Faculty Profiles

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Harry Pantazopoulos, PhD

Dr. Harry PantazopoulosAssociate Professor
Office: TRC, Room 407
(601) 815-7983
Email

Research interests

The research of the Pantazopoulos lab is focused on identifying the neuropathological correlates of circadian rhythm and sleep dysfunction in major psychoses, which we pursue using a combination of human postmortem and animal model approaches. Our long-term research goal is to develop a foundation of changes in neurocircuitry regulating circadian rhythm abnormalities associated with mood disturbances in several diseases including bipolar disorder and schizophrenia that we can leverage to develop more effective treatments. In addition, we aim to identify basic biological mechanisms that will provide insight into how clock genes regulate neural functions in a brain region specific manner, linked to specific behaviors.

Additional lab projects consist of extracellular matrix abnormalities in schizophrenia, as well as studies focused on sleep designed to elucidate the role of extracellular matrix molecules, including perineuronal nets, in sleep and memory consolidation.

Current funding

NIH R01 Grant: MH125833
Diurnal Molecular Rhythms of the Human Hypothalamus and Involvement in Bipolar Disorder
2021-2025
Role: PI

Department of Defense Grant: W81XWH-20-1-0772
Matrix metalloproteinases in the degeneration of cochlear synapses
Role: Co-Investigator

Baszucki Brain Research Fund: CACNA1C Genotype: Correlation with Brain and Blood Levels of CACNA1C and Treatment Responsiveness
PI: Harry Pantazopoulos
2021-2022
Role: PI

