Universidad Autonoma de Madrid (Spain)

 

Juan Bernal, MD, PhD
 jbernal@iib.uam.es

Professor of Research, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas Alberto Sols, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas y Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Spain.

Research
Our goal is to define the mechanisms of action of thyroid hormone in the brain of developing and adult animals. We described the ontogeny and regional distribution of thyroid hormone receptors and of type 2 and type 3 deiodinases and identified many of the target genes of thyroid hormone during brain development. Finally, we have studied the phenotype of mutant mice lacking thyroid hormone receptors or expressing a dominant negative variant.

Future projects
Our future goals are to define in molecular terms the action of thyroid hormone during fetal brain development, and specifically the role of maternal hormone. We seek to identify genes in the fetal brain that are regulated by maternally derived thyroid hormones. In addition, we are also working on the identification of thyroid hormone target genes in the adult brain.

Selected publications
P Vargiu, R DeAbajo, JA Garcia-Ranea, A Valencia, P Santisteban, P Crespo, J Bernal The small GTP-binding protein, Rhes regulates signal transduction from G protein-coupled receptors. Oncogene 2004;23:559-568.

A. Guadaño-Ferraz, R. Benavides-Piccione, C. Venero, C. Lancha, B. Vennström, C. Sandi, J. DeFelipe, J. Bernal. Lack of thyroid hormone receptor ?1 is associated with selective alterations in behavior and hippocampal circuits. Mol Psychiatry 2003;8:30-38.

B. Morte, J. Manzano, T. Scanlan, B. Vennström, J. Bernal. Deletion of the thyroid hormone receptor ?1 prevents the structural alterations of the cerebellum induced by hypothyroidism. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA, 99: 3985-3989, 2002

A. Guadaño-Ferraz, M.J. Escámez, E. Rausell, J. Bernal. Expression of type 2 iodothyronine deiodinase in hypothyroid rat brain indicates an important role of thyroid hormone in the development of specific primary sensory systems. J Neurosci 1999;19:3430-3439.

A. Guadaño-Ferraz, M.J. Obregón, D. StGermain and J. Bernal. The type 2 iodothyronine deiodinase is

 
International Doctorate Program
in Molecular Oncology and Endocrinology
Università di Napoli - Federico II