Dr. Nathan A. Smith is the new Associate Dean for Research Mentorship and Associate Professor of Neuroscience in the School of Medicine and Dentistry at the University of Rochester. Previously, Dr. Smith served as Director of Basic Neuroscience Research and a Principal Investigator in the Center for...
Dr. Nathan A. Smith is the new Associate Dean for Research Mentorship and Associate Professor of Neuroscience in the School of Medicine and Dentistry at the University of Rochester. Previously, Dr. Smith served as Director of Basic Neuroscience Research and a Principal Investigator in the Center for Neuroscience Research at Children's National Research Institute and an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics and Pharmacology & Physiology at George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences. He received his B.S. in Biology from Xavier University and his M.S. and Ph.D. in Neuroscience from the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry. Upon graduating in 2013, he became the first Black American male to receive a Ph.D. from the neuroscience program at the University of Rochester School of Medicine. Subsequently, Dr. Smith conducted his postdoctoral research at the University of Utah, Boston University, and Children's National Hospital. Dr. Smith has received numerous honors and awards in his career, including being named a 2021 Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), named by Cell Press as one of 1000 most Inspiring Black Scientists in America in 2020, a recipient of the 2019 Neuroscience Alumni Award from the University of Rochester, and a recipient of the 2018 Children's National President's Award for Innovation in Research.
Faculty Appointments
Associate Professor
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Department of Neuroscience (SMD)
Associate Dean for Research Mentorship
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Dean's Office M&D - Administration (SMD)
Credentials
Post-doctoral Training & Residency
Postdoctoral Fellow, Center for Neuroscience Research, Children's National Research Institute. Trained with Dr. Judy Liu 2015 - 2017
Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Bioengineering, University of Utah/ Boston University. Trained with Dr. John A. White. 2013 - 2015
Education
PhD | University of Rochester School of Medicine & Dentistry.Neuroscience.2013
MS | University of Rochester School of Medicine & Dentistry.Neuroscience.2010
Bachelor of Science | Xavier University of Louisiana.Biology.2002
Awards
2021 AAAS Fellow.2021 - 2022
1000 most Inspiring Black Scientists in America.2021
Sigma XI Research Honor Society.2020
2019 Neuroscience Alumni Award.2019 - 2020
Broadening the Representation of Academic Investigators in NeuroScience (BRAINS) Fellow.2019 - 2020
Children's National President's Award for Innovative Research.2018 - 2019
Mentoring Institute for Neuroscience Diversity Scholar (MINDS) Fellow.2018 - 2019
Carl Storm Underrepresented Minority Gordon Conference Travel Award.2013 - 2014
American Epilepsy Society Fellows.2013 - 2014
People's Choice Award Winner at the 2012 Annual GSS Poster Session.2012 - 2013
Research
Projects in my laboratory focus on “Neuro-Glia” interactions. My research explores the understudied and novel mechanisms by which neuromodulators mediate the interactions between neurons, astrocytes, and microglia in both normal and disease states. By studying how neuromodulators mediate the unique ...
Projects in my laboratory focus on “Neuro-Glia” interactions. My research explores the understudied and novel mechanisms by which neuromodulators mediate the interactions between neurons, astrocytes, and microglia in both normal and disease states. By studying how neuromodulators mediate the unique interactions between these three cell types, we will elucidate their coordinated functions in the normal, healthy brain and how disruptions of neuronal-glial crosstalk will contribute to disease processes such as ADHD, epilepsy, and insulin resistance. To that end, we hope these studies will provide valuable insight on the role of glia in pathophysiology, which is under-recognized in developmental disorders, with the hope of revealing pathways suitable for manipulation to alter disease progression in the central nervous system. To accomplish these goals, we employ a combination of transgenic animals, electrophysiology, pharmacology, behavioral assays, and 2-Photon Ca2+ imaging in acute slices and awake behaving animals.
Marshall AG, Vue Z, Beasley HK, Neikirk K, Stephens D, Wanjalla CN, Damo SM, Trejo J, Rodriguez-Aliaga P, Headley CA, Shuler H, Liu K, Smith N, Garza-Lopez E, Barongan T, Scudese E, Spencer E, Heemstra J, Vazquez AD, Murray SA, Hinton A
Molecular cell.. 2023 November 283 (21):3766-3772. Epub 1900 01 01.
Li P, Fu X, Smith NA, Ziobro J, Curiel J, Tenga MJ, Martin B, Freedman S, Cea-Del Rio CA, Oboti L, Tsuchida TN, Oluigbo C, Yaun A, Magge SN, O'Neill B, Kao A, Zelleke TG, Depositario-Cabacar DT, Ghimbovschi S, Knoblach S, Ho CY, Corbin JG, Goodkin HP, Vicini S, Huntsman MM, Gaillard WD, Valdez G, Liu JS
Neuron.. 2017 October 1196 (2):387-401.e6. Epub 1900 01 01.
Gee JM, Smith NA, Fernandez FR, Economo MN, Brunert D, Rothermel M, Morris SC, Talbot A, Palumbos S, Ichida JM, Shepherd JD, West PJ, Wachowiak M, Capecchi MR, Wilcox KS, White JA, Tvrdik P
Neuron.. 2014 September 383 (5):1058-72. Epub 08/21/2014.
Fujita T, Williams EK, Jensen TK, Smith NA, Takano T, Tieu K, Nedergaard M
Journal of cerebral blood flow and metabolism : official journal of the International Society of Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism.. 2012 January 32 (1):e1-7. Epub 10/12/2011.
