RESEARCH
Our brains must constantly process a wide variety of stimuli from our environment to generate behavioral responses. In large part, this is regulated by a small number of norepinephrine (NE)-expressing neurons distributed throughout the brainstem, the largest group of which is the Locus Coeruleus (LC). Through release of NE, these neurons modulate numerous behaviors, including regulation of sleep/wake states, increasing attention and memory, and regulation of stress and pain response.
Our lab is interested in identifying and characterizing novel mechanisms that regulate the function of NE circuits in vivo, towards understanding how these brain circuits help to generate distinct behaviors depending on the situation.
Projects in the lab currently focus on:
identifying molecular and anatomical heterogeneity in NE-related brain circuits
visualizing patterns of neural activity in LC-related circuits during diverse behaviors
exploring the relationship between arousal and respiratory brain regions
determining how changes in LC-related brain circuits contribute to neurological disease
designing new molecular tools to target neurons based on multiple properties
To address these questions, we use a wide array of approaches, including viral tracing, next-generation sequencing, in vivo imaging, and optogenetics.
THE LAB
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN
St. Jude is home to a large number of renowned research labs, performing cutting edge work in a variety of scientific disciplines, such as oncology, immunology, structural biology, and neuroscience. The research culture at St. Jude is diverse, collaborative, and innovative, with a strong emphasis on providing outstanding institutional support so that researchers can focus on their science. Our lab is part of the Developmental Neurobiology department, which conducts basic science research on a wide range of topics such as early cell fate decisions, neuronal migration, control of neuronal cell death and regeneration, synaptic physiology, and neural circuit function. We are also part of the newly formed Division of Neural Circuits and Behavior, which provides specialized departmental resources for our studies.
LINDSAY SCHWARZ
Assistant Member
Ph.D., UCSD (Patrick lab)
Postdoc, Stanford University (Luo lab)
lindsay.schwarz@stjude.org
HUNTER FRANKS
Research Technologist
B.A., Univ. of Memphis
hunter.franks@stjude.org
LOURDS MICHELLE FERNANDO
Postdoctoral Fellow
Ph.D., Howard University (Allen lab)
lourds.fernando@stjude.org
CAMERON OGG
Postdoctoral Fellow
Ph.D., UTHSC (Fletcher lab)
cameron.ogg@stjude.org
HUNTER NOLEN
Lab Manager/Research Technologist
M.S., University of Memphis
hunter.nolen@stjude.org
ZACHARY JONES
Postdoctoral Fellow
Ph.D., Florida State University (Zhou lab)
zachary.jones@stjude.org
ALEX HUGHES
Graduate Student
Biomedical Sciences, St. Jude CRH
alex.hughes@stjude.org
CARLOS FERNÁNDEZ-PEÑA Postdoctoral Fellow
Ph.D., Univ. Miguel Hernandez
Postdoc, UTHSC (Jaggar Lab)
carlos.fernandezpena@stjude.org
Alumni:
Gabrielle Pollard, researcher, 2020-2022, Augusta University
Lina González Martínez, postdoc, 2019-2022, Vedere Bio
Sofia Pavlou, visiting student, 2019-2020, University of Bath
Hollie Sanders, lab manager, 2017-2019, AbbVie Pharmaceuticals
Lauma Sarkane, visiting student, 2018-2019, University of Bath
Mailys Ayerdi, visiting student, 2018, Universitè Paris Diderot
Jesse Gammons, Graduate Student, 2017-2019, UTHSC
NEWS
AUGUST 2022: Congrats to Carlos for winning a 2022 NARSAD Young Investigator Award from the Brain and Behavior Research Foundation!
JUNE 2022: Congrats to Zack for being named a Postdoctoral Diversity Enrichment Program Fellow from the Burroughs Wellcome Fund!
DEC 2021: Lindsay receives a Neurobiology of Brain Disorders Award from the McKnight Foundation
OCT 2021: Congrats to Alex for being awarded a Trainee Professional Development Award from SfN!
JUNE 2021: Congrats to Zack on being selected for the Neuroscience Scholars Program from SfN!
FEB 2021: Welcome to Michelle Fernando (postdoc)
JAN 2021: Welcome to Zachary Jones (postdoc)
SEPT 2020: Welcome to Hunter Franks and Gabrielle Pollard (research techs)
AUGUST 2020: Congrats to Lina on being selected as a Scholar for the 2020 Scientist Mentoring & Diversity Program for Biotechnology (SMDP Biotech)!
APRIL 2020: Congrats to Cameron on being named a 2020 Leading Edge Fellow!
APRIL 2020: Lindsay receives an Individual Biomedical Research Award from The Hartwell Foundation
OCT 2019: Welcome to Carlos Fernández Peña (postdoc)
OCT 2019: Lindsay receives a New Innovator Award from the NIH
SEPT 2019: Welcome to Sofia Pavlou (visiting student from University of Bath)
AUGUST 2019: Lindsay receives a NARSAD Young Investigator Grant from the Brain and Behavior Research Foundation
JULY 2019: Welcome to Lina González Martínez (postdoc)
APRIL 2019: Congrats Alex on passing your quals!
