Nancy E. J. Berman, PhD

Professor of Anatomy and Cell Biology

Ph.D.: 1972, M.I.T., Cambridge, Massachusetts
Postdoctoral: University of Pennsylvania, Washington University St. Louis

email: nberman@kumc.edu

There are two major projects in the lab. Our first project involves the effects of hormones on trigeminal neurons involved in orofacial pain. We are studying the mechanism of effects of estrogen on trigeminal neurons in rodent models of orofacial pain and in tissue culture models. Our goal is to understand why so many painful disorders including migraine, temporomandibular joint syndrome and fibromyalgia are more common in women and are often linked to the menstrual cycle. Dr. Berman is a regular contributor to articles on menstrual migraine for the American Council of Headache Research and other physician organizations.

Our lab is also interested in the role of inflammation in tissue remodeling following brain injury, especially as affected by aging. We work with Drs. Brooks and Lee at the Hoglund Brain Imaging Center to examine how inflammation affects MRI signals after brain injury. In our lab, we study the role of microglia in regulating outcomes of brain injury. During normal aging, these cells become activated, and they increase their responses to injury. Our goal is to understand how the increased inflammatory response may regulate secondary neuron death by activating extrinsic apoptosis pathways. We use behavioral testing, MRI imaging, neuroanatomical and molecular methods to understand how the inflammatory responses to brain injury can alter outcomes.

Recent Awards & Accomplishments

• Harold G. Wolff award winner, American Headache Society, 2006
• NIH grant: Experimental approaches to traumatic brain injury in aging. R21 AG026482-01 May 1, 2006-April 30, 2008
• Invited symposium speaker at symposium "Sex and the Primary Afferent" American Pain Society Annual meeting, San Antonio, TX, May, 2006
• 2007-2010 Member of National Council, Organization for the Study of Sex Differences
• 2008 AHS/Merck US Human Health Migraine and Women's Health Research Award
• Member of NIH ZRG1 CFS-D Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia Syndrome, Temporomandibular Disorders special emphasis panel, October, 2008, February, 2009
• Chair of grant review session in Reston, VA for DOD (CDMRP-BHTB1, December, 2008).
• Ad hoc member of BINP study section, Washington DC, June, 2009.

Recent Publications (2006-2009)

1. V. Puri, S. Puri, S. R.Svojanovsky, S.Mathur, R. M. Macgregor, R. M. Klein, K. M. A. Welch, N. E.J. Berman. Effects of oestrogen on trigeminal ganglia in culture: Implications for hormonal effects on migraine. Cephalalgia 26:33-42, 2006.
2. V. Puri, S. Chandrala, R.M. Klein and N.E.J. Berman. Ghrelin is expressed in trigeminal neurons of female mice in phase with the estrous cycle. Neuropeptides 40:35-46, 2006.
3. C. Liverman, H. Kaftan, L.Cui, S. Herspberger, E. Taboada, R. M. Klein and N.E.J. Berman, Altered gene expression in a mouse model of maternal infection. Neuroscience Letters 399:220-225, 2006.
4. N.E.J. Berman, V. Puri, S. Puri, S. Chandrala, R. Macgregor, C.S. Liverman and R.M. Klein. 2006 Wolff award: Serotonergic neurons in trigeminal ganglia of female rodents: Relevance to menstrual migraine. Headache 46:1230-1245, 2006. Winner of Harold G. Wolff award.
5. K.M.A. Welch, J.L Brandes and N.E.J. Berman. Mismatch in how estrogen modulates molecular and neuronal function may explain menstrual migraine. Neurol. Sci.Suppl 2:s190-2. 2006.
6. E. B. Stephens, M. Jackson, L.Cui, E. Pacyniak, R. Choudhuri, C.S. Liverman, M. E. Kohler, D. S. Salomon, and N. E.J. Berman. Early dysregulation of Cripto-1 and immunomodulatory genes in the cerebral cortex in a macaque model of neuroAIDS. Neuroscience Letters 410:94-99, 2006.
7. G. Onyszchuk, B. Al-Hafez, Y-Y He, M. Bilgen, N.E.J. Berman and W.M Brooks. A mouse model of sensorimotor controlled cortical impact: Characterization using longitudinal magnetic resonance imaging, behavioral assessments and histology. Journal of Neuroscience Methods 160:187-196, 2007.
8. G. Onyszchuk, Y.Y. He, N.E.J. Berman and W.M. Brooks. Detrimental outcome in aged mice after traumatic brain injury - A behavioral, magnetic resonance imaging, and histological study. J. Neurotrauma 25:153-171, 2008.
9. G. Onyszchuk, S.M. LeVine, W.M. Brooks and N.E.J. Berman. Pathological changes in the thalamus and internal capsule in aged mice receiving a controlled cortical impact injury: A magnetic resonance imaging, iron histochemical and glial immunohistochemical study. Neuroscience Letters 452:204-208, 2009.
10. C. Liverman, J. Brown, R. Sandhir, K.E. McCarson, R.M. Klein and N.E.J. Berman. Estrogen increases nociception through ERK activation in the trigeminal ganglion: evidence for a peripheral mechanism of allodynia. Cephalalgia 29:520-531, 2009.
11. C. Liverman, J. Brown, K.E. McCarson, R. Sandhir and N.E.J. Berman. Role of the estrogen receptors GPR30 and ERalpha in peripheral sensitization: relevance to trigeminal pain disorders in women. In press, Cephalalgia Feb. 12 epub.
12. J. Anderson, R. Sandhir, E.S. Hamilton and N.E.J. Berman. Impaired expression of neuroprotective molecules in the HIF-1a pathway following traumatic brain injury in aged mice. In press, J. Neurotrauma.

Lab Staff

Members of the Berman Lab - November 2007