College of Pharmacy

Department: Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Location: OSU

College of Pharmacy
Oregon State University
203 Pharmacy Building
Corvallis, OR 97331-3507
Phone: 541-737-5783
Jane.Ishmael@oregonstate.edu

Table of Contents:

• Education
• Position
• Research Area
• Research
• Selected Publications

Education

National Institute on Drug Abuse Postdoctoral Fellow, 1996-1999
Oregon State University, Postdoctoral Training, 1995-1999
Oregon State University, Ph.D., 1995
University of Bradford, England, Bachelor of Science, 1988

Return to Table of Contents

Position

Associate Professor, Pharmacology

Return to Table of Contents

Research Area

Return to Table of Contents

Research

Glutamate is the major excitatory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system and is essential for synaptic transmission and synaptic plasticity associated with development, learning and the formation of memories.  Excitatory neuronal synapses in brain are enriched with proteins that anchor, cluster and target glutamate receptors for optimal signal transduction at the postsynaptic membrane within a specialized structure known as the postsynaptic density (PSD). Jane Ishmael is particularly interested in the interaction of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors with various motor and cytoskeletal and proteins that are found in the postsynaptic side of the synapse. She uses a variety of biochemical, cellular and molecular biological techniques to study these protein-protein interactions.  Her goal is to understand the functional organization of protein complexes at excitatory synapses and the role of intracellular NMDA receptor-interacting proteins in glutamate receptor signaling.

A second area of focus is in the area of drug discovery, with a special interest in compounds that may have potential utility in treating brain tumors.  These studies are part of an ongoing collaboration with OSU colleagues working in the area of medicinal and natural products chemistry.  Our present research is focused on determining the mechanism of action of a novel agent isolated from a Panamanian cyanobacterium by Dr. Kerry McPhail (Pharmaceutical Sciences).

Return to Table of Contents

Selected Publications

See PubMed for Publications

Return to Table of Contents