Research Fellow in Experimental Neurobiology
andretic@nsi.edu

Complex interaction between genes and environment underlie expression of all behaviors. My interest is in studying regulation of such basic behaviors as sleep and arousal that remain poorly defined at the genetic level. In my work I use a model organism, fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, which has many similarities at the genetic level and at the level of cellular physiology with mammals. Discoveries made in this organism, where genetic manipulation are relatively easy, can have importance for understanding of mammalian physiology and diseases. I am interested in defining how does administration of stimulants, such as caffeine and methamphetamine change gene expression in the nervous system and how do those changes correlate with changes in the behavior, namely sleep. I am also using genetically manipulated animals to further define the relevance that specific genes have in mediating changes in sleep as a consequence of administration of stimulants. Using these approaches I have shown importance of the neurotransmitter dopamine and presently I am analyzing role for different types of dopaminergic receptors in this phenomena. Additionally, I am interested in understanding neural mechanisms that control the expression of different amounts of sleep between males and females, as understanding of the sexual dimorphism in sleep will aid in describing neural mechanisms of sleep regulation in general.

Education:

• B.A., Psychology, University of Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia
• Ph.D., Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA
• Postdoctoral fellow, The Neurosciences Institute
• Research fellow, The Neurosciences Institute

Awards and Honors:

• University of Virginia graduate student fellowship 1995.
• Cold Spring Harbor NIH Scholarship, summer course 1996.
• National Institute of Drug Abuse pre-doctoral fellowship 1998-2000.

Selected Publications:

R. Andretic, B. van Swinderen, R. J. Greenspan (2005) Dopaminergic Regulation of Arousal in Drosophila, Current Biology, 15; 1165-75.

R. Andretic and P. J. Shaw (2005) Essentials of Sleep Recording in Drosophila: Moving Beyond Sleep Time, Methods in Enzymology, 393; 759-772.

R. Andretic and B. van Swinderen (2003) Arousal in Drosophila, Behavioural Processes, 64; 133-144.

R. Andretic and J. Hirsh (2000) Circadian Modulation of Dopamine Receptor Responsiveness in Drosophila melanogaster, PNAS, 97; 1873-8.

R. Andretic, S. Chaney, J. Hirsh (1999) A Role for Circadian Genes in Cocaine Sensitization in Drosophila melanogaster, Science, 285; 1066-68.

B.F. O'Hara., E. Macdonald, D. Clegg, S.W. Wiler, R. Andretic, V.H. Cao, J.D. Miller, H.C. Heller, T.S. Kilduff (1999) Developmental Changes in Nicotinic Receptor mRNAs and Responses to Nicotine in the Suprachiasmatic nucleus and Other Brain Regions, Molecular Brain Research, 66; 71-82.

B.F. O’Hara, F.L. Watson, R. Andretic, S.W. Wiler, K.A. Young, L. Biting, H.C. Heller, T.S. Kilduff (1997) Molecular Brain Research Daily Variation of CNS Gene Expression in Nocturnal vs. Diurnal Rodents and in the Developing Rat Brain, 48; 73-86.

B.F. O’Hara, R. Andretic, H.C. Heller, D.B. Carter, T.S. Kilduff (1995) GABAA, GABAC and NMDA Receptor Subunits Expression in the Suprachiasmatic Nucleus and Other Brain Regions, Molecular Brain Research, 28; 239-250.

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