Kimberly Huber, Ph.D. Professor Endowed Title Southwestern Medical Foundation Scholar in Medical Research School Medical School Department Neuroscience Graduate Programs Neuroscience Biography Dr. Huber obtained her Ph.D. in Neurobiology in 1995 from The University of Texas Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences in Houston where she worked with Drs. Paul Kelly and Michael Mauk on the neurobiological mechanisms of learning and memory, specifically long-term changes in neuronal connections, termed synaptic plasticity. Dr. Huber performed her postdoctoral training with Dr. Mark Bear at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Brown University where she discovered novel mechanisms and forms of synaptic plasticity as well as demonstrated specific alterations in synaptic plasticity in a mouse model of Fragile X Syndrome, the most common genetic cause of human mental retardation and autism. Dr. Huber joined the faculty at UT Southwestern in 2001 where she is she is currently a Professor in the Department of Neuroscience and Southwestern Medical Foundation Endowed Scholar. Research in the Huber lab is focused on understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms of synapse and neural circuit development and plasticity as well as the role of genes implicated in human autism and intellectual disability in these processes. To address these questions her lab utilizes state-of-the-art neurophysiology, imaging, biochemistry and molecular biology techniques in mice. Her lab has discovered novel molecular mechanisms of synaptic plasticity as well as new functions and mechanisms for the Fragile X Mental Retardation gene 1 (Fmr1) in cortical synapse development and plasticity. Her work has led to a better understanding of the neurobiology of Fragile X Syndrome and autism as well as identified novel therapeutic strategies. Work is the Huber laboratory is supported by grants from the NIH, FRAXA Research Foundation, The Simons Foundation for Autism Research Initiative and The Hartwell Foundation. Education Undergraduate Stephen F Austin State Uni (1987), Biology Graduate School Univ of Tx Health Science Ctr (1995), Neuroscience Research Interest Activity-regulated translation and transcription in the brain Mechanisms of synapse development and plasticity Roles of Autism-risk genes in development and function of neural circuits Publications Featured Publications FMRP Control of Ribosome Translocation Promotes Chromatin Modifications and Alternative Splicing of Neuronal Genes Linked to Autism. Shah S, Molinaro G, Liu B, Wang R, Huber KM, Richter JD, Cell Rep 2020 Mar 30 13 4459-4472.e6 Local cortical circuit correlates of altered EEG in the mouse model of Fragile X syndrome. Goswami S, Cavalier S, Sridhar V, Huber KM, Gibson JR Neurobiol. Dis. 2019 Apr 124 563-572 Distinct stages of synapse elimination are induced by burst firing of CA1 neurons and differentially require MEF2A/D. Chang CW, Wilkerson JR, Hale CF, Gibson JR, Huber KM Elife 2017 Sep 6 Experience-Dependent and Differential Regulation of Local and Long-Range Excitatory Neocortical Circuits by Postsynaptic Mef2c. Rajkovich KE, Loerwald KW, Hale CF, Hess CT, Gibson JR, Huber KM Neuron 2016 Dec Elevated CaMKIIa and Hyperphosphorylation of Homer Mediate Circuit Dysfunction in a Fragile X Syndrome Mouse Model. Guo W, Ceolin L, Collins KA, Perroy J, Huber KM Cell Rep 2015 Dec 13 10 2297-311 Experience-Induced Arc/Arg3.1 Primes CA1 Pyramidal Neurons for Metabotropic Glutamate Receptor-Dependent Long-Term Synaptic Depression. Jakkamsetti V, Tsai NP, Gross C, Molinaro G, Collins KA, Nicoletti F, Wang KH, Osten P, Bassell GJ, Gibson JR, Huber KM Neuron 2013 Oct 80 1 72-9 Multiple autism-linked genes mediate synapse elimination via proteasomal degradation of a synaptic scaffold PSD-95. Tsai NP, Wilkerson JR, Guo W, Maksimova MA, DeMartino GN, Cowan CW, Huber KM Cell 2012 Dec 151 7 1581-94 Disrupted Homer scaffolds mediate abnormal mGluR5 function in a mouse model of fragile X syndrome. Ronesi JA, Collins KA, Hays SA, Tsai NP, Guo W, Birnbaum SG, Hu JH, Worley PF, Gibson JR, Huber KM Nat. Neurosci. 2012 Mar 15 3 431-40, S1 Rapid translation of Arc/Arg3.1 selectively mediates mGluR dependent LTD through persistent increases in AMPAR endocytosis rate Waung, M.W., Pfeiffer, B.E., Nosyreva, E.D., Ronesi, J.A. and Huber, K.M. Neuron July 2008 59(1): 84-97 Ribosome profiling in mouse hippocampus: plasticity-induced regulation and bidirectional control by TSC2 and FMRP. Hien A, Molinaro G, Liu B, Huber KM, Richter JD, Mol Autism 2020 Oct 11 1 78 Results 1-10 of 40 1 2 3 4 Next Last Honors & Awards Javits AwardNINDS (2020) Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative - Individual Investigator AwardSimons Foundation (2012) William and Enid Rosen Research Award for Outstanding Contributions to Fragile X SyndromeNational Fragile X Foundation (2012) Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative -Pilot AwardSimons Foundation (2009) McKnight Foundation Brain Disorder Award (2002) Endowed Scholars Award in Biomedical Research (2001) Professional Associations/Affiliations American College of Neuropsychopharmacology (2019) Society for Neuroscience (1990)
