NAME
Robin A.J. Lester, Ph.D.

BUSINESS ADDRESS
Department of Neurobiology
1719 6th Avenue South, CIRC 560
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Birmingham, AL 35294-0021

Phone: (205) 934-4483

Fax: (205) 934-6571

EDUCATION

1988-1991
Vollum Institute, Oregon Health Sciences University, Portland, Oregon; Postdoctoral Fellow in laboratory of Dr. C.E. Jahr

1988
University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom, Ph.D., Pharmacology

1984
University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom, B.Sc., (Honors)

POSITIONS HELD

2001-present

Associate Professor (primary), Department of Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham

1996-2001
Assistant Professor (primary), Department of Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham

1996-present
Assistant Professor (secondary), Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Alabama at Birmingham

1995-present
Assistant Professor (secondary), Department of Pharmacology, University of Alabama at Birmingham

1995-1996
Associate Scientist, Neurobiology Research Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham

1995-1996
Assistant Professor (primary), Department of Physiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham

1993-1995
Research Assistant Professor, Division of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine

1992-1993
Research Assistant Professor, Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Baylor College of Medicine

AWARDS AND HONORS

1984 Graduated University of Bristol with honors

1993 NIH R29: Central nicotinic channel kinetics and synaptic function

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

Society for Neuroscience

PUBLICATIONS

Articles and Chapters

Herron, C.E., Lester, R.A.J., Coan, E.J. and Collingridge, G.L. Intracellular demonstration of an N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor mediated component of synaptic transmission in the rat hippocampus. Neurosci. Lett. 60:19-23, 1985.

Herron, C.E., Lester, R.A.J., Coan, E.J. and Collingridge, G.L. Frequency-dependent involvement of NMDA receptors in the hippocampus: a novel synaptic mechanism. Nature 322:265-268, 1986.

Collingridge, G.L., Herron, C.E. and Lester, R.A.J. Synaptic activation of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors in the Schaffer collateral-commissural pathway of rat hippocampus. J. Physiol. 399:283-300, 1988.

Collingridge, G.L., Herron, C.E. and Lester, R.A.J. Frequency-dependent N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor-mediated synaptic transmission in rat hippocampus. J. Physiol. 399:301-312, 1988.

Davies, S.N., Alford, S.T., Coan, E.J., Lester, R.A.J. and Collingridge, G.L. Ketamine blocks an NMDA receptor-mediated component of synaptic transmission in rat hippocampus in a voltage-dependent manner. Neurosci. Lett. 92:213-217, 1988.

Davies, S.N., Lester, R.A.J., Reymann, K.G. and Collingridge, G.L. Temporally distinct pre- and postsynaptic mechanisms maintain long-term potentiation. Nature 338:500-503, 1989.

Lester, R.A.J., Quarum, M.L., Partker, J.D., Weber, E. and Jahr, C.E. Interaction of 6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione with the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor-associated glycine binding site. Mol. Pharmacol. 35:565-570, 1989.

Collingridge, G.L. and Lester, R.A.J. Excitatory amino acid receptors in the vertebrate central nervous system. Pharmacol. Rev. 40:143-210, 1989.

Lester, R.A.J. and Jahr, C.E. Quisqualate receptor-mediated depression of calcium currents in hippocampal neurons. Neuron 4:741-749, 1990.

Lester, R.A.J., Clements, J.D., Westbrook, G.L. and Jahr, C.E. Channel kinetics determine the time course of NMDA receptor-mediated synaptic currents. Nature 346:565-567, 1990.

Lester, R.A.J. and Jahr, C.E. NMDA channel behavior depends on agonist affinity. J. Neurosci. 12:635-643, 1992.

Jahr, C.E. and Lester, R.A.J. Synaptic excitation mediated by glutamate-gated ion channels. Current Opinions in Neurobiol. 2:270-274, 1992.

Clements, J.D., Lester, R.A.J., Tong, G., Jahr, C.E. and Westbrook, G.L. Time course of glutamate in the synaptic cleft. Science 258:1498-1501, 1992.

Lester, R.A.J., Tong, G. and Jahr, C.E. Interaction between the glutamate and glycine binding sites of the NMDA receptor. J. Neurosci. 13:1088-1096, 1993.

Lester, R.A.J. and Dani, J.A. Time-dependent changes in central nicotinic acetylcholine channel kinetics in outside-out patches. Neuropharmacol. 33:27-34, 1994.

Lester, R.A.J., Clements, J.D., Tong, G., Westbrook, G.L. and Jahr, C.E. Time course of NMDA receptor-mediated synaptic responses. In The NMDA Receptor, 2nd edition (eds. Watkins, J.C. and Collingridge, G.L.) Oxford University Press, Inc., New York, pp. 206-218, 1994.

Lester, R.A.J. and Dani, J.A. Acetylcholine receptor desensitization induced by nicotine in rat medial habenula neurons. J. Neurophysiol. 74:195-206, 1995.

Fenster, C.P., Rains, M.F., Noerager, B., Quick, M.W. and Lester, R.A.J. Influence of subunit composition on desensitization of nicotinic receptors at low concentrations of nicotine. J. Neurosci. 17: 5747-5759, 1997.

Fenster, C.P., Hicks, J.H., Beckman, M.L., Covernton, P.J.O., Quick, M.W. and Lester, R.A.J. Desensitization of nicotinic receptors in the CNS, In Molecular and Functional Diversity of Ion Channels N.Y. Acad. Sci., 1998 (In press).

Fenster, C.P., Beckman, M.L., Parker, J.C., Sheffield, E.B., Whitworth, T.L., Quick, M.W. and Lester, R.A.J. Regulation of a4b2 nicotinic receptor desensitization by calcium and protein kinase C. Mol. Pharmacol., 1999 (In press).

