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Georgianna G

Contact

210-567-6541

gouldg@uthscsa.edu

Departments & Divisions

Research

Gould Lab

Georgianna Gould, Ph.D.

Associate Professor | Research

Cellular and Integrative Physiology

Currently seeking Ph.D. students

Dr. Gould conducts basic neuroscience research on the role serotonin and other excitatory biogenic amines play in the development and maintenance of social behaviors. Her postdoctoral studies in pharmacology in the laboratory of Dr. Alan Frazer (UTHSCSA 2002-2007) focused primarily on the role of transporter function in antidepressant action and on behavioral models of depression in rats.   Through collaborations she later investigated evolutionary divergences in the ligand binding properties of monoamine transporters between fish and mammals, and effects of low dose pesticide exposures on monoamine systems.  Dr. Gould joined the Department of Physiology in 2008, and currently utilizes mouse and fish model systems in her research, and has focused on autism etiology and treatment, mainly in the context of how social behavior is regulated by serotonin.  She is a member of the Society for Neuroscience, Society of Toxicology among other professional organizations, and has served on an NSF study section.  She is and has been PI on several funded projects, including one of ten congressionally directed Autism Idea Awards granted by the Department of Defense in 2012. Some of Dr. Gould’s research was contracted by the Naval Medical Research Unit San Antonio from 2010-2013. In this capacity she has examined the effects of steroid hormones at and pharmacological targeting of serotonergic and cannabinoid systems in the brain.  Dr. Gould appreciates the opportunity to mentor undergraduate and high school students, and is active in the START-UPs, Health Careers High School and Voelcker Academy programs.

  • Professional Background

    Education

    • 2001 - PhD - Biology - Syracuse University
    • 1994 - MS - Zoology - Texas A&M University
    • 1992 - BS - Biology - Cornell University
    • Postdoctoral Training - The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio

    Appointments

    • 9/2015 - Assoc. Professor/Res - The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, Physiology, San Antonio

  • Instruction & Training

    • - Present, UTHSCSA Physiology K-12 Teachers Program
    • 5/2013 - Present, Undergraduate Student Supervision, UTHSCSA
    • 5/2012 - Present, Undergraduate Student Supervision, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
    • 10/2011 - Present, Individual Instruction, U. TX Health Sci. Center at San Antonio
    • 10/2011 - Present, Individual Instruction, Health Careers HS, NEISD, San Antonio, Texas
    • 5/2010 - Present, Individual Instruction, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio

  • Research & Grants

     

    Social behavior and its serotonergic and hormonal underpinnings, developmental disruption of brain circuits governing social behaviors and motivation, cognitive flexibility.

    Related Diseases: Anxiety Disorders, Autism, Bipolar Disorder, Major Depression, Schizophrenia

    Techniques: Autoradiography, Behavior Test, Immunoassays, Radioligand Binding and Uptake

    Gould Lab

    Grants

    Federal

    Funding Agency NIH-NIMH Title Impact of Gestational Serotonin Availability on Brain Function & Social Behavior Status Active Period 4/2015 - 3/2017 Role Principal Investigator Grant Detail In this study maternal dietary tryptophan availability will be manipulated in pregnant serotonin transporter knock-out, heterozygous and wild-type mice, in conjunction with antidepressant administration to assess their individual impacts and interactions on serotonin metabolism, neuroregulatory proteins in brain, serum corticosterone and oxytocin levels and social behaviors in their adult offspring.

  • Publications

      Journal Article

      Connors KA, Valenti TW, Lawless K, Sackerman J, Onaivi ES, Brooks BW, Gould GG. Similar anxiolytic effects of agonists targeting serotonin 5-HT1A or cannabinoid CB receptors on zebrafish behavior in novel environments. (in press) Aquatic toxicology 2014 Oct;. Gould GG, Burke TF, Osorio MD, Smolik CM, Zhang WQ, Onaivi ES, Gu TT, DeSilva MN, Hensler, JG. Enhanced novelty-induced corticosterone spike and upregulated serotonin 5-HT1A and cannabinoid CB1 receptors in adolescent BTBR mice Psychoneuroendocrinology 2014 Jan;:158-169. Barba-Escobedo PA, Gould GG. Visual social preferences of lone zebrafish in a novel environment: strain and anxiolytic effects Genes Brain Behav 2012 Apr;:366-373. Barba-Escobedo PA, Gould GG. Visual social preferences of lone zebrafish in a novel environment: strain and anxiolytic effects Genes Brain Behav 2012 Mar;:366-373. Valenti TW, Gould GG, Berninger JP, Connors KA, Keele NB, Prosser KN, Brooks BW. Human therapeutic plasma levels of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) sertraline decrease serotonin reuptake transporter binding and shelter-seeking behavior in adult male fathead minnows Environ Sci Technol 2012 Feb;46(4):2427-2435. Lau BY, Mathur P, Gould GG, Guo S. Identification of a brain center whose activity discriminates a choice behavior in zebrafish Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2011 Feb;108(6):2581-2586. Gould G.G., Hensler, J.G., Burke, T.F., Benno, R., Onaivi, E.S. and Daws, L.C. Density and function of central serotonin (5-HT) transporters, 5-HT1A and 5-HT2A receptors, and effects of their targeting on BTBR T+tf/J mouse social behavior J Neurochem 2011 Feb;116:291-303. Sackerman J, Donegan JJ, Cunningham CS, Nguyen NN, Lawless K, Long A, Benno RH, Gould GG. Zebrafish behavior in bovel environments: effects of acute exposure to anxiolytic compounds and choice of Danio rerio line International Journal of Comparative Psychology 2010 May;23:43-61. Cunningham JT, Mifflin SW, Gould GG, Frazer A. Induction of c-Fos and DeltaFosB immunoreactivity in rat brain by Vagal nerve stimulation Neuropsychopharmacology 2008 Jul;33(8):1884-1895. Gould GG, Jones CG, Rifleman P, Perez A, Coleman JS. Variation in Eastern cottonwood (Populus deltoides Bartr.) phloem sap content caused by leaf development may affect feeding site selection behavior of the aphid, Chaitophorous populicola Thomas (Homoptera: Aphididae) Environ Entomol 2007 Oct;36(5):1212-1225. Gould GG, Brooks BW, Frazer A. [(3)H] citalopram binding to serotonin transporter sites in minnow brains Basic Clin Pharmacol Toxicol 2007 Sep;101(3):203-210.