Faculty

Jerold Chun 
Professor
Department of Molecular Biology
TSRI - 2002

Joint Appointments 
Adjunct Professor, UCSD

Education 
B.A., English and Biology, University of Hawaii at Manoa
M.D., Stanford University School of Medicine
Ph.D., Neuroscience, Stanford University
Postdoctoral Fellow, Whitehead Institute/Massachusetts Institute of Technology
2003- Professor, Dept. of Molecular Biology, The Scripps Research Institute
Investigator, Helen L. Dorris Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatric Disorder Institute
2003- Adjunct Professor of Neuroscience, UC San Diego
2002- Adjunct Professor of Pharmacology, UC San Diego
2000-2003 Merck & Co., Inc. (consultant, Senior Director, founding Department Head, Molecular Neuroscience, Merck Research Labs, San Diego)
2001-2002 Professor of Pharmacology, UCSD
2000-2001 Acting Director, Neurosciences Graduate Program, UCSD
1999-2001 Associate Director, Neurosciences Graduate Program, UCSD
1998-2001 Associate Professor (with tenure), Dept. of Pharmacology and Member, Neurosciences and Biomedical Sciences Programs
1995- Executive Committee Member, Neurosciences Graduate Program
1991-1998 Assistant Professor, Dept. of Pharmacology and Member, Neurosciences and Biomedical Sciences Programs, UCSD School of Medicine
1988-1991 Postdoctoral Fellow, Whitehead Institute (laboratory of R. Jaenisch, MD, D. Baltimore, PhD)
1981-1988 MD-PhD candidate, Department of Neurobiology, Stanford University
School of Medicine (advisor: C.J. Shatz, PhD)
1979-1981 Undergraduate honors thesis student, Pacific Biomedical Research Center, University of Hawaii (advisor: I.R. Gibbons, PhD, FRS)

Awards & Activities 
Editorial Board Member, Journal of Biological Chemistry
Selection Committee, Basil O'Conner Scholars, The March of Dimes
Executive Committee, Neurosciences Program, UCSD

Research Focus 
Basic and disease-related research on the neurobiology of lysophospholipid signaling and chromosomal aneuploidy in the nervous system
Our laboratory is focused on understanding the development and function of the mammalian nervous system, with a particular emphasis on understanding molecular mechanisms relevant to human diseases. In part, we are studying the receptor-mediated effects of naturally occurring lysophospholipids, namely lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) and sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P). Targeted deletion of cognate G protein-coupled receptors that transduce signals initiated by these lipids has revealed that these receptors are essential for diverse biological functions within the nervous system. Our recent focus has been to further characterize receptor-null mutants using receptor agonists and antagonists. Another area of study involves exploring the extent and consequences of changes in chromosome number or aneuploidy in neural cells. Surprisingly, a significant number of normal brain cells, including those in humans, are aneuploid. Aneuploidy exists in both proliferating cells and postmitotic neurons; it produces genetic mosaicism that is likely unique in detail for each brain. The biological functions of neural aneuploidy in the developing and mature brain may play important roles in apoptosis, cell fate, physiological properties and disease.

Selected References 
Gon, Y., Wood, M.R., Kiosses, W.B., Jo, E., Sanna, M.G., Chun, J., Rosen, H. (2005) S1P3 receptor-induced reorganization of epithelial tight junctions compromises lung barrier integrity and is potentiated by TNF. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 102, 9270-5.

Kingsbury, M. A., Friedman, B., McConnell, M. J., Rehen, S. K., Yang, A. H., Kaushal, D., Chun, J.(2005). Aneuploid neurons are functionally active and integrated into brain circuitry. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 102, 6143.

Ye, X., Hama, K., Contos, J.J.A., Anliker., B., Inoue, A., Skinner, M.K., Suzuki, H., Amano, T., Kennedy, G., Arai, H., Aoki, J., Chun, J. (2005). LPA3-mediated lysophosphatidic acid signalling in implantation and embryo spacing. Nature 435, 104.

Rehen, S.K., Yung, Y.C., McCreight, M.P., Yang, A.H., Almeida, B.S.V., Kingsbury, M.A., Cabral, K.M.S., Kaushal, D., McConnell, M.J., Anliker, B., Fontanoz, M., Chun, J. (2005). Constitutional aneuploidy in the normal human brain. J. Neurosci., 25, 2176-2180. (cover art)