Assistant Professor - Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences

e-mail: lucy@med.umn.edu

Research Interests
The broad theme of my scientific interests is sensory neuron plasticity in disease. My research has been focused on the mechanisms of pain signaling. Projects underway in our group address the modulation of sensory neuron protein expression and function by cytokines under conditions of chronic pain. More recently, our work on neuro-immune interactions has included the signaling interface between the enteric nervous system and mucosal defense mechanisms in the intestine. The methodological foundation of my research has been immunohistochemistry, supplemented by behavioral analysis in pain models. We are currently aggressively pursuing the application of proteomic approaches in projects related to sensory neuron plasticity as well as neuro-immune interactions in the intestine.

Vulchanova, L., T.H. Olson, L.S. Stone, M.S. Riedl, R. Elde and C.N. Honda. (2001) Cytotoxic targeting of isolectin IB4-binding sensory neurons. Neuroscience, 108:143-55.

Guo, A., L. Vulchanova, J. Wang, X. Li and R. Elde. (1999) Immunocytochemical localization of the vanilloid receptor 1 (VR1): relashioship to neuropeptides, the P2X3 purinoceptor and IB4 binding sites. Eur. J. Neurosci., 11:946-958.

S.J. Shuster, M.S. Riedl, X. Li, L. Vulchanova and R. Elde. (1999) Stimulus-dependent translocation of kappa opioid receptors to the plasma membrane. J. Neurosci., 19:2658:2664.

Vulchanova, L., M. S. Riedl, S. J. Shuster, L. S. Stone, K. M. Hargreaves, G. Buell, A. Surprenant, R.A. North and R. Elde. (1998) P2X3 is expressed by DRG neurons that terminate in inner lamina II. Eur. J. Neurosci., 10:3470-3478.

Vulchanova, L., M. S. Riedl, S. J. Shuster, G. Buell, A Surprenant, R.A.North and R. Elde. (1997) Immunohistochemical study of the P2X₂ and P2X₃ receptor subunits in rat and monkey sensory neurons and their central terminals. Neuropharmacology, 36:1229-1243.

Cook, S.P., L. Vulchanova, K. M. Hargreaves, R. Elde and E. W. McCleskey (1997) Distinct ATP receptors on pain-sensing and stretch-sensing neurons. Nature, 387:505-508.

Current Funding
“Peripheral Mechanisms of Sensory Neuron Plasticity,” NIDA/NIH.