Mariana Angoa-Perez (ay3408)

 4646 John R

 Assistant Professor

I have a broad background in neuroscience, with specific training on animal behavior, histopathology, molecular neurochemistry and bioinformatics. I received my PhD in Neurobiology at UNAM where my dissertation studies were directed at the neurotoxic effects of chronic ozone exposure on the dopamine neuronal system. Later, as a postdoctoral associate of Dr. Donald Kuhn, I gained additional experience in the study of the role of serotonin in several neurophysiological processes and neuropathology through the use of a transgenic mouse model lacking this neurotransmitter in the brain. In addition, I have examined the neurotoxicity induced by nerve agents, substituted amphetamines and other agents to the dopamine and serotonin neuronal systems. I later contributed substantially to the development of a highly relevant mouse model of repetitive mild traumatic brain injury. In the course of my research, I have obtained considerable expertise in animal behavior with emphasis in anxiety, depression, and psychostimulant-related assessments. Since 2017, our research has taken an interesting shift to studies that aim to increase our understanding the influence of the gut microbiome in neuropathology and disease. For this, my skillset has expanded to perform 16S rRNA sequencing analyses, data curation and bioinformatics analyses.

Dr. Angoa-Perez will consider new students for the 2024-25 academic year.

Last 5 years:

1. Angoa-Pérez M, Zagorac B, Francescutti DM, Theis KR, Kuhn DM. Effects of gut microbiota remodeling on the dysbiosis induced by high fat diet in a mouse model of Gulf war illness. Life Sci. 2021 Aug 15;279:119675. doi: 10.1016/j.lfs.2021.119675. PMID: 34081987  
2. Angoa-Pérez M, Kuhn DM. Evidence for Modulation of Substance Use Disorders by the Gut Microbiome: Hidden in Plain Sight. Pharmacol Rev. 2021 Apr;73(2):571-596. doi: 10.1124/pharmrev.120.000144. PMID: 33597276 Free PMC article. Review.
3. Angoa-Pérez M, Zagorac B, Francescutti DM, Theis KR, Kuhn DM. Responses to chronic corticosterone on brain glucocorticoid receptors, adrenal gland, and gut microbiota in mice lacking neuronal serotonin. Brain Res. 2021 Jan 15;1751:147190. doi: 10.1016/j.brainres.2020.147190. PMID: 33152342
4. Angoa-Pérez M, Zagorac B, Francescutti DM, Winters AD, Greenberg JM, Ahmad MM, Manning SD, Gulbransen BD, Theis KR, Kuhn DM. Effects of a high fat diet on gut microbiome dysbiosis in a mouse model of Gulf War Illness. Sci Rep. 2020 Jun 12;10(1):9529. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-66833-w. PMID: 32533086
5. Angoa-Pérez M, Zagorac B, Anneken JH, Briggs DI, Winters AD, Greenberg JM, Ahmad M, Theis KR, Kuhn DM. Repetitive, mild traumatic brain injury results in a progressive white matter pathology, cognitive deterioration, and a transient gut microbiota dysbiosis. Sci Rep. 2020 Jun 2;10(1):8949. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-65972-4. PMID: 32488168
6. Hiskens MI, Schneiders AG, Angoa-Pérez M, Vella RK, Fenning AS. Blood biomarkers for assessment of mild traumatic brain injury and chronic traumatic encephalopathy. Biomarkers. 2020 May;25(3):213-227. doi: 10.1080/1354750X.2020.1735521. PMID: 32096416 Review.
7. Angoa-Pérez M, Zagorac B, Winters AD, Greenberg JM, Ahmad M, Theis KR, Kuhn DM. Differential effects of synthetic psychoactive cathinones and amphetamine stimulants on the gut microbiome in mice. PLoS One. 2020 Jan 24;15(1):e0227774. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0227774. eCollection 2020. PMID: 31978078
8. Hiskens MI, Angoa-Pérez M, Schneiders AG, Vella RK, Fenning AS. Modeling sports-related mild traumatic brain injury in animals-A systematic review. J Neurosci Res. 2019 Oct;97(10):1194-1222. doi: 10.1002/jnr.24472. PMID: 31135069
9. Riley AL, Nelson KH, To P, López-Arnau R, Xu P, Wang D, Wang Y, Shen HW, Kuhn DM, Angoa-Perez M, Anneken JH, Muskiewicz D, Hall FS. Abuse potential and toxicity of the synthetic cathinones (i.e., "Bath salts"). Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2020 Mar;110:150-173. doi: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2018.07.015. PMID: 31101438 Free PMC article. Review.
10. Anneken JH, Angoa-Perez M, Sati GC, Crich D, Kuhn DM. Dissociation between hypothermia and neurotoxicity caused by mephedrone and methcathinone in TPH2 knockout mice. Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2019 Mar;236(3):1097-1106. doi: 10.1007/s00213-018-4991-8. PMID: 30074064
11. Anneken JH, Angoa-Perez M, Sati GC, Crich D, Kuhn DM. Assessing the role of dopamine in the differential neurotoxicity patterns of methamphetamine, mephedrone, methcathinone and 4-methylmethamphetamine. Neuropharmacology. 2018 May 15;134(Pt A):46-56. doi: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2017.08.033. PMID: 28851615

A complete list of Dr. Angoa-Perez's publications can be found at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=Mariana+Angoa-P%C3%A9rez&sort=date&size=50

2008-2011 Post Doctoral Fellow in Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences at Wayne State University

2004-2005 Visting Reseach Fellow at Henry Ford Health System, WIlliam T Gossett Neurology Laboratories

2007 Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences, Nation Autonomous University of Mexico 

2003 B.S. in Biology, Autonomous University of Puebla Mexico