At a Glance

• Ultimate goal is to discover new treatments for schizophrenia, anxiety, epilepsy, depression and other mental disorders
• Holds a Canada Research Chair in Learning and Memory
• Researches the roles of molecules in the central nervous system

Major Research Activities

Dr. Roder is exploring the link between long ­term potentiation (LTP), synaptic and learning and memory using engineered mice that lack the glutamate receptors. His lab is focusing on the steps of the complex cascade of events that lead to LTP. Specifically, the Roder lab is examining the means by which NMDA, AMPA and metabotropic glutamate receptors, and their downstream signalling cascades, act to regulate synaptic strength.

Recent Publications

Clapcote, S.J., Duffy, S., Xie, G., Kirshenbaum, G., Bechard, A.R., Schack, V.R., Petersen, J., Sinai, L., Saab, B.J., Lerch, J.P., Minassian, B.A., Ackerley, C.A., Sled, J.G., Cortez, M.A., Henderson, J.T., Vilsen, B., RODER, J.C. Inactivation of Na+,K+-ATPase ?3 Causes Epilepsy in Mice. (Accepted 2009, PNAS).

Labrie, V., Fukumura, R., Rastogi, A., Fick, L.J., Wang, W.,  Boutros, P.C., Kennedy, J.L., Semeralul, M.O., Lee, F.H., Baker, G.B., Belsham, D.D., Barger, S.W., Gondo, Y., Wong, A.H.C., and RODER J.C. (2009) Serine racemase is associated with schizophrenia susceptibility in humans and in a mouse model. Human Molecular Genetics (In Press).

Saab, B., Georgiou, J., Nath, A., Lee, F.J.S., Michalon, A., Liu, F., Mansuy, I., and RODER J.C. Ncs1 in the Dentate Gyrus Regulates D2R Surface Expression, Synaptic Plasticity, Memory and Curiosity (Accepted pending changes 2009, Neuron).

Clapcote, S.J., Duffy, S., Xie, G., Kirshenbaum, G., Bechard, A.R., Schack, V.R., Petersen, J., Sinai, L., Saab, B.J., Lerch, J.P., Minassian, B.A., Ackerley, C.A., Sled, J.G., Cortez, M.A., Henderson, J.T., Vilsen, B., RODER, J.C. Inactivation of Na+,K+-ATPase a3 Causes Epilepsy in Mice. (August 2009, PNAS).

Lipina, T., RODER, J.C. New model of the disrupted Latent Inhibition induced by Bupropion. (Accepted 2009, Psychopharmacology).

Labrie, V., Fukumura, R., Rastogi, A., Fick, L.J., Wang, W.,  Boutros, P.C., Kennedy, J.L., Semeralul, M.O., Lee, F.H., Baker, G.B., Belsham, D.D., Barger, S.W., Gondo, Y., Wong, A.H.C., and RODER J.C. (2009) Serine racemase is associated with schizophrenia susceptibility in humans and in a mouse model. Human Molecular Genetics (In Press).

Clapcote SJ, Lipina TV, Millar JK, Mackie S, Christie S, Ogawa F, Lerch JP, Trimble K, Uchiyama M, Sakuraba Y, Kaneda H, Shiroishi T, Houslay MD, Henkelman RM, Sled JG, Gondo Y, Porteous DJ, RODER JC. (2007). Behavioral phenotypes of Disc1 missense mutations in mice. Neuron. May 3;54(3):387-402.

Reviewed by Marx J. (2007). Behavioral genetics. Evidence linking DISC1 gene to mental illness builds. Science. Nov 16;318(5853):1062-3.

Labrie, V., Duffy, S., Wang, W., Barger, S.W., Baker, G.B., RODER, J.C. (2009). Genetic inactivation of D-amino acid oxidase enhances extinction and reversal learning in mice. Learning and Memory (Cover page). 16: 28-37.

Tsujimoto, T., Jeromin A., Saitoh N., RODER J.C., Takahashi T. (2002). Neuronal Calcium Sensor 1 and Activity-Dependent Facilitation of P/Q-type Calcium Currents at Presynaptic Nerve Terminals. Science, March 22, 295 (5563):2276-2279.