Susan Amara

Ph.D., University of California, San Diego, 1983

Senior Scientist and Professor, Vollum Institute

Investigator, Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Joint Professor, Cell and Developmental Biology

Joint Professor, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Studies in the Amara laboratory are aimed at understanding the contributions of neurotransmitter receptors to CNS function. The monoamine transporters are well-established targets for psychomotor stimulants including cocaine and amphetamines, as well as for a variety of therapeutic antidepressants. Current studies on the monoamine carrier family focus on the structure, regulation, and cellular physiology of catecholamine transporters and their significance to the actions of cocaine and other psychomotor stimulants. The laboratory is also exploring the structural and functional properties of the transport proteins that mediate the reuptake of glutamate at excitatory synapses. Studies on the excitatory amino acid carriers (EAATs1-5), have revealed unexpected roles for members of this transporter family. A novel subtype expressed in the cerebellum, EAAT4, appears to have dual functions as both a transporter and as a ligand-activated chloride channel, suggesting a broader role for transporters in regulating neuronal excitability and post-synaptic signaling mechanisms. Using a variety of molecular genetic, electrophysiologic, and cell biologic approaches, ongoing studies aim to test the relationship of protein structural features to mechanisms of transport and to investigate the impact of these carriers on synaptic function.

To contact Dr. Amara directly: amaras@ohsu.edu