Elva Diaz
Department of Pharmacology
University of California, Davis
I have a broad background in biochemistry, molecular and cell biology and genomics in studies of the mammalian nervous system. I was born and raised in San Jose, CA to parents originally from Mexico. My interest in science and math in high school eventually led me to a career in biomedical research. I earned a bachelor’s degree from Harvard University in Biochemical Sciences in 1993. Following a summer internship at Merck & Co at Rahway, NJ, I pursued graduate studies with Suzanne Pfeffer at Stanford University and earned a Ph.D. in Biochemistry in 1999. My graduate studies involved the molecular mechanisms of receptor trafficking in non-neuronal cells. As a postdoctoral scholar I switched fields into developmental neurobiology and worked with Tito Serafini and John Ngai at UC Berkeley and with Marc Tessier-Lavigne at UCSF. In 2003 I became an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pharmacology at UC Davis School of Medicine and in 2010 I was promoted to Associate Professor with tenure. I was promoted to Full Professor in 2018.
My main research interest is to understand molecular mechanisms of brain development, function and disease. My lab employs functional genomics approaches to identify genes upregulated during distinct phases of brain development. In particular, we focus on two main areas: neural proliferation and synapse development and we have identified several candidate genes involved in these processes. We utilize a combination of approaches including imaging, primary neuronal culture, biochemistry and electrophysiology.
Molecular analysis of gene expression in the developing pontocerebellar projection system.
Neuron Oct, 2002 | Pubmed ID: 12408845
Analysis of gene expression in the developing mouse retina.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America Apr, 2003 | Pubmed ID: 12702772
A functional genomics guide to the galaxy of neuronal cell types.
Nature neuroscience Jan, 2006 | Pubmed ID: 16378087
A novel role of the Mad family member Mad3 in cerebellar granule neuron precursor proliferation.
Molecular and cellular biology Dec, 2007 | Pubmed ID: 17893326
From cerebellar proliferation to tumorigenesis: new insights into the role of Mad3.
Cell cycle (Georgetown, Tex.) Feb, 2008 | Pubmed ID: 18235219
From microarrays to mechanisms of brain development and function.
Biochemical and biophysical research communications Jul, 2009 | Pubmed ID: 19460360
One Decade Later: What has Gene Expression Profiling Told us About Neuronal Cell Types, Brain Function and Disease?
Current genomics Aug, 2009 | Pubmed ID: 20119529
SynDIG1: an activity-regulated, AMPA- receptor-interacting transmembrane protein that regulates excitatory synapse development.
Neuron Jan, 2010 | Pubmed ID: 20152115
SynDIG1 regulation of synaptic AMPA receptor targeting.
Communicative & integrative biology Jul, 2010 | Pubmed ID: 20798822
Regulation of AMPA receptors by transmembrane accessory proteins.
The European journal of neuroscience Jul, 2010 | Pubmed ID: 20946114
Mechanisms of excitatory synapse maturation by trans-synaptic organizing complexes.
Current opinion in neurobiology Apr, 2011 | Pubmed ID: 21242087
Histone deacetylase activity is necessary for left-right patterning during vertebrate development.
BMC developmental biology , 2011 | Pubmed ID: 21599922
SynDIG1 regulation of excitatory synapse maturation.
The Journal of physiology Jan, 2012 | Pubmed ID: 21878521
MXD3 regulation of DAOY cell proliferation dictated by time course of activation.
BMC cell biology , 2014 | Pubmed ID: 25053245
Loss of MXD3 induces apoptosis of Reh human precursor B acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells.
Blood cells, molecules & diseases Apr, 2015 | Pubmed ID: 25554682
Distribution of the SynDIG4/proline-rich transmembrane protein 1 in rat brain.
The Journal of comparative neurology 08, 2016 | Pubmed ID: 26660156
Activity-Dependent Palmitoylation Controls SynDIG1 Stability, Localization, and Function.
The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience 07, 2016 | Pubmed ID: 27445135
Loss of SynDIG1 Reduces Excitatory Synapse Maturation But Not Formation .
eNeuro Sep-Oct, 2016 | Pubmed ID: 27800545
SynDIG4/Prrt1 Is Required for Excitatory Synapse Development and Plasticity Underlying Cognitive Function.
Cell reports 02, 2018 | Pubmed ID: 29490264
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