Dr. Yoland Smith: Yerkes

	Darlene Mitrano Originally from Queens, New York, I attended Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia where I graduated with a BS in Psychology in 2002. While at W&L, I researched the olfactory system of goldfish focusing on apoptosis of neurons in the olfactory rosette. After graduating I decided to look into a totally different area of neuroscience and pursued graduate programs that had research addressing drug addiction. So I ventured to Atlanta, Georgia during the summer of 2002 to begin studies in the Molecular and Systems Pharmacology program at Emory University. After a few rotations I officially joined Yoland's lab in the summer of 2003. Since I'm interested in drug addiction, particularly cocaine addiction, my area of focus in the brain is the nucleus accumbens, one of the key structures in the reward pathway. Currently I am localizing metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) in the nucleus accumbens and then plan on looking at changes in localization of these receptors in rats after they have had chronic cocaine exposure. This will hopefully give a better understanding of the role of glutamate in addiction and relapse. Above are some sample electron micrographs of Group I mGluRs in the rat nucleus accumbens, using both immunogold and immunoperoxidase methods of labeling. Publications & Abstracts : Mitrano, D.J. and Y. Smith (2007) A comparative analysis of mGluR1a and mGluR5 in the shell and core of the rat and monkey accumbens. J. Comp. Neurol. 500: 788-806. Bonsi, P., Sciamanna, D.A. Mitrano, D. Cuomo, G. Bernardi, P. Platania, Y. Smith and A. Pisani (2007) Functional and ultrastructural analysis of group I mGluRs in striatal fast-spiking interneurons. Eur. J. Neurosci. 25: 1319-1331. Mitrano, D, C. Arnold and Y Smith (2007) A comparative analysis of the subcellular and subsynaptic localization of group I MGluRs in the nucleus accumbens of normal and cocaine-treated rats. J. Comp Neurol. (submitted for publication). Mitrano DA, Arnold C, Smith Y (2006) Subcellular and subsynaptic localization of group I mGluRs in the nucleus accumbens following acute or chronic cocaine treatment in rats. Soc for Neurosci 331.4 Mitrano DA and Y Smith (2005) Subsynaptic localization of group I mGluRs in the nucleus accumbens of normal and cocaine-treated rats. 5th International mGluRs meeting. Taormina, abstr 85 Mitrano, D.A. & Smith Y. (2004) Localization of mGluR1a in the Shell and Core of the Nucleus Accumbens: A Comparative Analysis between Monkeys and Rats. Society for Neuroscience Abstracts, Program No. 393.4. Jaworski JN, Kimmel HL, Mitrano DA, Tallarida RJ, & Kuhar MJ (2004) Intra-VTA CART 55-102 reduces the locomotor effect of cocaine: an isobolographic analysis. (Submitted for Publication) Mitrano, D.A. (2003). “Jimson Weed” & “Gangs” The Encyclopedia of Drugs & Addiction, Brown Reference Group, London (in press). Mitrano D.A., Pare J-F., & Smith Y. (2003) Subcellular and Subsynaptic Localization of mGluR5 in the Shell and Core of the Nucleus Accumbens in Rhesus Monkeys. Society for Neuroscience, Program No. 800.3. Awards & Funding : Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award: Training Grant in Drug Abuse, July 2004 - June 2005. Oliver Award for Intellectual Curiosity, Department of Psychology, Washington & Lee University, May 2002. Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities & Colleges, Washington & Lee University, October 2001. Professional Memberships : Psi Chi, National Honor Society in Psychology Society for Neuroscience Women in Neuroscience Some fun stuff : Hockey…Check out my two favorite teams…the Thrashers and Islanders: http://www.newyorkislanders.com/ http://www.atlantathrashers.com/ Music… Only one of the greatest bands of all time…Pearl Jam: http://www.tenclub.net/ And one can never get enough of Snood… http://www.snood.com/ top of page

