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Max E. Joffe
[email protected]
443-794-7632
Vanderbilt Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery
Vanderbilt University
12475E Medical Research Building 4
Nashville, TN 37203
EDUCATION
August 2011 – April 2016
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Ph.D. Pharmacology
August 2006 – May 2010
University of Maryland, College Park
B.S. with Honors Citation
Major: Mathematics, Minor: Physics
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Neuropharmacology lab of Dr. P. Jeffrey Conn, May 2016 – present
Pharmacology Department / Vanderbilt University
 Evaluating mGlu3 modulation as a potential treatment for psychiatric disorders
 Probing the function of mGlu3 in synaptic physiology, plasticity, and behavior through a combination of
techniques including input- and cell type-specific whole cell electrophysiology
PhD. Candidate, Behavioral Neuroscience lab of Dr. Brad A. Grueter, December 2012 – April 2016
Anesthesiology Department / Vanderbilt University Medical Center
 Examined circuit-specific NAc glutamatergic function using viral-delivered optogenetics and targeted
whole-cell patch clamp electrophysiology
 Used BAC transgenic D1/A2A genetic deletions to examine the cell type-specific contributions of
NMDAR subunits to reward-related behaviors
Graduate Student, Neuropharmacology lab of Dr. Carrie K. Jones, January 2012 – November 2012
Pharmacology Department / Vanderbilt University
 Evaluated the efficacy of mGlu5 negative modulators to attenuate the reinforcing properties of cocaine
 Developed procedures in MedState Notation to execute custom operant behavior tasks
 Performed analyses via MATLAB to evaluate spatial organization of locomotor behavior in mAChR KO
mice and drug-treated animals
Graduate Rotation, Neuropharmacology lab of Dr. Gregg D. Stanwood, November 2011 – December 2011
Pharmacology Department / Vanderbilt University
 Assessed the behavioral effects of SKF-83959, a Gq-preferring dopaminergic agonist, in genetic mouse
models in locomotor activity assays and the tail suspension test
 Used immunohistochemistry to examine changes in downstream protein phosphorylation following
administration of SKF-83959 in mice
Graduate Rotation, Mass Spectrometry lab of Dr. Kevin L. Schey, September 2011 – October 2011
Biochemistry Department / Vanderbilt University
 Used MALDI-TOF Imaging MS/MS to quantify the distributions and abundances of several
ophthalmologic agents and their metabolites in whole mouse eye
 Performed pilot experiments to detect energy metabolites (e.g. nucleotide phosphates, glutathione) in
two-dimensional space within bovine lens tissue using LTQ Imaging MS/MS
Data Analyst, Cognitive Science lab of Dr. Deborah A. Zarin, November 2010 – August 2011
ClinicalTrials.gov / National Library of Medicine, contracted by ICF International
 Extracted data from published articles; organized and summarized findings
 Provided technical support in the preparation of data quality reports and scholarly communications
 Collected, analyzed, and summarized data from ClinicalTrials.gov records
Special Volunteer, Behavioral Pharmacology lab of Dr. Jonathan L. Katz, September 2010 – May 2011
Medications Discovery Research Branch / National Institute on Drug Abuse
 Quantified behavioral effects of cocaine withdrawal and established pilot protocol for conditioned place
preference in Planaria
 Assisted with running rat behavioral assays and subsequent data analyses: 5-CSRTT, Delay Discounting,
Drug Discrimination and Progressive Ratio Reinforcement
Assistant, Metabolic Engineering lab of Dr. Ganesh Sriram, August 2009 – May 2010
ENCH 468, University of Maryland
 Measured “isotopomer” abundances via data analysis of 2D (1H-13C) NMR experiments
 Wrote MATLAB programs to quantify and deconvolute NMR multiplets via simulated annealing
Intern, Biophysics lab of Dr. Patrick H. Brown, June 2009 – August 2009
Dynamics of Macromolecular Assembly / National Institute on Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering
 Characterized nanoparticles (organic and aqueous Quantum Dots & 10-, 20-, 30-nm colloidal Au)
 Learned and utilized advanced biophysical techniques (Analytical Ultracentrifugation, Dynamic Light
