GRAEME EISENHOFER, PH.D.
5803 Wilmett Road, Bethesda, Maryland 20817
Phone: (301) 496-8925 bus; (301) 530-8209 home; Fax: (301) 402-0180
Email: graeme@his.com or ge@box-g.nih.gov
SKILLS
- Cross-disciplinary biomedical research: Design, implementation and analysis of preclinical and clinical scientific investigations; oral and written communication of results.
- Preclinical research: Isolated tissue work; small animal recovery and non-recoverysurgery; arterial, venous and intracisternal cannulations; microdialysis; renal nerve recording; kinetics of catecholamines and metabolites.
- Clinical research: Broad clinical research experience; hypertonic saline and radiotracer infusions; stress testing; ß-adrenoceptor sensitivity testing; insulin tolerance tests; psychometric and autonomic function testing; physiological recording (e.g. ECG, blood pressure, blood flow); positron emission tomography.
- Organization and administration: Management of analytical chemistry laboratories; supervision of technical staff and guidance of doctoral students and postdoctoral and clinical research fellows; establishment of laboratory infrastructure (e.g. laboratory and animal procedure space, equipment, computer network); procurement and management of research funds; establishment of local and international scientific collaborations; organizer for the Eighth International Catecholamine Symposium at Asilomar, October 13-18, 1996.
- Technical writing, editing and review: Authored or coauthored over 130 peer reviewed manuscripts and book chapters; manuscript editing an essential component of overseas collaborations; referee for numerous scientific journals (>30 papers yearly); preparation and review of research grants. Editor of Catecholamines: Bridging Basic Science with Clinical Medicine (published by Academic Press as part of the series: Advances in Pharmacology, vol 42).
- Oral communication: Considerable local and international lecturing experience. Invited presentations at numerous local and international symposia and scientific meetings.
- Laboratory skills: Diagnostics; radioimmunoassays; enzyme assays; protein purification; trained in use of molecular techniques (e.g. RNA preparation, hybridization); development of ligands for neuroimaging; gas and liquid chromatography.
- Computing: Extensive experience with Macintosh systems and software; also experienced with Windows 95 based PC platforms; database management; Local Area Network administrator (hardwiring and TCP-IP/MacTCP/PPP protocols); multimedia experience includes graphics and artwork design, slide preparation, image processing, Adobe Photoshop, HTML scripting for World Wide Web Sites.
- Mathematical modeling: Derivations; kinetics; compartmental analysis; in depth knowledge of statistical methods and their appropriate application in science.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
- Senior Investigator - National Institutes of Health (1991-present)
Head: Unit on Preclinical Neurochemistry, Clinical Neuroscience Branch, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
- Established an improved method for diagnosis of pheochromocytoma, a rare tumor that often must be excluded as a cause of hypertension. The test reliably excludes the tumor whereas others do not. Thus, no further tests are necessary in the case of a negative result. Avoids a missed diagnosis. With over 400,000 hypertensives diagnosed yearly in the US alone, there are obvious cost-benefits of this test for any health care system.
- Set up and established novel assays for measurement of tyrosine hydroxylase activity and concentrations of several catecholamine metabolites in biological fluids.
- Developed kinetic methods for compartmental analysis of processes within sympathetic nerves in vivo. Used to establish how cardiac sympathetic nerve function is altered in patients with congestive heart failure.
- Introduction of computerized liquid chromatography data-aquisition stations, net-worked data downloading, analysis and processing. Resulted in considerable increase in analytical efficiency of laboratories within the Clinical Neuroscience Branch.
- Established and currently coordinating multiple collaborations with investigators working locally and overseas (Netherlands, Sweden, Germany, Australia).
- Senior Research Officer - Baker Medical Research Institute (1988-1990)
Human Autonomic Function Unit, Baker Medical Research Institute, Victoria, Australia.
- Set up and developed streamlined liquid chromatographic methods that unplugged a previous analytical bottlekneck. Resulted in 5-fold increase in sample throughput and corresponding increase in scientific productivity of the laboratory (over 30 publications in peer-reviewed journals from two and one half years work).
- Established contract with pharmaceutical industry to provide analytical services at a fee. This provided a much needed source of funds to support the laboratory.
- International Research Fellow - National Institutes of Health (1985-1988)
Arrived as an International Research Fellow then transferred to a Fogarty Visiting Fellowship in 1987. National Institutes of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
- Responsible for synthesis and development of 18F-labeled fluorodopamine as a ligand for positron emission tomographic imaging of peripheral nerves (1 of 3 novel ligands developed at the National Institutes of Health). Enables visualization of sympathetic innervation and function, particularly in disorders of the autonomic nervous system.
- Developed liquid chromatography method for simultaneous measurement of several neurotransmitters and their metabolites. Provides a comprehensive examination of sympathetic nerve function. Procedure now widely used around the world.
- Research Fellow - Wellington Clinical School of Medicine (1982-1985)
New Zealand Medical Research Council Fellowship in the Autonomic Function Laboratory, Wellington Clinical School of Medicine, Wellington, New Zealand.
- Established that individual differences in cardiovascular reactivity to psychological stress are largely dependent on variations in adrenergic receptor responsiveness.
- Developed liquid chromatography methods to supercede radioenzymatic methods of catecholamine neurotransmitter analysis.
EDUCATION AND ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS
- Ph.D. in Human Physiology (1979 - 1982)
Awarded 1983. Departments of Medicine and Physiology, University of Otago, New Zealand. Thesis: The acute and chronic effects of ethanol on water metabolism and the sympathetic nervous system in man.
- BSc with Honors (1975 - 1978)
Victoria University, Wellington, New Zealand. Majored in Biochemistry. Secondary subjects: Chemistry, Mathematics and Physiology.
PERSONAL INFORMATION
- US Citizen
- Married to Kathleen (Vice President, DSB Mortgage company).
AWARDS
- Fellowship Award ($57,000) from the Medical Research Council of New Zealand (1982).
- Travel Award from the International Union of Physiological Sciences for the 1983 Triennial Congress. Nominated by the Physiological Society of New Zealand (1983).
- Equipment Grant ($43,000) from the New Zealand Golden Kiwi Lottery Board (1984).
- International Research Fellowship from the United States Public Health Service. Nominated by the Medical Research Council of New Zealand (1985).
- NIH Conference Grant (MH 55882) - Priority score: 115
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
- The Society for Neuroscience (present)
- The American Association for the Advancement of Science (present)
- American Physiological Society (present)
- American Association for Clinical Chemistry (present)
- The High Blood Pressure Research Council of Australia (1989-1991)
- The American Federation for Clinical Research (1986-1992)
- The New Zealand Association of Clinical Biochemists (1983-1988)
- The Physiological Society of New Zealand (1983-1985)
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Further information:
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