Manuscripts submitted

Lester, R.A.J. and Dani, J.A. Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in neurons. Encyclopedia Life Sci. (Submitted).

Quick, M.W., Ceballos, R.M., Kasten, M., McIntosh, M.J. and Lester, R.A.J. a3b4 subunit-containing nicotinic acetylcholine receptors dominate function in medial habenula neurons. Neuropharmacol. (Submitted 8/18/98).

Fenster, C.P., Whitworth, T., Lester, R.A.J. and Quick, M.W. Desensitization initiates upregulation of a4b2 receptors following chronic exposure to nicotine. J. Neurosci. (Submitted 9/4/98).

 

Manuscripts in preparation

Hicks, J.H., Dani, J.A. and Lester, R.A.J. Regulation of the sensitivity of actylcholine receptors to nicotine in medial habenula neurons. J. Physiol. (In preparation for resubmission).

Published Abstracts

Coan, E.J., Colingridge, G.L. Herron, C.E. and Lester, R.A.J. Demonstration of a phencyclidine-sensitive N-methyl-D-aspartate-receptor-mediated component of an e.p.s.p. in rat hippocampal slices. J. Physiol. 365:45, 1985.

Collingridge, G.L., Herron, C.E. and Lester, R.A.J. Demonstration of an NMDA receptor-mediated component of synaptic transmission during tatanic stimulation in isolated rat hippocampal slices. J. Physiol. 374:41, 1986.

Collingridge, G.L., Herron, C.E. and Lester, R.A.J. NMDA receptor involvement in synaptic potentials evoked by low-frequency stimulation in rat hippocampus in vitro. J. Physiol. 394:151, 1987.

Collingridge, G.L., Herron, C.E. and Lester, R.A.J. Properties of a frequency-dependent NMDA receptor-mediated synaptic potential in rat hippocampus in vitro. J. Physiol. 394:161, 1987.

Collingridge, G.L. and Lester, R.A.J. Properties of a dual-component synaptic response evolked by low-frequency stimulation in rat hippocampal slices. J. Physiol. 396:61, 1987.

Collingridge, G.L. and Lester, R.A.J. The sensitivity of CA1 neurones to quisqualate following high-frequency stimulation in rat hippocampus in vitro. J. Physiol. 398:22, 1988.

Alford, S.T., Coan, E.J. Collingridge, G.L., Davies, S.N. and Lester, R.A.J. Voltage-dependent block of synaptic responses by ketamine in rat hippocampus in vitro. J. Physiol. 401:72, 1988.

Lester, R.A.J. and Jahr, C.E. L-2-amino-4-phosphonobutyrate reduces calcium currents in hippocampal CA1 and entorhinal cortical neurons in culture. Soc. Neurosci. Abstr 15:461.1, 1989.

Jahr, C.E. and Lester, R.A.J. Depression of calcium currents by quisqualic acid in neonatal rat hippocampal neurons in culture. J. Physiol. 418:197, 1989.

Lester, R.A.J., Clements, J.D., Westbrook, G.L. and Jahr, C.E. Channel kinetics underlie NMDA receptor-mediated synaptic currents. Soc. Neurosci. Abstr. 16:420.13, 1990.

Tong, G., Lester, R.A.J. and Jahr, C.E. Regulation of NMDA receptors by glycine at synapses and in outside-out patches. Soc. Neurosci. Abstr. 17:464.1, 1991.

Clements, J.D., Lester, R.A.J., Jahr, C.E. and Westbrook, G.L. Time course of glutamate in the synaptic cleft. Soc. Neurosci. Abstr. 17:107.7, 1991.

Lester, R.A.J., Tong, G. and Jahr, C.E. Interaction between glycine-sensitive and glycine-insensitive desensitization of NMDA receptors. Biophys. Abst 61:846, 1992.

Lester, R.A.J. and Dani, J.A. Desensitization of nicotine of central acetylcholine receptors. The Cholinergic Synapse Abst. 1994.

Lester, R.A.J. and J.A. Dani. Changes in central nicotinic receptor properties during whole-cell perfusion. Soc. Neurosci. Abstr. 21:343, 1995.

Lester, R.A.J. and Quick, M.W., Subunit dependent desensitization of neuronal nicotinic receptors at low concentrations of nicotine, Soc. Neurosci. Abstr. 22:603.9, 1996.

Fenster, C.P., Quick, M.W., and Lester, R.A.J., Subtype-dependent calcium regulation of neuronal nicotinic receptors expressed in Xenopus oocytes. Soc. Neurosci. Abstr. 23:154.14, 1997.

Ceballos, R.M., Ransom, C.B. and Lester, R.A.J., Sensitivity of neurons in medial habenula slices to nicotinic agonists, Soc. Neurosci. Abstr. 23:265.6, 1997.

Covernton P.J.O. and Lester, R.A.J. Desensitization of nicotinic receptor-mediated modulation of spontaneous GABA release? Soc. Neurosci. Abstr. 1998 (In press).

Fenster, C.P., Whitworth, T., Beckman, M.L., Lester, R.A.J. and Quick, M.W. Correlation between desensitization and up-regulation for a4b2 and a3b4 neuronal nicotinic receptors. Soc. Neurosci. Abstr. 1998 (In press).

Lester, R.A.J., McIntosh, J.M. and Quick, M.W. Relationship between nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subunit mRNA levels and channel function in central neurons. Soc. Neurosci. Abstr. 1998 (In press).

Fenster, C.P., Whitworth, T., Beckman, M.L., Quick, M.W. and Lester, R.A.J. Regulation of acetylcholine receptor desensitization at low concentrations of nicotine. Soc. Toxicol. 1999 (In press).