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342-111 Research Drive Saskatoon, SK S7N 3R2 (306)966-2422 sean.mulligan@usask.ca |
Neural Systems & Plasticity Research Group, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan
Postdoctoral Fellow (Psychiatry) Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia
Ph.D. (Neuroscience) Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary
M.Sc. (Biology/Neurobiology) Simon Fraser University
B.Sc. (Biomedical Physiology/Kinesiology) Simon Fraser University
Neuroscience
(Recipient of the 2011 University of Saskatchewan Students’ Union Teaching Excellence Award)
The objective of our research is to gain insight into the mechanisms of peripheral pain signaling. We are developing novel optical imaging approaches for both ex vivo and in vivo work, to directly study physiological functioning at the level of individual pain fibre free nerve endings. High-resolution functional optical imaging provides us with an opportunity to study the fundamental processes of activation, transduction, sensitization, and propagation of the nociceptive signal. This opens up a new window for examining physiological functioning in pain fibres and to advance our understanding of the peripheral processes involved in pain pathophysiology. It is our hope that our research will lead to the development of new peripheral drug targets that may offer novel therapeutic treatments for pain.
We are primarily an optical imaging laboratory that uses both two-photon laser scanning imaging as well as widefield epifluorescence microscopy. Microscopes are configured for both microfluorometric and transmitted light imaging using photomultiplier tube or high sensitivity EMCCD camera based detection. We combine optical imaging of ionic signaling selectively within individual pain fibre terminals with electrophysiological stimulation, pharmacological manipulations, and UV and two-photon photolysis of caged compounds.
Baillie, L.D., Hagen, V., Gardener, K.M., and Mulligan, S. J. Functional imaging within individual pain fibres ex vivo with optical microscopy. Journal of Neuroscience Methods Vol 198 pp 274-279 (2011).
Munegowda, M.A., Deng, Y., Chibbar, R., Xu, Q., Freywald, A., Mulligan, S.J., van Drunen Little-van den Hurk, S., Sun, D., Xiong, S. and Xiang, J. A Distinct Role of CD4+ Th17- and Th17-Stimulated CD8+ CTL in the Pathogenesis of Type 1 Diabetes and Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis. Journal of Clinical Immunology PMID: 21674137 (2011).
Munegowda, M.A., Deng, Y., Mulligan, S.J., and Xiang, J. Th17 and Th17-stimulated CD8+ T cells play a distinct role in Th17-induced preventive and therapeutic antitumor immunity. Cancer Immunology, Immunotherapy PMID: 21660450 (2011).
Zampronio, A. R., Kuzmiski, J. B., Florence, C.M., Mulligan, S. J. and Pittman, Q. J. Opposing actions of endothelin-1 on glutamatergic transmission onto vasopressin and oxytocin neurons in the supraoptic nucleus. Journal of Neuroscience Vol 30(50) pp 16855-16863 (2010).
Hines, D. J., Hines, R.M., Mulligan, S. J. and MacVicar, B.A. Microglia processes block the spread of damage in the brain and require functional chloride channels. Glia Vol 57(15) pp 1610-1618 (2009).
Umeshappa C.S., Huang, H., Xie, Y., Wei, Y., Mulligan, S.J., Deng, Y., and Xiang, J. CD4+ Th-APC with acquired peptide/MHC class I and II complexes stimulate type 1 helper CD4+ and central memory CD8+ T cell responses. Journal of Immunology Vol 182 pp 193-206 (2009).
Pittman, Q. P and Mulligan, S.J. Dendritic Vasopressin Release: Reducing the Flow Makes Blood Vessels Grow. Endocrinology Vol 149(9) pp 4276-4278 (2008).
Kisilevsky, A.E., Mulligan, S.J., Christophe, A., Iftinca, M.C., Varela, D., Tai, C., Chen, L., Hameed, S., Hamid, J., MacVicar, B.A. and Zamponi, G.W. D1 and D2 dopamine receptors interact directly with N-type calcium channels and differentially regulate channel activity. Neuron Vol 58 pp 557-570 (2008).
Gordon, G.R., Mulligan, S. J. and MacVicar, B.A. Astrocyte control of the cerebrovasculature. Glia Vol 55 pp 1214-1221 (My Imaging Used For Cover Image) (2007).
Mulligan, S.J. and MacVicar, B. A. VRACs CARVe a path for novel mechanisms of communication in the CNS. Science STKE Vol 2006/357 pe42 (2006).
Mulligan, S.J. and MacVicar, B. A. Calcium transients in astrocyte endfeet cause cerebrovascular constrictions. Nature Vol 431/7005 pp 195-199 (2004).
Mulligan, S.J., Davison, I. and Delaney, K.R. Mitral cell presynaptic Ca2+ influx and synaptic transmission in frog amygdala. Neuroscience Vol 104/1 pp 137-151 (2001).
Book Chapters
Florence, C.M. and Mulligan, S.J. Two-Photon Laser Scanning Microscopy: Imaging Astrocyte Calcium Signalling in the Brain Slice Preparation. In Neuromethods series, edited by Walz, W. and Doucette, R., Humana Press (2009).
Gordon, G.R., Mulligan, S.J. and MacVicar, B.A. Astrocyte control of blood flow. In Astrocytes in (patho)physiology of the nervous system, edited by Parpura, V. and Haydon P.G, Springer (2009).
Gordon G.R., MacVicar, B.A., and Mulligan, S.J. Glia Control of Blood Flow. In The New Encyclopedia of Neuroscience, edited by Squire, L.R., Oxford:Academic Press (2009).
Mulligan, S.J. and MacVicar, B. A. Two-Photon Fluorescence Microscopy: Basic Principles, Advantages and Risks. In Modern Research and Educational Topics in Microscopy, edited by A. Méndez-Vilas, J. Díaz, Formatex (2007).
MacVicar, B. A. and Mulligan, S.J. Intrinsic Optical Signal Imaging in Brain slices. In Imaging in Neuroscience and Development: A Laboratory Manual, edited by Yuste, R. and Konnerth, A., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press. (2005).
Mulligan, S.J. and MacVicar, B. A. Monitoring Intracellular Ca2+ in Brain Slices with Fluorescent Indicators. In Voltage-Gated Calcium Channels, edited by Zamponi, G.W., Landes Bioscience (2005).
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