SEPT 2018: Welcome to Lauma Sarkane (visiting student from University of Bath)
JULY 2018: Welcome to Alex Hughes (St. Jude grad student)
JUN 2018: Lindsay receives a Scholar Award from the Rita Allen Foundation
APRIL 2018: Welcome to Mailys Ayerdi (visiting student with Paris7 program)
We're looking for bright, collaborative, and rigorous scientists to join our group. To apply for a position, please send the information requested below to: lindsay.schwarz@stjude.org.
post docs
Applicants must have completed or be nearing completion of a Ph.D. in neuroscience, biology, or related fields. We're especially interested in candidates with expertise in optogenetics, animal behavior, in vivo imaging, or genome sequencing. To apply, please send a CV, a description of your current and future research interests, and contact info (phone# and email) for 3 references. St. Jude offers generous training and support for postdoctoral fellows. To learn more, click here.
grad students
Apply to our new graduate school program!
We're happy to discuss research opportunities with incoming or current graduate students of St. Jude or University of Tennessee Health Science Center.
PUBLICATIONS
Contreras X, Davaatseren A, Amberg A, Hansen AH, Sonntag J, Andersen L, Bernthaler T, Heger A, Johnson R, Schwarz LA, Luo L, Rülicke T, Hippenmeyer S. (2021) A Genome-wide Library of MADM Mice for Single-Cell Genetic Mosaic Analysis. Cell Reports. 35(12): 109274.
Peng L, Li S-B, Wang X, Phillips CD, Schwarz LA, Luo L, de Lecea L, Krasnow MA. (2020) Brain circuit of claustrophobia-like behavior in mice identified by upstream tracing of sighing. Cell Reports. Jun 16;31(11):107779.
Chandler D, Jensen P, McCall J, Pickering A, Schwarz LA, Totah, N. J. (2019) Redefining noradrenergic neuromodulation of behavior: impacts of a modular locus coeruleus architecture. J. Neurosci. 39(42): 8239-49. (cover article)
Yackle, K, Schwarz LA, Kam K, Sorokin JM, Huguenard JR, Feldman JL, Luo L, Krasnow MA. (2017) Breathing control center neurons that promote arousal in mice. Science. 355: 1411-15.
Huang WH*, Guenthner CJ*, Xu J*, Nguyen N, Schwarz LA, Wilkinson AW, Gozani O, Chang HY, Shamloo M, Luo L. (2016) Molecular and neural functions of Rai1, the causal gene for Smith-Magenis Syndrome. Neuron. 92(2): 392-406.
Gong H, Xu D, Yuan J, Li X, Guo C, Peng J, Li Y, Schwarz LA, Li A, Hu B, Xiong B, Sun Q, Zhang Y, Liu J, Zhong Q, Xu T, Zeng S, Luo Q. (2016) High-throughput dual-color precision imaging for brain-wide mapping of the connectome using cytoarchitectonic landmarks at the cellular level. Nat. Commun. 7(12142).
Schwarz LA, Luo L. (2015) Organization of the locus coeruleus norepinephrine system. Current Biology. 25(21): 1051-56.
Schwarz LA*, Miyamichi KM*, Gao XJ, Beier KT, Weissbourd B, DeLoach KE, Ren J, Ibanes S, Malenka RC, Kramer EJ, Luo L. (2015) Viral-genetic tracing of the input-output organization of a central norepinephrine circuit. Nature. 524(7563): 88-92.
Beier KT, Steinberg EE, DeLoach KE, Xie S, Miyamichi KM, Schwarz LA, Gao XJ, Kremer EJ, Malenka RC, Luo L. (2015) Circuit architecture of VTA dopamine neurons revealed by systematic input-output mapping. Cell. 162(3): 622-34.
Scudder SL, Goo MS, Cartier AE, Molteni A, Schwarz, LA, Wright R, Patrick, GN (2014) Synaptic strength is bidirectionally controlled by opposing activity-dependent regulation of Nedd4-1 and USP8. J. Neurosci. 34(50): 16637-49.
Schwarz LA, Patrick, GN (2011) Role of ubiquitination in regulating the endocytosis and intercellular trafficking of surface proteins in the nervous system. Mol. Cell. Neurosci. 49(3): 387-93.
Schwarz LA, Hall BJ, Patrick GN (2010) Activity-dependent ubiquitination of GluA1 mediates a distinct AMPAR endocytosis and sorting pathway. J. Neurosci. 30(49):16718-29.
Djakovic SN, Schwarz LA, Barylko B, DeMartino GN, Patrick GN (2009) Regulation of the proteasome by neuronal activity and Calcium/Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase II. J Biol Chem. 284(39):26655-65.
CONTACT INFO
mailing address:
Schwarz lab
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
262 Danny Thomas Place, DTRC 2062
Memphis, TN, 38105
phone: 901-595-1133
