James (Rocky) John Achilles Contos

EDUCATION

9/93 - 9/99 Ph.D. Neuroscience (advisor: Dr. Jerold Chun) La Jolla, CA

University of California, San Diego

6/94 - 8/94 Neural Systems & Behavior course Woods Hole, MA

9/89 - 12/92 B.S. Biochemistry (emphasis Plant Science)

University of California, Davis Davis, CA

AWARDS/FELLOWSHIPS

4/04-present NIDCD Postdoctoral Fellowship (NRSA)

2/03-3/04 HHMI Research Associate

10/96-10/99 NIMH Predoctoral Fellowship (NRSA)

9/95 - 9/96 Neuroplasticity of Aging Training Grant

9/93 - 9/95 Lucille P. Markey Fellowship

1993 Departmental Citation at graduation: Biochemistry

1993 Summa Cum Laude at graduation, GPA 3.82

1992 - 1993 President's Undergraduate Fellowship

1991 NSF Grant - student research assistant

1989 - 1992 Chancellor's scholar

1989, 1991 Edward and Mary Court Memorial Scholarship

1989, 1991 Jastro Memorial Scholarship

1989 Anacomp Scholarship

1989 California Garden Club Mercedes T. Murner Scholarship

1989 Men's Garden Club of Santa Rosa Scholarship

RESEARCH EXPERIENCE

2/03-present Postdoctoral Research: Neuroscience/Molecular Genetics

Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (Seattle, WA)

Advisor: Dr. Linda Buck

Tracing of neural circuitry in the mammalian olfactory & GnRH systems using genetically encoded modified lectins.

9/99-8/02 Postdoctoral Research: Neuroscience/Molecular Genetics

Dept. of Pharmacology, UCSD (La Jolla, CA)

Advisor: Dr. Jerold Chun

Characterization of lysophospholipid receptor deficient mice: signal transduction and olfactory, cerebral cortical, reproductive, & neural effects.

1/95-9/99 Thesis Research: Neuroscience/Molecular Genetics

Neurosciences Graduate Program, UCSD (La Jolla, CA)

Advisor: Dr. Jerold Chun

Characterizatoin of lysophospholipid receptor genes and creating targeted mutants, especially effect of lpA1 deletion on cerebral cortical development.

5/92 - 8/93 Research assistant: Plant Molecular Biology

Dept. of Pomology, UC Davis (Davis, CA)

Advisor: Dr. Roger Romani

Role of DNA methylation in tomato polygalacturonase gene transcription.

10/90 - 8/93 Research assistant: Plant Biochemistry

Dept. of Pomology, UC Davis (Davis, CA)

Advisor: Dr. John Labavitch

Characterization of fungal polygalacturonase inhibiting proteins in tomato.

1/91-3/91 Internship: Organic Synthesis

Dept. of Chemistry, UC Davis (Davis, CA).

Advisor: Dr. Michael Nantz

Diels-Alder chemistry to synthesize novel organic compounds.

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

1/05 – 3/05 Co-Instructor: Controversies in Biology (Biol485A: Univ. Washington)

Explored genetically modified crops, stem cells, cloning, genetic testing.

6/04 – 8/04 Future Faculty Fellows Program (HHMI, Univ. Washington)

Seminars on topics for university tenure-track bound postdoctoral fellows.

7/04 – 8/04 Supervised summer FHCRC student: Camille Inducil

Mentored student in heterologous expression assays for ORs/VRs.

1/02 – 5/02 Preparing Professional Faculty Series (UCSD)

Seminars on topics for tenure-track bound students/postdocs.

1/01 – 5/01 Supervised 199 student: Matthew McCreight

Taught and mentored student in PCR, cloning, and genotyping of mice.

8/98 – 8/99 Supervised 199 student: John Brannen

Taught and mentored student in sequencing, plasmid preparation, and PCR.

4/97 - 6/97 Teaching assistant: Regulation of Gene Activity (UCSD: BIMM 112)

9/96 - 12/96 Teaching assistant: Structural Biochemistry (UCSD: BIBC 100)

8/96 - 9/96 Teaching assistant: Cellular Neurobiology (UCSD: BIPN 140)

4/96 - 6/96 Teaching assistant: Cell Biology (UCSD: BICD 110)

1/96-4/96 Teaching assistant: General Chemistry Lab (UCSD: CHEM 6BL)

3/93 - 6/93 Teaching assistant: Biochemistry Lab (UC Davis: BCP 101L)

4/92 - 6/93 Exam grader: General Biochemistry (UC Davis: BCP 101A, 101B)

PUBLICATIONS

22. Ye X, Hama K, Contos JJ, Anliker B, Skinner MK, Suzuki H, Amano T, Kennedy G, Arai H, Aoki J, and J Chun (2005) LPA₃-mediated lysophosphatidic acid signaling in implantation and embryo spacing. Nature 435: 104-108.

21. Inoue M, Fujita R, Contos JJ, Chun J, and H Ueda (2004) Involvement of RhoA-mediated lysophosphatidic acid signaling in neuropathic pain. Nature Medicine 10: 712-718.

