Christopher A. Lowry Christopher A. Lowry, Ph.D. Department of Integrative Physiology University of Colorado Boulder, CO 80309-0354 phone: 303-492-6029 fax: 303-492-6778 e-mail: christopher.lowry@colorado.edu

Research Interests

• The neural mechanisms underlying emotional behavior and the stress-induced control of physiology and emotional behavior


• Behavioral Neuroendocrinology Laboratory

Education

• 1983-1987, B.A. Hons., University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming


• 1987-1995, Ph.D., Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon

Professional Experience

• 1995-2002, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, University Research Centre for Neuroendocrinology, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.


• 2002-2003, Neuroendocrinology Charitable Trust Research Fellow, University Research Centre for Neuroendocrinology, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.


• 2003-2007, Wellcome Trust Intermediate Level Research Fellow, Henry Wellcome Laboratories for Integrative Neuroscience and Endocrinology, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.


• 2007-Present, Assistant Professor, Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado, Boulder.

Honors and Awards

• 1983-1987, University of Wyoming Honors and Scholars Program


• 1992-1994, National Institute of Mental Health National Research Service Award (NRSA) Predoctoral Fellowship


• 2002-2003, Research Fellow, Neuroendocrinology Charitable Trust


• 2003-2007, Research Fellow, The Wellcome Trust


• 2007, Young Investigator Award, NARSAD


• 2009-2014, National Science Foundation (NSF) CAREER Award

Recent Publications

• Feng N, Lowry CA, Lukkes JL, Orchinik M, Forster GL, Renner KJ. Organic cation transporter inhibition increases medial hypothalamic serontonin under basal conditions and during mild restraint. Brain Research 1326: 105-113, 2010.


• Hale MW, Dady KF, Evans AK, Lowry CA. Evidence for in vivo thermosensitivity of serotonergic neurons in the rat dorsal raphe nucleus and raphe pallidus nucleus implicated in thermoregulatory cooling. Experimental Neurology 227: 264-278, 2011.


• Hale MW, Johnson PL, Westerman AM, Abrams JK, Shekhar A, Lowry CA. Multiple anxiogenic drugs recruit a parvalbumin-containing subpopulation of GABAergic interneurons in the basolateral amygdala. Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry 34: 1285-1293, 2010.


• Hale MW, Lowry CA. Functional topography of midbrain and pontine serotonergic systems: implications for synaptic regulation of serotonergic circuits. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 213: 243-264, 2011.


• Hale MW, Shekhar A, Lowry CA. Development by environment interactions controlling tryptophan hydroxylase expression. Journal of Chemical Neuroanatomy 41: 219-226, 2011.


• Hale MW, Stamper CE, Staub DR, Lowry CA. Urocortin 2 increases c-Fos expression in serotonergic neurons projecting to the ventricular/periventricular system. Experimental Neurology 224: 271-281, 2010.


• Johnson PL, Fitz SD, Hollis JH, Moratalla R, Lightman SL, Shekhar A, Lowry CA. Induction of c-Fos in 'panic/defence'-related brain circuits following brief hypercarbic gas exposure. Journal of Psychopharmacology 25: 26-36, 2011.


• Kelly KJ, Donner NC, Hale MW, Lowry CA. Swim stress activates serotonergic and non-serotonergic neurons in specific subdivisions of the rat dorsal raphe nucleus in a temperature-dependent manner. Neuroscience 197: 251-268, 2011.


• Lowry CA, Hale MW. Serotonin and the neurobiology of anxious states. In: The Behavioral Neurobiology of Serotonin, Muller CP, Jacobs BL (eds.), 2010. ISBN: 978-0-12-374634-4.


• Lowry CA, Hale MW, Wright KP. Stress and arousal/sleep. In: Encyclopedia of Behavioral Neuroscience, Koob G, Le Moal M, Thompson RF, Editors. New York: Elsevier, vo. 3, pp. 295-303, 2010.


• Lukkes JL, Staub DR, Dietrich A, Truitt W, Neufeld-Cohen A, Chen A, Johnson PL, Shekhar A, Lowry CA. Topographical distribution of corticotropin-releasing factor type 2 receptor-like immunoreactivity in the rat dorsal raphe nucleus: co-localization with tryptophan hydroxylase. Neuroscience 183: 47-63, 2011.


• Neufeld-Cohen A, Chen A, Hale MW, Lowry CA. Anxiolytic phenotype and modified serontonergic activity in Urocortiin 1 and 2 double-deficient mice. Molecular Psychiatry 15: 339, 2010.


• Neufeld-Cohen A, Evans AK, Getselter D, Spyroglou A, Hill A, Gil S, Tsoory M, Beuschlein F, Lowry CA, Vale W, Chen A. Urocortin-1 and -2 double-deficient mice show robust anxiolytic phenotype and modified serotonergic activity in anxiety circuits. Molecular Psychiatry 15: 426-441, 2010. [Commentary - Kozicz T. The missing link; the significance of urocortin-1/urocortin-2 in the modulation of dorsal raphe serotonergic system. Molecular Psychiatry 15: 340-341, 2010.]


• Neufeld-Cohen A, Tsoory MM, Evans AK, Getselter D, Gil S, Lowry CA, Vale WW, Chen A. A triple urocortin knockout mouse model reveals an essential role for urocortins in stress recovery. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA 107: 19020-19025, 2010.


• Paul ED, Hale MW, Lukkes JL, Valentine MJ, Sarchet DM, Lowry CA. Repeated social defeat increases reactive emotional coping behavior and alters functional responses in serotonergic neurons in the rat dorsal raphe nucleus. Physiology & Behavior 104: 272-282, 2011.


• Raison CL, Lowry CA, Rook GA. Inflammation, sanitation, and consternation: loss of contact with coevolved, tolerogenic microorganisms and the pathophysiology and treatment of major depression. Archives of General Psychiatry 67: 1211-1224, 2010.


• Rook GAW, Lowry CA, Raison CL. Lymphocytes in neuroprotection, cognition and emotion: is intolerance really the answer? Brain, Behavior, and Immunity 25: 591-601, 2011.


• Rozeske RR, Evans AK, Frank MG, Watkins LR, Lowry CA, Maier SF. Uncontrollable, but not controllable, stress desensitizes 5-HT1A receptors in the dorsal raphe nucleus. Journal of Neuroscience 31: 14107-14115, 2011.


• Spannuth BM, Hale MW, Evans AK, Lukkes JL, Campeau S, Lowry CA. Investigation of a central nucleus of the amygdala/dorsal raphe nucleus serotonergic circuit implicated in fear-potentiated startle. Neuroscience 179: 104-119, 2011.