Jason  O'Connor, Ph.D.

My laboratory is interested in understanding the complex interactions between the immune system and the brain, with an emphasis on inflammation-induced neuropsychiatric and neurodevelopmental diseases. We have identified the kynurenine pathway of tryptophan metabolism as an important mediator of the effects of proinflammatory factors in the brain, including microglial activity, neuronal architecture, behavior and cognition. Currently, projects in the lab are exploring the (1) effects of neurotoxic kynurenine metabolites on depressive behaviors and cognitive function (2) the neurodevelopmental consequences of prenatal inflammation (3) and the role of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor in regulating neuroinflammation.

• Professional Background

  Education

  • 2007 - Postdoctoral Fellowship - Nutritional Sciences - Ruth L. Kirchstein NRSA Postdoctoral Fellowship
  • 2005 - PhD - Animal Sciences - University of Illinois
  • 1999 - BS - Agriculture - Animal Science (High Honors) - University of Illinois

  Appointments

  • 9/2017 - Associate Professor - The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, School of Medicine, Pharmacology, San Antonio
  • 2/2014 - Research Health Specialist - South Texas Veteran's Health Care System - Audie L. Murphy VA HospitalSan Antonio
  • 6/2010 - Assistant Professor - The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, School of Medicine, Pharmacology, San Antonio
  • 6/2010 - Member - The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, San Antonio
  • 6/2010 - Faculty Member - The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, Mood Disorders Translational Core Center, Mood Disorders Translational Core Center, San Antonio

• Instruction & Training

  • 4/2017 - Present, Masters' Thesis Directed, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
  • 8/2016 - Present, Research, The University of Texas Health Science Center
  • 8/2016 - Present, Pharmacological Principles in Physical Therapy, The University of Texas Health Science Center
  • 8/2016 - Present, Dissertation, The University of Texas Health Science Center
  • 6/2015 - Present, Membership on Supervising Committee, Karolinska Institutet, Sweden
  • 2/2015 - Present, Pre-Doctoral Student Supervision, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
  • 1/2015 - Present, Pharmacology II, The University of Texas Health Science Center
  • 1/2015 - Present, PHAR5031 - Principles of Pharmacology and Physiology, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
  • 8/2014 - Present, Innovatioin in Teaching Methods, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
  • 8/2014 - Present, Pharmacology Seminar, The University of Texas Health Science Center
  • 7/2014 - Present, Pre-Doctoral Student Supervision, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
  • 6/2014 - Present, Undergraduate Student Supervision, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
  • 6/2012 - Present, Biological Bases of Brain Function, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
  • 8/2011 - Present, IBMS 6090 Neuroscience Seminar, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
  • 8/2011 - Present, IMGP/IBMS 7010 Neuroscience Journal Club and Presentation, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
  • 8/2011 - Present, Fundamentals of Neuroscience II, The University of Texas Health Science Center
  • 8/2011 - Present, Fundamentals of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Texas Health Science Center

• Research & Grants

  Grants

  Federal

  Funding Agency VA Title Role of brain-derived neurotrophic factor in regulating neuroinflammation and mental health Status Active Period 10/2016 - 9/2020 Role Principal Investigator Grant Detail The objective of this grant is to investigate the interaction between BDNF and cytokines in mediating inflammation-induced dysfunction of the prefrontal cortex. Funding Agency Department of Veterans Affairs Title Macrophage-Mediated Gene Delivery of Neurotrophic Factors for Parkinson`s Disease Status Active Period 10/2011 - 9/2019 Role Co-Investigator Grant Detail Using a chronic MPTP mouse model and regulatable glial-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF)-expressing lentivectors, this project explores the efficacy and safety of hematopoietic stem cell-based macrophage-mediated GDNF gene therapy as a potential approach to Parkinson?s disease.

  Private

  Funding Agency Southwest National Primate Research Center, Pilot Program Title Advancing autism research from mice to marmosets: maternal immune activation Status Active Period 7/2016 - 6/2018 Role Principal Investigator Grant Detail Objective: to validate and begin to characterize the poly I:C maternal immune activation model of autism in marmosets with emphasis on exploring inflammation at the maternal:fetal interface, metabolic dysregulation and neurodevelopmental markers associated with an ASD-like phenotype.

