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Susanne Cappendijk

Cappendijk Laboratory
Susanne Cappendijk, Ph.D.

Erasmus University Rotterdam,
The Netherlands
Florida State University
College of Medicine
1115 West Call Street
Lab: (850) 645-2928
Office: (850) 645-1483
Dr. Cappendijk's Faculty Profile

Research Interests

The research interests of the Cappendijk laboratory are focused on obtaining an understanding of the functional significance of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChR) in the CNS and how these receptors can contribute to the development of therapeutic targets.

nAChRs are known to play a role in addiction, but some of the receptor subtypes are known to be important for cognitive processes and memorization. Patients suffering from for example Alzheimer’s disease or schizophrenia benefit from compounds (such as nicotine) that stimulate these nAChR subtypes.

In the Cappendijk laboratory, the zebra finch is used as the animal model. This animal is considered as a high order model for cognition and therefore extremely suitable to study the functionality of the nAChRs in the CNS. The Cappendijk lab designed as the first laboratory ever an in vivo nicotine treatment regimen for the zebra finch (please contact Dr. Cappendijk directly if you need more information).

By studying the effects of nAChR agonists and antagonists on cognitive functioning in the zebra finch, the Cappendijk lab hopes to contribute to the further development of therapeutic targets for neurodegenerative disorders in which deficits with cognitive processes and memory are playing a major role.

The zebra finch – our animal model:

The zebra finch – our animal model
Adult male zebra finch clay-model made by Stephanie Mallery (fall 2009)

The zebra finch – our animal model
A family of zebra finches in the aviary, with an adult male on the right and an adult female on the left, flanked by two juvenile zebra finches.

 
Some of the Techniques used in Dr. Cappendijk’s laboratory

Molecular:

  • Immunohistochemistry
  • In situ hybridization
  • Radioimmunoassays
  • Microarray
  • RT-PCR (receptor cloning)

Behavioral:

  • Song-recording chambers
  • Locomotor activity chambers
  • Spatial memory test
 
Current Laboratory Members - Summer 2009
  • Kristin Agatheas, Undergraduate student - DIS
  • Jennifer Bartels, Undergraduate student - DIS
  • Jared Doster, Undergraduate student - DIS
  • Curtis Giagliardi, Laboratory Assistant
  • Jessica Peoples, Undergraduate student - DIS
  • Juanita Klim, Undergraduate student - DIS
  • Monica Rodriguez, Research Assistant
  • Stephanie Williams, Undergraduate student - DIS
 
Check Out These Websites:

Scientific societies of which we are members:

 
More about Dr. Cappendijk
  • Faculty Advisor: American Medical Student Association (AMSA), 2006-present
  • Faculty co-Advisor: Tri-Beta Biological Honor Society, Sigma Tau Chapter, FSU, 2005-present

Selected References

  • Meyer-Baese A, Cappendijk SLT, Althaus E. Robust stability analysis of the tryptophan regulatory network of E.Coli. Peer reviewed and accepted as a Regular Research Paper for the BIOCOM, July, 2009, Acceptance rate: 27%
  • Nieves W, Johnson E, Patzwald JR, and Cappendijk SLT, The effects of 2-deoxyglucose in the male zebra finch, Accepted for publication BIOS, Jan. 2008
  • Meyer-Bäse A, van Engelen R, and Cappendijk SLT, Robust stability analysis of the heat shock response in E. coli in the proceedings of SPIE Vol. 6979 Independent Component Analysis, Wavelets, Unsupervised Nano-Biomimetic Sensors, and Neural Networks VI, Harold H. Szu; F. Jack Agee, Editors, 2008
  • Miller GM, Cappendijk SLT and van Engelen R. Strategies in Song Stereotyping for the zebra finch. IEEE-BIOT Conference Proceedings, 2007
  • Cappendijk SLT, Johnson F, Inhibitors of carbohydrate metabolism reduce undirected song production at doses that do not alter food intake in singly housed male zebra finches, Behav. Brain Res., 159: 51-54, 2005
     

 
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