Andrea Giuffrida, Ph.D.

• Professional Background

  Education

  • 1998 - Postdoctoral Fellowship - Pharmacology (N/A) - University of California Irvine
  • 1997 - Postdoctoral Fellowship - Pharmacology - The Neurosciences Institute
  • 1996 - Postdoctoral Fellowship - Biology of Reproduction (N/A) - University of Siena
  • 1994 - Postdoctoral Training - Reproductive Medicine (N/A) - University of Hannover
  • 1993 - Postdoctoral Fellowship - Evolutionary Biology - University of Siena
  • 1993 - MS - Natural Sciences (Magna Cum Laude) - University of Siena
  • 1992 - PhD - Biology - University of Catania
  • 1987 - BS - Biology (Magna Cum Laude) - University of Catania

  Training

  • 2012 - AAAS S&T Policy Fellow - Science Policy - NIH

  Highlights

  2020- AAMC, GRAND Steering Committee

  2018- THBI, Board of Directors (Vice Chair)

  2018- Int. Neuroethics Society Student/Postdoc Committee (Chair)

  2016- SA Chamber of Commerce, Board of Advisors

  2016- Xconomy, Xconomist Board

  2015- TSBR, Board of Directors

  2015- Sigma Xi Society (Elected member)

  2014- BioMedSA, Board of Directors

  2014- TBRI, Board of Trustees 

  2014- TRTF, Board of Trustees

  Appointments

  • 5/2014 - Vice President for Research Ad Interim - The University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio, N/A, San Antonio
  • 9/2010 - Associate Professor with Tenure - The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, Pharmacology, San Antonio
  • 5/2015 - Vice President for Research - The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, Pharmacology, San Antonio

• Instruction & Training

  • 7/2011 - Present, Fundamentals of Neuroethics (Course Director), UTHSCSA
  • 2014-2018, Topics in Translational Medical Product Development, UTHSCSA

• Research & Grants

  My laboratory is interested in cannabinoid neuropharmacology. Endocannabinoids are signaling lipids that mimic marijuana’s effects by stimulating cannabinoid and other receptors expressed in brain areas critical for psycho-motor function. The endocannabinoid system may represent a pharmacological target for the treatment of conditions characterized by dopamine dysregulation, such as Parkinson's disease and schizophrenia. We use biochemical and behavioral pharmacology approaches to investigate new pharmacotherapies to alleviate these disorders.

   

  Research profile

  Grants

  1. P. & R. Stevens Foundation, “Accelerating PD research: the Perry & Ruby Stevens Parkinson’s Disease Center of Excellence” (PI), $ 300,000/year (July 2017- June 2022).

  2. Max and Minnie Tomerlin Voelcker Fund Grant, “Biomedical Research Academy” (sole PI) $240,000/year (Jun 2018-May 2022)

• Service

  Institutional

  Oversee IRB and IACUC committees, Offices of Technology Commercialization, Clinical Research, Clinical Trials, Postdoctoral Affairs, Animal Vivaria, compliances,  Institutional Research Core Facilities, Research IT, San Antonio Partnership for Precision Therapeutics. Promote educational and professional development programs to enhance competitiveness, facilitate grant submissions and the creation of new institutes and centers.

  National

  Represent the institution with federal and state funding agencies, foundations and corporate research sponsors. I'm a member of the AAMC GRAND Program Committee and of the Executive Leadership Group of the Association Academic Health Centers (AAHC). Review startup applications for the MassChallenge competition.

  Community

  I am a member of the following Boards of Directors: Texas Healthcare & Bioscience Institute (Vice Chair), Texas Society for Biomedical Research, BioMedSA, Texas Research & Technology Foundation, Texas Biomedical Research Institute

• Publications

  • Ventral hippocampal overexpression of Cannabinoid Receptor Interacting Protein 1 (CNRIP1) produces a schizophrenia-like phenotyp
  • Differential effects of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol dosing on correlates of schizophrenia in the sub-chronic PCP rat model.