Darlene Mitrano

Originally from Queens, New York, I attended Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia where I graduated with a BS in Psychology in 2002. While at W&L, I researched the olfactory system of goldfish focusing on apoptosis of neurons in the olfactory rosette. After graduating I decided to look into a totally different area of neuroscience and pursued graduate programs that had research addressing drug addiction. So I ventured to Atlanta, Georgia during the summer of 2002 to begin studies in the Molecular and Systems Pharmacology program at Emory University. After a few rotations I officially joined Yoland's lab in the summer of 2003.
Since I'm interested in drug addiction, particularly cocaine addiction, my area of focus in the brain is the nucleus accumbens, one of the key structures in the reward pathway. Currently I am localizing metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) in the nucleus accumbens and then plan on looking at changes in localization of these receptors in rats after they have had chronic cocaine exposure. This will hopefully give a better understanding of the role of glutamate in addiction and relapse.

Above are some sample electron micrographs of Group I mGluRs in the rat nucleus accumbens, using both immunogold and immunoperoxidase methods of labeling.

Publications & Abstracts :

Mitrano, D.J. and Y. Smith (2007) A comparative analysis of mGluR1a and mGluR5 in the shell and core of the rat and monkey accumbens. J. Comp. Neurol. 500: 788-806.

Bonsi, P., Sciamanna, D.A. Mitrano, D. Cuomo, G. Bernardi, P. Platania, Y. Smith and A. Pisani (2007) Functional and ultrastructural analysis of group I mGluRs in striatal fast-spiking interneurons. Eur. J. Neurosci. 25: 1319-1331.

Mitrano, D, C. Arnold and Y Smith (2007) A comparative analysis of the subcellular and subsynaptic localization of group I MGluRs in the nucleus accumbens of normal and cocaine-treated rats. J. Comp Neurol. (submitted for publication).

Mitrano DA, Arnold C, Smith Y (2006) Subcellular and subsynaptic localization of group I mGluRs in the nucleus accumbens following acute or chronic cocaine treatment in rats. Soc for Neurosci 331.4

Mitrano DA and Y Smith (2005) Subsynaptic localization of group I mGluRs in the nucleus accumbens of normal and cocaine-treated rats. 5th International mGluRs meeting. Taormina, abstr 85

Mitrano, D.A. & Smith Y. (2004) Localization of mGluR1a in the Shell and Core of the Nucleus Accumbens: A Comparative Analysis between

Monkeys and Rats. Society for Neuroscience Abstracts, Program No. 393.4.

Jaworski JN, Kimmel HL, Mitrano DA, Tallarida RJ, & Kuhar MJ (2004) Intra-VTA CART 55-102 reduces the locomotor effect of cocaine:

an isobolographic analysis. (Submitted for Publication)

Mitrano, D.A. (2003). “Jimson Weed” & “Gangs” The Encyclopedia of Drugs & Addiction, Brown Reference Group, London (in press).

Mitrano D.A., Pare J-F., & Smith Y. (2003) Subcellular and Subsynaptic
Localization of mGluR5 in the Shell and Core of the Nucleus Accumbens
in Rhesus Monkeys. Society for Neuroscience, Program No. 800.3.

Awards & Funding :

Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award: Training Grant in Drug Abuse, July 2004 - June 2005.

Oliver Award for Intellectual Curiosity, Department of Psychology, Washington & Lee University, May 2002.

Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities & Colleges, Washington & Lee University, October 2001.

Professional Memberships :

Psi Chi, National Honor Society in Psychology

Society for Neuroscience

Women in Neuroscience

Some fun stuff :

Hockey…Check out my two favorite teams…the Thrashers and Islanders:

http://www.newyorkislanders.com/

http://www.atlantathrashers.com/

Music… Only one of the greatest bands of all time…Pearl Jam:

http://www.tenclub.net/

And one can never get enough of Snood… http://www.snood.com/

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