Giusseppe Cortese
Giuseppe P. Cortese, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Biology
giuseppe.cortese@msun.edu | 406.265.3759
Office: Hagener Science Center 207
Education and Research Training:
 
  • Associate Research Scientist, Precision Psychiatry, Columbia University (2017-2019)
  • Postdoctoral Research Associate, Neurology, University of Wisconsin –Madison (2015-2017)
  • Postdoctoral Research Scientist, Pathology & Cell Biology, Columbia University (2013-2015)
  • PhD, Neuroscience & Psychology, University of Colorado at Boulder (2013)
  • MA, Neuroscience & Psychology, University of Colorado at Boulder (2010)
  • Post-Baccalaureate Studies, Biology, Harvard (2007-2008)
  • Research Technician, Neurology, Harvard Medical School and Brigham & Women’s Hospital (2005-2008)
  • BA, Physiology, University of Minnesota – Twin Cities (2005)
 

Bio:

Dr. Giuseppe P. Cortese is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biology at Montana State University – Northern. He holds a BA in Physiology from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, and a PhD in Neuroscience and Psychology from the University of Colorado at Boulder. Prior to graduate school, he served as a Research Technician while pursuing post-baccalaureate studies at Harvard Medical School and Brigham & Women’s Hospital. He completed postdoctoral training at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Columbia University, and served as an Associate Research Scientist in the Department of Psychiatry and Division of Molecular Therapeutics at Columbia University Medical Center developing stem cell-derived neuronal models for drug discovery approaches. The goals of his current research are to uncover cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying behavioral and neurophysiological phenotypes associated with neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disorders, and further determine the influential role of neuroinflammation on the progression and/or severity of these diseases.

 

Selected Publications:

  1. de Jong JO, Llapashitca C, Genestine M, Strauss K, Provenzano F, Sun Y, Zhu J, Cortese GP, Brundu F, Brigatti KW, Corneo B, Migliori B, Tomer R, Kushner SA, Kellendonk C, Javitch JA, Xu B, Markx S. Cortical overgrowth in a preclinical forebrain organoid model of CNTNAP2- associated autism spectrum disorder. Nature Communications,12(1):4087, 2021.
  2. Rigby MJ, Ding Y, Farrugia MA, Feig M, Cortese GP, Mitchell H, Burger C, Puglielli L. The endoplasmic reticulum acetyl transferases ATase1/NAT8B and ATase2/NAT8 are differentially regulated to adjust engagement of the secretory pathway. Journal of Neurochemistry, 16:e14958, 2020.
  3. Zu M, Cortese GP*, Waites C. Parkinson's disease-linked Parkin mutations impair glutamatergic synaptic transmission and plasticity. BMC Biology, 16(1):100, 2018. (*co-first author).
  4. Tanaka N, Cortese GP, Barrientos RM, Maier SF, Patterson SL. Aging and an immune challenge interact to produce prolonged, but not permanent reductions in hippocampal L-LTP and mBDNF in a rodent model with features of delirium. eNeuro, 5(3), 2018.
  5. Cortese GP, Olin A, O’Riordan K, Hullinger R, Burger C. Environmental enrichment improves hippocampal function in aged rats by enhancing learning and memory, and mGluR5-Homer1c activity. Neurobiology of Aging, 63:1-11, 2018. GP Cortese, PhD.
  6. Cortese GP, Zhu M, Williams D, Heath S, Waites C. Parkin deficiency reduces glutamatergic neurotransmission by impairing AMPA receptor endocytosis. Journal of Neuroscience, 36(48):12243-12258, 2016.
  7. Cortese GP & Burger C. Neuroinflammatory challenges compromise neuronal function in the aging brain: Postoperative cognitive delirium and Alzheimer’s Disease. Behavioural Brain Research, pii: S0166-4328(16):30539-3, 2016.
  8. Johnson BN, Berger AK, Cortese GP, Lavoie MJ. The Ubiquitin E3 ligase Parkin regulates the proapoptotic function of Bax. PNAS, 109(16):6283-8, 2012.
  9. Cortese GP, Barrientos RM, Maier SF, Patterson SL. Aging and a peripheral immune challenge interact to reduce mature brain-derived neurotrophic factor and activation of TrkB, PLCγ1, and ERK in hippocampal synaptoneurosomes. Journal of Neuroscience, 16;31(11):4274-9, 2011.
  10. Berger AK, Cortese GP*, Amodeo KD, Weihofen A., Letai AG, LaVoie MJ. Parkin selectively alters the intrinsic threshold for mitochondrial cytochrome release. Human Molecular Genetics, 18(22):4317-28, 2009. (*co-first author)
  11. LaVoie MJ, Cortese GP, Ostaszewski BL., Schlossmacher MG. The effects of oxidative stress on parkin and other E3 ligases. Journal of Neurochemistry, 103(6):2354-68, 2007.