Maria L. Medalla, PhD

Associate Professor, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine

Biography

Dr. Medalla’s work combines cellular in vitro electrophysiological methods with multi-scale anatomic techniques to understand the biophysical and synaptic properties of neurons within prefrontal cortical (PFC) networks in non-human primate and rodent animal models. Her expertise includes patch-clamp recording, pathway tract-tracing, multiple immunohistochemical labeling techniques for light and electron microscopy (EM), 3D serial EM, and confocal microscopy. The major goal of her work is to understand how distinct limbic, sensory and motor networks interact and are controlled by the PFC – the central executive of the brain. Her current focus is on the medial prefrontal anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) in rhesus monkeys, an area important for attention, emotions and context-to-action transformations, and is selectively disrupted in many affective disorders such as depression and anxiety disorders.

Publications

  • Published 9/30/2024

    Cheng CH, Guan Y, Chiplunkar VP, Mortazavi F, Medalla ML, Sullivan K, O'Callaghan JP, Koo BB, Kelly KA, Michalovicz LT. Nerve agent exposure and physiological stress alter brain microstructure and immune profiles after inflammatory challenge in a long-term rat model of Gulf War Illness. Brain Behav Immun Health. 2024 Dec; 42:100878. PMID: 39430882.

    Read at: PubMed

  • Published 9/27/2024

    DeVries SA, Dimovasili C, Medalla M, Moore TL, Rosene DL. Dysregulated C1q and CD47 in the aging monkey brain: association with myelin damage, microglia reactivity, and cognitive decline. Front Immunol. 2024; 15:1426975. PMID: 39399501.

    Read at: PubMed

  • Published 6/28/2024

    Castro-Mendoza PB, Weaver CM, Chang W, Medalla M, Rockland KS, Lowery L, McDonough E, Varghese M, Hof PR, Meyer DE, Luebke JI. Proteomic features of gray matter layers and superficial white matter of the rhesus monkey neocortex: comparison of prefrontal area 46 and occipital area 17. Brain Struct Funct. 2024 Sep; 229(7):1495-1525. PMID: 38943018.

    Read at: PubMed

  • Published 6/12/2024

    Tsolias A, Zhou Y, Mojica CA, Sakharkar M, Tsolias MZ, Moore TL, Rosene DL, Medalla M. Neuroanatomical Substrates of Circuit-Specific Cholinergic Modulation across the Primate Anterior Cingulate Cortex. J Neurosci. 2024 Jun 12; 44(24). PMID: 38719447.

    Read at: PubMed

  • Published 11/22/2023

    DeVries SA, Conner B, Dimovasili C, Moore TL, Medalla M, Mortazavi F, Rosene DL. Immune proteins C1q and CD47 may contribute to aberrant microglia-mediated synapse loss in the aging monkey brain that is associated with cognitive impairment. Geroscience. 2024 Apr; 46(2):2503-2519. PMID: 37989825.

    Read at: PubMed

View All 53 Publications:   View Full Profile in BUMC

Other Positions

  • Graduate Faculty (Primary Mentor of Grad Students)
    Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Graduate Medical Sciences

Websites

Education

  • Boston University, PhD
  • University Philippines, BS

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