UVA Biology People Deppmann

Christopher Deppmann

Professor of Biology
Gilmer 416
(434) 260-1572

Education

  • B.S., Western Michigan University, 1997
  • Ph.D., Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Purdue University, 2003
  • Postdoctoral, Johns Hopkins University, SOM, 2003-2009

Research Interests

Our lab is interested in the mechanism governing nervous system assembly and disassembly.  We pursue several different aspects of peripheral nervous system development including competition for survival (Science, 2008) and synapse formation/restriction (Neuron, 2010).  We are now considering how antagonistic cytokine signaling governs nervous system construction and refinement. Indeed my group is actively pursuing the molecular basis for long-distance neurotrophic construction signaling (Nat. Neuro, 2014; J. Neuro, 2015).  We are also pursuing how TNFR family signaling suppresses pro-growth cues to promote nervous system refinement (Neuron, 2014). In collaboration with the Güler lab, we are building non-invasive tools to better understand the signaling pathways underlying neural circuit assembly and function (Nat. Neuro, 2016).  Finally, we are applying what we've learned about the development of the nervous system to nervous system pathology related to degeneration, pain, and metabolism.

There are several projects that are available which will be scaled for undergrad students, grad students, or post-docs. To learn more about potential research projects for people to work on, visit my lab webpage.

 Representative Publications

  • Suo D, Park J, Harrington AW, Zweifel LS, Mihalas S, +Deppmann CD. (2014) Coronin-1 is a neurotrophin endosomal effector that is required for developmental competition for survival. Nat Neurosci. Jan;17(1):36-45. PMCID: PMC3962792 
     
  • Wheeler, M., Heffner, D., Kim, S., Espy S., Spano, A. Cleland, C., & +Deppmann, C.D. (2014) TNFα/TNFR1 forward and reverse signaling is required for the development and function of primary nociceptors. Neuron, 82(3), 587-602. PMCID: PMC4046273
     
  • Suo D, Park J, Young S, Makita T, +Deppmann C.D., (2015) Coronin-1 and calcium signaling governs sympathetic final target innervation. J. Neurosci. 35(9), 3893-3902  PMCID: PMC4348186 
     
  • Wheeler MA, Smith CJ, Ottolini M, Barker BS, Purohit AM, Grippo RM, Gaykema RP, Spano AJ, Beenhakker MP, Kucenas S, Patel MK, Deppmann CD, Güler AD. Genetically targeted magnetic control of the nervous system. (2016) Nature Neuroscience
     
  • Smith, C.J., Wheeler, M.A., Marjoram, L., Bagnat, M., Deppmann, C.D. and +Kucenas, S., 2017. TNFa/TNFR2 signaling is required for glial ensheathment at the dorsal root entry zone. PLoS genetics, 13(4), p.e1006712. PMID: 28379965
     
  • Keeler, A.B. and +Deppmann, C.D., 2017. The evolutionary origins of antagonistic neurotrophin signaling. J Cell Biol, pp.jcb-201702115.
     
  • Sipe, L.M., Yang, C., Ephrem, J., Garren, E., Hirsh, J. and Deppmann, C.D., 2017. Differential sympathetic outflow to adipose depots is required for visceral fat loss in response to calorie restriction. Nutrition & Diabetes, 7(4), p.e260.  PMID: 28394360
     
  • *Keeler, A.B., *Suo, D., Park, J. and +Deppmann, C.D., 2017. Delineating neurotrophin-3 dependent signaling pathways underlying sympathetic axon growth along intermediate targets. Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience, 82, pp.66-75.  PMID: 28461220
     
  • Gamage, K.K., Cheng, I., Park, R.E., Karim, M.S., Edamura, K., Hughes, C., Spano, A.J., Erisir, A. and Deppmann, C.D. Death Receptor 6 Promotes Wallerian Degeneration in Peripheral Axons. Current BiologyCurrent Biology (2017) PMID: 28441556
     
  • Barford, K., C.D. Deppmann, B. Winckler. "The neurotrophin receptor signaling endosome: where trafficking meets signaling.” Developmental Neurobiology (2017).