20. Kingsbury M, Rehen SK, Contos JJ, and J Chun J (2003) Enhanced cerebral cortical growth and folding by non-proliferative effects of lysophosphatidic acid. Nature Neurosci 6: 1292-1299.

19. Kaushal D, Contos JJ, Treuner K, Yang AH, Kingsbury MA, Rehen SK, McConnell MJ, Okabe M, Barlow C, and J Chun (2003) Alteration of gene expression by chromosome loss in the postnatal mouse brain. J Neurosci 23: 5599-5606.

18. Contos JJA, Ye X, Sah V, and J Chun (2002) Tandem genomic arrangement of a G protein (Gna15) and G protein-coupled receptor (s1p₄/lp_C1/Edg6) gene. FEBS Lett 531: 99-102

17. McGiffert C, Contos JJA, Friedman B, and J Chun (2002) Embryonic brain expression analysis of lysophospholipid receptor genes suggests roles for s1p₁in neurogenesis and s1p_1-3 in angiogenesis. FEBS Lett 531: 103-108.

16. Contos JJA, Ishii I, Fukushima N, Kingsbury MA, Ye X, Kawamura S, Heller-Brown J, and J Chun (2002) Characterization of lpa₂ (Edg4) and lpa₁/lpa₂ (Edg2/Edg4) lysophosphatidic acid receptor knockout mice: signaling deficits without obvious phenotypic abnormality attributable to lpa₂. Mol Cell Biol 22: 6921-6929.

15. Ishii I, Ye X, Friedman B, Kawamura S, Contos JJA, Kingsbury MA, Yang AH, Zhang G, Heller-Brown J, and J Chun (2002) Marked perinatal lethality and cellular signaling deficits in mice null for the two sphingosine 1-phosphate receptors, S1P₂/LP_B2/EDG-5 and S1P₃/LP_B3/EDG-3. J Biol Chem 277: 25152-25159.

14. Fukushima N, Weiner JA, Kaushal D, Contos JJA, Rehen SK, Kingsbury MA, Kim KY, and J Chun (2002) Lysophosphatidic acid influences the morphology and motility of young, postmitotic cortical neurons. Mol Cell Neurosci, 20: 271-282.

13. Ishii I, Friedman B, Ye X, Kawamura S, McGiffert C, Contos JJA, Kingsbury M, Zhang G, Brown JH, and J Chun (2001) Sphingosine-1-phosphate signaling defects with no obvious phenotypic abnormality in mice lacking the receptor, LP_B3/EDG3. J Biol Chem 276: 33697-33704.

12. Contos JJA, and J Chun (2001) The lp_A3/Edg7 lysophosphatidic acid receptor gene: genomic structure, chromosomal localization, and expression pattern. Gene 267: 243-253

11. Weiner JA, Fukushima N, Contos JJA, Scherer SS, and J Chun (2001) Regulation of Schwann cell morphology and adhesion by receptor-mediated lysophosphatidic acid signaling. J Neurosci 21: 7069-7078.

10. Moller T, Contos JJA, Musante DB, Chun J, and BR Ransom (2001) Expression and function of lysophosphatidic acid receptors in cultured rat microglial cells. J Biol Chem 276: 25946-25952.

9. Fukushima N, Ishii I, Contos JJA, Weiner JA, and J Chun (2001) Lysophospholipid receptors. Ann Rev Pharm Toxic 41:507-534.

8. Contos JJA, Ishii I, and J Chun (2000) Lysohosphatidic acid receptors. Mol Pharm. 58:1188-1196.

7. Contos JJA, Fukushima N, Weiner JA, Kaushal D, and J Chun (2000) Requirement for the lp_A1 lysophosphatidic acid receptor gene in normal suckling behavior. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 97:13384-13389.

6. Ishii I, Contos JJA, Fukushima N, and J Chun (2000) Functional comparison of the lysophosphatidic acid receptors, LP_A1/VZG-1/EDG2, LP_A2/EDG4, and LP_A3/EDG7 in neuronal cell lines using a retrovirus expression system. Mol Pharm. 58: 895-902.

5. Contos JJA, and J Chun (2000) Genomic characterization of a second lysophosphatidic acid receptor gene, lp_A2/Edg4, and identification of a frameshift mutation in a previously characterized cDNA. Genomics 64: 155-169.

4. Contos JJA*, Zhang GF*, Weiner JA, Fukushima N, and J Chun (1999) Comparative analysis of three murine G-protein coupled receptors activated by sphingosine-1-phosphate. Gene 227: 89-99.

3. Chun J, Contos JJA, and D Munroe (1999) A growing family of receptor genes for lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) and other lyso-phospholipids (Lps). Cell Biochem Biophys: 30: 213-242.

2. Contos JJA and J Chun (1998) Complete cDNA sequence, genomic structure, and chromosomal localization of the LPA receptor gene, lp_A1/vzg-1/Gpcr26. Genomics 51: 364-378.

1. Stotz HU, Contos JJA, Powell ALT, Bennett AB, and JM Labavitch (1994) Structure and expression of an inhibitor of fungal polygalacturonases from tomato. Plant Molecular Biology 25: 607-617.

* co-first author

Curriculum Vitae