Smita Varia, PhD

Smita Thakker-Varia is an Associate Professor at the Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology. She received her PhD from the University of Kansas.

• Thakker-Varia, S., Behnke, J., Doobin, D., Dalal, V., Thakkar, K., Khadim, F., Wilson, E., Palmieri, A., Antila, H., Rantamäki, T., Alder, J. (2014). VGF-induced neurogenesis targets early phase neural progenitor cells in the adult hippocampus and requires glutamate signaling. Stem Cell Research, 12(3), 762-77. doi: 10.1016/j.scr.2014.03.005.
• Alder, J., Kallman, S., Palmieri, A., Khadim, F., Ayer, J.J., Kumar, S., Tsung, K., Grinberg, I., Thakker-Varia, S. (2013). Neuropeptide orphanin FQ inhibits dendritic morphogenesis through activation of RhoA. Developmental Neurobiology, 73(10), 769-84. doi: 10.1002/dneu.22101 PMID: 23821558.
• Alder, J., Kramer, B.C., Hoskin, C., Thakker-Varia, S. (2012). Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) produced by human umbilical tissue-derived cells (hUTC) is required for its effect on hippocampal dendritic differentiation. Developmental Neurobiology, 72(6), 755-65. PMID: 21954108.
• Alder, J., Kramer, B.C., Hoskin, C., Thakker-Varia, S. (2011). Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) produced by human umbilical tissue-derived cells (hUTC) is required for its effect on hippocampal dendritic differentiation. Developmental Neurobiology. doi: 10.1002/dneu.20980.
• Alder, J., Fujioka, W., Lifshitz, J., Crockett, D.P., Thakker-Varia, S. (2011). Lateral fluid percussion: model of traumatic brain injury in mice. Journal of Visualized Experiments, (54). doi: 10.3791/3063.
• Thakker-Varia, S., Jean, Y., Parikh, P., Sizer, C., Krol, J.J., Parikh, A., Hyde, T., Buyske, S., Alder, J. (2010). The neuropeptide VGF is reduced in human bipolar postmortem brain and contributes to some of the behavioral and molecular effects of lithium. Journal of Neuroscience, 30(28), 9368-9380.
• Thakker-Varia, S., Alder, J. (2009). Neuropeptides in depression: role of VGF. Behavioral Brain Research, 197, 262-278.
• Sunderram, J., Semmlow, J., Thakker-Varia, S., Bhaumik, M., Hoang-Le, O., Neubauer, J.A. (2009). Heme oxygenase-1-dependent central cardiorespiratory adaptations to chronic hypoxia in mice. American Journal of Physiology-Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology, 297(2), R300-12.
• Thakker-Varia, S., Jernstedt, Krol, J., Nettleton, J., Bilimoria, P.M., Bangasser, D.A., Shors, T.J., Black, I.B., Alder, J. (2007). The neuropeptide VGF produces antidepressant-like behavioral effects and enhances proliferation in the hippocampus. Journal of Neuroscience, 27(45), 12156-12167.
• Ring, R.H., Alder, J., Fennell, M., Kouranova, E., Black, I.B., Thakker-Varia, S. (2006). Transcriptional profiling of BDNF-induced neuronal plasticity: a novel role for nociceptins in hippocampal neurite outgrowth. Journal of Neurobiology, 66(4), 361-377.
• Alder, J*., Thakker-Varia, S*., Crozier, R.A., Shaheen, A., Plummer, M.R., Black, I.B. (2005). Early presynaptic and late postsynaptic components contribute independently to BDNF-induced synaptic plasticity. Journal of Neuroscience, 25(21), 3080-3085.
• Alder, J*., Thakker-Varia, S*., Bangasser, D.A., Kuroiwa, M., Plummer, M.R., Shors, T.J., Black, I.B. (2003). BDNF-induced gene expression reveals novel actions of VGF in hippocampal synaptic plasticity. Journal of Neuroscience, 23(34), 10800-10808.
• Thakker-Varia, S*., Alder, J*., Crozier, R.A., Plummer, M.R., Black, I.B. (2001). Rab3A is required for brain-derived neurotrophic factor-induced synaptic plasticity: transcriptional analysis at the population and single-cell levels. Journal of Neuroscience, 21(17), 6782-6790.
• Thakker-Varia, S., Elkabes, S., Peng, L., Sherwood, A.C., Black, I.B. (1998). Gene expression in activated brain microglia: Identification of proteinase inhibitor that increases microglial cell number. Molecular Brain Research, 56(1-2), 99-107.