Scattering, Field Flow Fractionation, Isothermal Titration Calorimetry, Refractive Index Increment, Dry
Weight Measurement, UV-visual Mass Spectrometry)
Assistant, Neuroscience lab of Dr. Catherine E. Carr, August 2008 – May 2009
BSCI 399, University of Maryland
 Sliced, fixed, and stained brain sections; used Neurolucida to construct 3D models of brains
 Began work on a comparative study of Bowerbird brain size, structure, and organization
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
Seminar in College Teaching, August 2016 – October 2016
Guest Lecture, September 29, 2016
Vanderbilt University NURO 8352 Methods and Experimental Design in Neuroscience Research
“Murine neurobehavior: reward and reinforcement”
Guest Lecture, March 1, 2016
Vanderbilt University NSC 3235 Biological Basis of Mental Disorders
“Substance abuse and the reward circuitry”
Academic Dean’s Assistant, June 2010 – August 2010
Teaching/Program Assistant, June 2007 – August 2007 / June 2008 – August 2008
Johns Hopkins University / Center for Talented Youth
 Worked with the academic dean on day-to-day administration of the academic program
 Tutored and supervised elementary, middle, and high school students
 Assisted with teaching lessons, administrative duties, and final student evaluations
Section Leader / Homework Grader / Tutor, August 2008 – December 2009
University of Maryland, College Park / Honors, Mathematics, and Athletic Departments
 Taught HONR100, a discussion-based course, to seventeen first-semester Honors students
 Organized a service learning project; designed a research project; led several field trips
 Graded for Calculus I, III, and Number Theory, between 20-40 students/semester
MENTORING EXPERIENCE
2014-2015
Sophie Vitter, undergraduate student, mouse behavioral assays
2016
Douglas Shaw, research assistant, stereotaxic injections
HONORS AND AWARDS
2010
University of Maryland Honors Citation
2014
Middle Tennessee Chapter for the Society of Neuroscience Data Blitz Best Presentation
2014
Vanderbilt Graduate Student Travel Award
2015
Vanderbilt Graduate Student Travel Award
2016
Vanderbilt Kennedy Center Science Day Best Abstract, Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience
2016
CNS Drug Discovery Research Training Grant, 5T32MH093366-05
APPOINTMENTS AND COMMITTEES
2014-2016
Review Committee for Vanderbilt Pharmacology Journal Club
2015
Vice President for Community Affairs, Vanderbilt Pharmacology Graduate Student Association
2015
Vanderbilt Pharmacology Student-Invited Form Committee
2016
Chair of Vanderbilt Pharmacology Student-Invited Forum Committee
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
2012-2016
Vanderbilt Pharmacology Graduate Student Association
2012Society for Neuroscience
2014Middle Tennessee Chapter for the Society for Neuroscience
2015Tennessee Physiological Society
PEER-REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS
Joffe ME and Grueter BA. Cocaine experience enhances thalamo-accumbens N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor
function. Biological Psychiatry. doi:10.1016/j.biopsych.2016.04.002
Joffe ME, Vitter SR, Grueter BA. GluN1 deletions in D1- and A2A-expressing cell types reveal distinct
modes of behavioral regulation. Neuropharmacology. doi:10.1016/j.neuropharm.2016.03.026
Gould RW#, Amato RJ#, Bubser M, Joffe ME, Nedelcovych M, Gray AT, Nickols H, Yuh J, Zhan X, Felts
AS, Rodriguez AL, Morrison RD, Byers FW, Rook JM, Daniels JS, Niswender CM, Conn PJ, Emmitte
KA, Lindsley CW, Jones CK. Partial mGlu5 negative allosteric modulators attenuate cocaine-mediated
behaviors and lack psychotomimetic-like effects. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2016 Mar;41(4):1166-78.
doi:10.1038/npp.2015.279
REVIEWS
Joffe ME, Grueter CA, Grueter BA. Biological substrates of addiction. WIREs Cogn Sci. 2014, 5:151–171.
doi: 10.1002/wcs.1273
Nargund S#, Joffe ME#, Tran D, Tugarinov V, Sriram G. Nuclear magnetic resonance methods for metabolic
fluxomics. In Alper HS, Ed., Systems Metabolic Engineering: Methods and Protocols, Methods in
Molecular Biology, vol. 985: 335-51. Humana Press. 2013 (#: equal contribution)
ORAL PRESENTATIONS
“Mechanisms of mGlu3-mediated synaptic plasticity in the prefrontal cortex.” Vanderbilt Kennedy Center
Science Day. 9/19/2016.