  State

  Funding Agency 2016 Briscoe Women's Health Scholar Title Stop fueling the fire: a novel approach to protect the brain from neurotoxic metabolism Status Active Period 1/2017 - 1/2018 Role Principal Investigator Grant Detail  

• Publications

  Abstract

  Bhattacharya A, O`Connor JC, Acton P, Papp M, Lovenberg T, Chrovian C, Letavic M. The role of P2X7 ion channel in models of neuroinflammation and depression; 2016 Jan. (Presented at the Society of Biological Psychiatry). Olvera RL, Cruz D, O`Connor JC, Williamson DE. Life stress and the kynurenine pathway as predictors of depressive symptoms in adolescents; 2016 Jan. (Biological Psychiatry). Dugan AM, Parrott JM, Hensler JG, O`Connor JC. Chronic mild stress activates neurotoxic kynurenine metabolism in BDNF deficient mice independent of inflammation; 2015 Jan. (Presented at the 22nd Annual Department of Pharmacology Graduate Student Symposium). Parrott JM, Dugan AM, O`Connor JC. Intranasal brain -derived neurotrophic factor potentiates the hippocampal anti-inflammatory response to peripheral lipopolysaccharide; 2015 Jan. (Presented at the Center for Biomedical Neuroscience Retreat). Dugan AM, Parrott JM, Delgado JN, O`Connor JC. Neurotoxic kynurenine metabolism modulates microglial activity following lipopolysaccharide challenge; 2015 Jan. (Presented at the Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting). Dugan AM, Parrott JM, Hensler JG, O`Connor JC. Chronic mild stress activates neurotoxic kynurenine metabolism in BDNF deficient mice independent of inflammation; 2015 Jan. (Presented at the Center for Biomedical Neuroscience Retreat). Debnath S, O`Connor JC, Velagapudi C, Lorenzo C, Abboud HE. Enhanced tryptophan metabolism and IDO activity in CKD; 2015 Jan. (Presented at the National Kidney Foundation). Parrott JM, Redus L, Dugan AM, O`Connor JC. Brain region specificity of inflammation-associated kynurenine metabolism; 2015 Jan. (Presented at the Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting). O`Connor JC, Cruz DA, Redus L, Morales J, Thompson PA, Heisler JM. Kynurenine metabolism mediates inflammation-induced cognitive dysfunction and impulsivity; 2014 Nov. (Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting).

  Journal Article

  Debnath S, Velagapudi C, Redus L, Thameem F, Kasinath BS, Hura CE, Lorenzo C, Abboud HE, O`Connor JC. Tryptophan metabolism in patients with chronic kidney disease secondary to Type 2 diabetes: Relationship to inflammatory markers doi: 10.1177/1178646917694600 Int J Tryptophan Res 2017 Jan;. Solano-Fonseca R, Mahesula S, Apple D, Dugan A, Cardona A, O`Connor JC, Kokovay E. Neurogenic niche microglia undergo positional remodeling and progressive activation contributing to age-associated reductions in neurogenesis Stem Cells Dev 2016 Apr;25(7):542-555. Gonzalez-Pena D, Nixon S, O`Connor JC, Southey B, Lawson M, McCusker R, Borras T, Machuca D, Hernandez A, Dantzer R, Kelley K, Rodriguez-Zas S. Microglia transcriptome changes in a model of depressive behavior after immune challenge PLoS One 2016 Mar;11(3). Parrott JM, Redus L, Morales J, Gao X, O`Connor JC. Neurotoxic kynurenine metabolism is increased in the dorsal hippocampus and drives distinct depressive behaviors during inflammation (IN PRESS) Translational Psychiatry 2016 Jan;. Parrott JM, Redus L, O`Connor JC. Kynurenine metabolic balance is disrupted in the hippocampus following peripheral lipopolysaccharide challenge J Neuroinflammation 2016 Jan;13(1):124-138. Sareddy GR, Zhang Q, Wang R, Scott E, Zou Y, O`Connor JC, Chen Y, Dong Y, Vadlamudi RK, Brann D. Proline-, glutamic acid-, and leucine-rich protein (PELP1) mediates estrogen rapid signaling and neuroprotection in the brain Proc Natl Acad Sci 2015 Dec;112(48):E6673-E6682. Heisler JM, O`Connor JC. Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase-dependent neurotoxic kynurenine metabolism mediates inflammation-induced deficit in recognition memory Brain Behav Immun 2015 Nov;50:115-124. Dugan AM, Parrott JM, Redus L, Hensler JG, O`Connor JC. Low-level stress induces production of neuroprotective factors in wild-type but not BDNF /- mice: interleukin 10 and kynurenic acid The International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology 2015 Aug;19(3). Parrott JM, O`Connor JC. Kynurenine 3-monooxygenase: an influential mediator of neuropathology Front Psychiatry 2015 Aug;6. Nixon SE, Gonzalez-Pena D, Lawson MA, McCusker RH, Hernandez AG, O`Connor JC, Dantzer R, Kelley KW, Rodriguez-Zas S. Analytical workflow profiling gene expression in murine macrophages Journal of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology 2015 Apr;13(2). Rodriguez-Zas S, Nixon SE, Lawson MA, McCusker RH, Southey BR, O`Connor JC, Dantzer R, Kelley KW. Advancing the understanding of behaviors associated with bacille Calmette Guerin infection using multivariate analysis Brain Behav Immun 2015 Feb;44:176-186. Heisler JM, Donegan JJ, Jett JD, Redus L, O`Connor JC. The attentional set shifting task: a measure of cognitive flexibility in mice J Vis Exp 2015 Feb;96.