Dr. Christina Ruby Contact Information
Office Hours

Education

BA Psychology - Miami University
PhD Physiology - Kent State University
Postdoctoral Fellowship, Neurobiology of Alcoholism and Addiction - Mayo Clinic College of Medicine

Field

Behavioral and Molecular Neuroscience

Interests

Neuropsychiatric disorders, including addiction, are the primary public health problems in North America, contributing twice the disease burden of even cardiovascular disease or cancer and costing the USA nearly 600 billion dollars per year. Current treatments are extremely limited, with relapse to alcohol and/or drugs common in individuals even after years of abstinence. Thus, there is an urgent need to develop novel, effective therapeutic strategies for disorders of alcohol and substance use.

A large body of evidence suggests that circadian rhythm and sleep disruption may play a central role in addiction, particularly to alcohol. Research in my lab aims to characterize this role in rodent models using a combination of cutting-edge techniques in the areas of molecular biology, neurochemistry, pharmacology, and behavioral neuroscience. My ultimate goals are to elucidate the mechanisms involved in the pathophysiology of alcohol use disorders and to translate my research into clinical practice.

In collaboration with other faculty members here at IUP and at several other institutions, I also have side projects examining circadian timing mechanisms in tissue regeneration and human neurocognitive performance. A long-term goal of mine is to determine the respective contributions of chronodisruption versus sleep loss on a variety of health problems.

Current Projects

  1. Long-term effects of adolescent alcohol exposure on circadian rhythms and sleep
  2. Disruption of mammalian circadian timing by alcohol and stimulants
  3. Brain region-specific roles of circadian clock genes in addictive behavior
  4. Circadian molecular and behavioral timing in tissue regeneration
  5. Chronotherapeutics and neurocognitive performance in humans

Student Training

I feel strongly that students get the best scientific training when they can participate in innovative research that answers new questions within a highly collaborative environment. Students working with me and my colleagues will develop skills in experiment design, a diverse range of methodology, data analysis, written communication, presentation, and teamwork. My goals are that every student in my lab will have the opportunity to publish and/or present our research professionally and that they will build character while advancing biomedical science. Students in my lab work hard and have fun!

Publications

Ruby CL, Purazo ML, Bunion DJ, Palmer, KN (2015) Novel role for adenosine in circadian rhythms and alcohol use disorders. Med Res Arch 2: 6-12.

Ruby CL, Adams CA, Hinton DJ, Abulseoud OA, Walker DL, O'Connor KM, Noterman MF, Choi DS (2014) Adenosinergic regulation of striatal clock gene expression and ethanol intake during constant light. Neuropsychopharmacology39: 2432-40.

Abulseoud OA, Camsari UM, Ruby CL, Kasasbeh A, Ahmed AT, Choi S, Choi DS (2014) Attenuation of ethanol withdrawal by ceftriaxone-induced upregulation of glutamate transporter EAAT2.Neuropsychopharmacology 39: 1674-84.

Ruby CL, O'Connor KM, Ayers-Ringler J, Choi DS (2014) Adenosine and glutamate in neuroglial interaction: Implications for circadian disorders and alcoholism. Glutamate and ATP at the Interface of Metabolism and Signaling in the Brain. Vladimir Parupura (Ed.), Springer, New York, USA. Adv Neurobiol 11: 103-19.

Abulseoud OA, Camsari UM, Ruby CL, Mohamed K, Abdel Gawad, N, Kasabeh A, Yuksel MYY, Choi DS (2014) Lateral hypothalamic kindling induces manic-like behavior in rats: a novel animal model. Int J Bipolar Disorder 2: 7.

Vadnie CA, Hinton DJ, Choi S, Ruby CL, Oliveros A, Prieto ML, Park JH, Choi DS (2014) Activation of neurotensin receptor type 1 in the nucleus accumbens attenuates locomotor activity. Neuropharmacology 85: 482-92.

Ruby CL (2014) Adenosine and glutamate in neuroglial interaction: Implications for sleep disorders and alcoholism. Modulation of Sleep by Obesity, Diabetes, Age, and Diet. Ronald Watson (Ed.), Elsevier, Amsterdam, Netherlands. 321-7.

Nam HW, Hinton DJ, Kang NY, Kim TH, Lee, MR, Oliveros, A, Adams, CA, Ruby CL, Choi DS (2013) Adenosine transporter ENT1 regulates the acquisition of goal-directed behavior and ethanol drinking through A2A receptors in the dorsomedial striatum. J Neurosci 33: 4329-4338.

Lee MR, Ruby CL, Hinton DJ, Choi S, Adams CA, Kang NY, Choi DS (2013) Striatal adenosine signaling regulates EAAT2 and astrocytic AQP4 expression and alcohol drinking in mice. Neuropsychopharmacology 38: 437-45.

Ruby CL, Adams CA, Mrazek DA, Choi DS (2011) Adenosine signaling in anxiety. Anxiety Disorders. Vladimir Kalinin (Ed.), InTech, Rijeka, Croatia.

Ruby CL, Walker DL, An J, Kim J, Choi DS (2011) Sex-specific regulation of depression, anxiety-like behaviors and alcohol drinking in mice lacking ENT1. J Addict Res Ther S4: 1-6.

Brager AJ, Ruby CL, Prosser RA, Glass JD (2011) Acute ethanol disrupts photic and serotonergic circadian clock phase-resetting in the mouse. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 35: 1467-1474.

Ruby CL, Adams C, Knights E, Nam HW, Choi DS (2010) An essential role for adenosine-mediated glutamate signaling in alcohol use disorders. CurrDrug Abuse Rev 3: 163-174.

Hammer SB, Ruby CL, Brager AJ, Prosser RA, Glass JD (2010) Environmental modulation of alcohol intake in hamsters: effects of wheel running and constant light exposure. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 34: 1-8.

Brager AJ, Ruby CL, Prosser RA, Glass JD (2010) Chronic ethanol disrupts circadian photic entrainment and daily locomotor activity in the mouse. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 34: 1266-1273.

Ruby CL, Brager AJ, DePaul MA, Prosser RA, Glass JD (2009) Chronic ethanol attenuates circadian photic phase-resetting and alters nocturnal activity patterns in the hamster. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 297: R729-R737.

Ruby CL, Prosser RA, DePaul MA, Roberts RJ, Glass JD (2009) Acute ethanol impairs photic and nonphotic circadian phase-resetting in the Syrian hamster. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 296: R411-R418.