Recent publications

* In the last four years

  • Rexrode, L.E., Hartley, J., Showmaker, K.C., Challagundla, L., Vandewege, M.W., Martin, B.E., Blair, E., Bollavarapu, R., Antonyraj, R.B., Hilton, K., Gardiner, A., Valeri, J., Gisabella, B., Garrett, M.R., Theoharides, T.C., and Pantazopoulos, H., Molecular Profiling of the Hippocampus in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Molecular Psychiatry. 2024. Feb 14. doi: 10.1038/s41380-024-02441-8
  • Valeri, J., Stiplosek, C., O’Donovan, S.M., Sinclair, D., Grant, K.A., Bollavarapu, R., Platt, D.M., Stockmeier, C.A., Gisabella, B., and Pantazopoulos, H., Extracellular Matrix Abnormalities in the Hippocampus of Subjects with Substance Use Disorder. Translational Psychiatry. 2024. Feb 24;14(1):115. doi: 10.1038/s41398-024-02833-y
  • Boldrini, M., Xiao, Y., Sing, T., Zhu, C., Jabbi, M., Pantazopoulos, H., Gürsoy, G., Martinowich, K., Punzi, G., Vallender, E.J., Zody, M., Berretta, S., Hyde, T.M., Marenco, S.,  Roussos, P., Lewis, D.A., Turecki, G., Lehner, T., Mann, J.J. Omics approaches to investigate the pathogenesis of suicide. Biological Psychiatry. May 29:S0006-3223(24)01352-0. doi: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2024.05.017
  • Martinez, C.A., Pantazopoulos, H., Gisabella, B., Stephens, E.T., Garteiser, J., and Del Arco, A. Choice Impulsivity After Repeated Social Stress is Associated With Increased Perineuronal Nets in the Medial Prefrontal Cortex. Scientific Reports. 2024. Mar 26;14(1):7093. doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-57599-6
  • Hartmann, J., Bajaj, T., Otten, J., Klengel, C., Ebert, T., Gellner, A., Junglas, E., Hafner, K., Anderzhanova, E.A., Tang, F., Missig, G., Rexrode, L., Trussell, D.T., Li, K., Pöhlmann, M.L., Mackert, S., Geiger, T.M., Heinz, D.E., Lardenoije, R., Dedic, N., McCullough, K.M., Próchnicki, T., Rhomberg, T., Martinelli, S., Payton, A., Robinson, A.C., Stein, V., Latz, E., Carlezon Jr., W.A., Hausch, F., Schmidt, M.V., Murtgatroyd, C., Berretta, S., Klengel, T., Pantazopoulos, H., Ressler, K.J., and Gassen, N.C., SKA2 Regulated Hyperactive Secretory Autophagy Drives Neuroinflammation-induced Neurodegeneration. Nature Communications. 2024. Mar 25;15(1):2635. doi: 10.1038/s41467-024-46953-x.
  • Smail M.A., Smith, B.L., Shukla, R., Alganem, K., Eby, H.M., Bollinger, J.L., Parikh, R.K., Chambers, J.B., Reigle, J.K., Moloney, R.D., Nawreen, N., Wohleb, E.S., Pantazopoulos, H., McCullumsmith, R.E., and Herman, J.P. Molecular Neurobiology of Loss: A Role for Basolateral Amygdala Extracellular Matrix. Molecular Psychiatry. 2023. doi: 10.1038/s41380-023-02231-8
  • Valeri, J., Gisabella, B., and Pantazopoulos, H., Dynamic Regulation of the Extracellular Matrix in Reward Memory Processes: A Question of Time. Frontiers in Cell. Neurosci. 2023 Volume 17. doi.org/10.3389/fn-cel.2023.1208974
  • Rexrode, L., Tennin, M., Babu, J., Young, C., Bollavarapu, R., Lawson, A., Valeri, J., Pantazopoulos, H., and Gisabella, B., Regulation of Dendritic Spines in the Amygdala Following Sleep Deprivation. Frontiers in Sleep. 2023 Volume 2. doi.org/10.3389/frsle.2023.1145203
  • Yildiz, Y., Elboga, G., Uygun, M.C., Yilmaz, R., Selvi, Y., Ulusal, H., Çelik, E., Sahpolat, M., Yildiz, Z.Z., Hursitoglu, O., Altindag, A., Tarakçıoğlu, M., and Pantazopoulos H., Lower Morning Levels of Cortisol and Neuropeptides in Blood Samples from Patients with Bipolar Disorder. JAD Rep. 2022 100406. doi: 10.1016/j/jadr.2022.100406.
  • Valeri, J., O’Donovan, S., Wang, W., Sinclair, D., Bollavarapu, R., Gisabella, B., Platt, D., Stockmeier, C.A., and Pantazopoulos H., Altered Expression of Somatostatin Signaling Molecules and Clock Genes in the Hippocampus of Subjects with Substance Use Disorder. Front Neurosci. 2022 2022 Sep 7;16:903941. doi: 10.3389/fnins.2022.903941. eCollection 2022. PMID: 36161151
  • Pantazopoulos H. and Berretta, S. Editorial: Brain Extracellular Matrix: Involvement in Adult Neural Functions and Disease. Front Integr. Neurosci. 2022 Aug 15;16:1009456. doi:10.3389/fnint.2022.1009456. eCollection 2022. PMID: 36046614 
  • Pantazopoulos H., Hossain, N.M., Chelini, G., Durning, P., Barbas, H., Zikopoulos, B., and Berretta, S., Chondroitin Sulphate Proteoglycan Axonal Coats in the Human Mediodorsal Thalamic Nucleus. Front Integr. Neurosci. 2022 934764. PMID: 35875507
  • Gisabella, B., Babu, J., Vaeri, J., Rexrode, L. and Pantazopoulos H., Sleep and Memory Consolidation Dysfunction in Psychiatric Disorders: Evidence for Involvement of Extracellular Matrix Molecules. Front Neurosci. 2021 15:646678. PMID: 34054408
  • Pantazopoulos H., Katsel, P., Haroutunian, V., Chelini, G., Klengel, T. and Berretta, S Molecular Signature of Extracellular Matrix Pathology in Schizophrenia. Eur J Neurosci. 2020 PMID: 33070392 doi:10.1111/ejn.15009
  • Tsilioni, I, Pantazopoulos H., Conti, P., Leeman, S.E., and Theoharides, T.C. IL-38 inhibits microglia inflammatory mediators and is decreased in amygdala of children with autism spectrum disorder-novel treatment. PNAS. 2020. 117(28):16475-16480. PMID: 32601180
  • Pantazopoulos, H., Gisabella, B., Rexrode, L., Benefield, D., Yildiz, E., Seltzer, P., Valeri, J., Chelini, G., Reich, A.,  Ardelt, A., and Berretta, S. 2020. Circadian Rhythms of Perineuronal Net Composition. eNeuro 0034-19. PMID: 32719104
Complete list can be accessed at MyNCBI.