Ken M. Hargreaves, D.D.S., Ph.D.
Uniformed Services University of the Health Science - Bethesda, MD
1986

Professor and Chair
Department of Endodontics, UTHSCSA
Location: 4.533U
(210) 567-3381
hargreaves@uthscsa.edu

Dr. Hargreaves received his DDS from Georgetown University in Washington DC and his Ph.D. in physiology from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, MD. He completed his post-doctoral training and served as a Senior Staff Fellow at the Pain Clinic of the Neurobiology and Anesthesiology Branch at the NIDR, NIH for five years. He then received his specialty training in endodontics at the University of Minnesota, where he served as an associate professor of endodontics and pharmacology for seven years and maintained a private practice limited to endodontics. He joined the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio in 1997.

Primary research interests are in the pharmacology of pain and inflammation. A major focus is on pharmacological regulation of unmyelinated "C" fiber nociceptors, as well as their plasticity in response to inflammation or nerve injury. Investigations are in progress evaluating the effects of cannabinoids, opioids, adrenergics, NPY, sex steroids and other drugs on regulating the activity of these fibers. In addition, we are interested in identifying major classes of inflammatory mediators and associated receptor/signal transduction systems which mediate activation, sensitization and phenotypic plasticity of these primary afferent fibers in response to tissue inflammation. Responses are measured using isolated superfused tissue or cultured neurons, primary trigeminal cultures, microdialysis probes implanted in situ, RIA, EIA, real time PCR, Affymetrex analyses, IHC, ISH, confocal microscopy, calcium imaging, patch clamp electrophysiology, behavior, etc. Studies range from cellular-molecular, to animal behavioral to clinical trials.

Research Techniques:
Responses are measured using isolated superfused tissue or cultured neurons, primary trigeminal cultures, microdialysis probes implanted in situ, RIA, EIA, real time PCR, Affymetrex analyses, IHC, ISH, confocal microscopy, calcium imaging, patch clamp electrophysiology, behavior, etc. Studies range from cellular-molecular, to animal behavioral to clinical trials.

PUBLICATIONS:
Patwardhan AM, Jeske NA, Price TJ, Gamper N, Akopian AN, Hargreaves KM. The cannabinoid WIN 55,212-2 inhibits transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) and evokes peripheral antihyperalgesia via calcineurin. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2006 Jul 25;103(30):11393-8. Epub 2006 Jul 18.

Diogenes A, Patwardhan AM, Jeske NA, Ruparel NB, Goffin V, Akopian AN, Hargreaves KM. Prolactin modulates TRPV1 in female rat trigeminal sensory neurons. J Neurosci. 2006 Aug 2;26(31):8126-36.

Patwardhan AM, Berg KA, Akopain AN, Jeske NA, Gamper N, Clarke WP, Hargreaves KM. Bradykinin-induced functional competence and trafficking of the delta-opioid receptor in trigeminal nociceptors. J Neurosci. 2005 Sep 28;25(39):8825-32.