“Cocaine enhances NMDAR function at mThal-NAc core synapses.” Vanderbilt Anesthesiology Research
Division Works in Progress. 1/28/2016.
“Cocaine exposure generates pathophysiological adaptations at mThal-NAc synapses.” Vanderbilt
Pharmacology Works in Progress. 4/21/2015.
“Circuit-specific NAc iGluR function and implications for cocaine-related learning.” Vanderbilt Neuroscience
Program in Substance Abuse. 12/1/2014.
“Relapse-related pathophysiology of the thalamo-accumbens circuit.” Vanderbilt Pharmacology Annual
Retreat. 10/28/2014.
“NMDA receptor modulation of NAc synaptic and behavioral plasticity.” Vanderbilt Anesthesiology
Research Division Works in Progress. 5/15/2014.
“Deconstructing nucleus accumbens circuit functions with cell type-specific NMDA receptor deletions.”
Middle Tennessee Chapter of the Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting. 5/14/2014.
“NMDA receptor modulation of NAc synaptic and behavioral plasticity.” Vanderbilt Basal Ganglia Club.
2/13/2014.
ABSTRACTS
Joffe ME, Engers JL, Lindsley CW, and Conn PJ. Mechanisms of mGlu3-mediated synaptic plasticity in the
prefrontal cortex. Vanderbilt Kennedy Center Science Day. Nashville, TN. 9/19/2016.
Joffe ME and Grueter BA. Cocaine exposure alters thalamo-accumbens synapses. Gordon Research
Conference. Ventura, CA. 2/27/2016.
Grannan MD, Folkes O, Gould RW, Joffe ME, Bubser M, Bridges TM, Wess J, Ramsey AJ, Wood MR,
Grueter BA, Conn PJ, Lindsley CW, Jones CK. Effects of the M4 positive allosteric modulator
VU0467154 on cognition and electrophysiological properties in the mPFC in a rodent model of NMDA
receptor hypofunction. Vanderbilt Pharmacology Annual Retreat. Nashville, TN. 10/29/2015.
Joffe ME and Grueter BA. Cocaine exposure alters thalamo-accumbens synapses. Society for Neuroscience
Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL 10/19/2015.
Joffe ME, Vitter SR, and Grueter BA. NMDAR function in striatal neurocircuits regulates despair and
cocaine reinstatement. Vanderbilt Department of Anesthesiology Research Retreat. 5/1/2015.
Joffe ME and Grueter BA. Deconstructing nucleus accumbens circuit functions with cell type-specific
NMDA receptor deletions. Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting, Washington, D.C. 11/19/2014.
Joffe ME and Grueter BA. NMDA receptor modulation of NAc synaptic and behavioral plasticity. Vanderbilt
Department of Anesthesiology Research Retreat. 5/3/2014.
Amato RJ, Joffe ME, Morrison RD, Rodriguez AL, Felts AS, Emmitte KA, Daniels JS, Conn PJ, Lindsley
CW, Jones CK. Potential of partial negative allosteric modulators of the metabotropic glutamate receptor
subtype 5 for reversal of cocaine self-administration in rats. Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting,
New Orleans, LA. 10/17/2012.
Nargund S, Joffe ME, Tugarinov V, Sriram G. Metabolic Flux Analysis Using Designed Isotope Labeling
Experiments Reveals Effects of Light On Metabolic Fluxes in Heterotrophic Plant Suspension Cells.
American Institute of Chemical Engineers. 10/16/2011.