several different genetic mouse models. My dissertation project incorporated both behavioral genetics and pharmacology in an attempt to elucidate the neurotransmitter systems and receptors responsible for the development of tolerance to alcohol. This led to my current position as a Postdoctoral Fellow at the National Institute of Mental Health studying the neurochemistry and pharmacology involved in Alzheimer's disease.

Portland is a wonderful place to spend your years in graduate school. The "winter" may be a little gray and damp, but the amazing summers more than make up for it. OHSU is surrounded by beauty on all sides, and has great views of all of it. Portland's downtown is casual and clean, and has a seemingly endless supply of restaurants and pubs, sporting some of the world's best microbrews! Outdoor activities abound, and are near enough to enjoy even after a day's work in the lab. I couldn't imagine going to graduate school anywhere else.

Publications:

Rustay NR, Crabbe JC (2004) Genetic analysis of rapid tolerance to ethanol's incoordinating effects in mice: Inbred strains and artificial selection. Beh Gen, 34(4), 441-451.

Herson PS, Virk M, Rustay NR, Bond CT, Crabbe JC, Adelman JP, Maylie J (2003) A mouse model of episodic ataxia type-1. Nat Neurosci 6(4), 378-383.

Rustay NR, Wahlsten D, Crabbe JC (2003) Influence of task parameters on a rotarod performance and sensitivity to ethanol in mice. Behav Brain Res, 141(2), 239-251.

Rustay NR, Wahlsten D, Crabbe JC (2003) Assessment of genetic susceptibility to ethanol intoxication in mice. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA, 100(5), 2917-2922.

Wahlsten D, Rustay NR, Metten P, Crabbe JC (2003) In search of a better mouse test. Trends Neurosci, 26(3), 132-136.

Rustay NR, Boehm II SL, Schafer GL, Browman KE, Erwin VG, Crabbe JC (2001) Sensitivity and tolerance to ethanol-induced ataxia and hypothermia in the high and low acute functional tolerance selected lines. Pharmacol Biochem Behav, 70, 167-174.

Browman KE, Rustay NR, Nikolaidis N, Crawshaw L, Crabbe JC (2000) Sensitivity and tolerance to ethanol in mouse lines selected for ethanol-induced hypothermia. Pharmacol Biochem Behav, 67, 821-829.

Reilly MT, Rustay NR, Crabbe JC, Finn DA (2000) Acute neuroactive steroid withdrawal in withdrawal seizure-prone and withdrawal seizure-resistant mice. Pharmacol Biochem Behav, 67, 709-717.

Atkins AL, Rustay NR, Crabbe JC (2000) Ethanol- and pentobarbital-induced anxiolysis with withdrawal seizure-prone and withdrawal seizure-resistant mice. Alcohol Clin Exp Res, 24(12), 1743-1749.

 

Last Updated: March 16, 2007