Professor and Chair,  Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences; University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR

Contact me at: childsgwenv@uams.edu  or,
gvchilds@me.com, which will reach my IPHONE.

The research in my laboratory  is focused on the regulation of specific anterior pituitary cells by neuroendocrine peptides and growth factors. Most recently, we are focused on the role of leptin in the regulation of pituitary gonadotropes and somatotropes.  We have received National Institute of Health and National Science Foundation funding and are currently supported by R01 HD059056-02 and R03 HD 59066-02.  

(Former name: Gwen C. Moriarty, Ph.D.)

What's new at this site?  
Updated CV (pdf file: May, 2011)
Honors (since 2000)
Press Releases
Updated page for in situ hybridization.



   

 

CAMPUS ADDRESS:

Gwen V. Childs, Ph.D., FAAA
Professor and Chair
Department of  Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences
 College of Medicine
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
4301 W. Markham St; Slot 510
Little Rock, AR, 72205
(501) 686-7020

web page: www.cytochemistry.net/childs/Childs.htm
Email: childsgwenv@uams.edu or gvchilds@me.com

 

 Summary of Training and Academic Positions:
1966: B.A., Biology, Whitman College, Walla Walla, Washington.
1972: Ph.D., Anatomy, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
1972: Assistant Professor of Anatomy, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebr
1976: Associate Professor of Anatomy, Northwestern University College of Medicine, Chicago, Ill
1981-April, 2000: Professor of Anatomy, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX
1992-2000: Vice-Chair, Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience
1992-2000: Program Director, Cell Biology Graduate Program at the University of Texas Medical Branch
1997-March, 2000: Coordinator, Basic Science Core, (New) Integrated Medical Curriculum,  University of Texas Medical Branch
April, 2000: Professor and Chair, Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
 

Note: I began my academic life as Gwen Childs Moriarty. My publications from 1972-1977 are authored by Gwen C. Moriarty.

State and National Committee or Consulting Service

Texas State Coordinating Board "Health Professions Education Advisory Committee"  

1995-2000 National Institute of Health, Population Research Subcommittee (Study Section), National Institute of Child Health and Human Diseases.

1996-2000 Histochemistry Society Councilor 1996-1999; Webmaster 1997-2000, Histochemistry Society Web Site  President-elect 1999-2000, President 2000

1995-1999 Chair, Membership Committee, The Endocrine Society

2000-2004 Endocrine Society Development Committee

2006-2011 American Association of Anatomy, Cell Biology and Neurobiology Chairs (AACBNC): Council 2006-2008; President elect 2009
President 2010

2011--  South Regional Representative and member of the Board of Directors, Society for Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine (SELAM International).

 

Editorial Boards:

 Journal of Histochemistry and Cytochemistry

Formerly Editorial board of:    

 Endocrinology  

Journal of Endocrinology

The FASEB Journal

Honors (since 2000)

Press Releases

  • 3/16/2011: Press release to announce Dr. Childs' selection as Fellow of the American Association of Anatomists (FAAA).

Specific Projects
Dynamic changes in gonadotropes during the reproductive cycle.
 Are growth hormone cells co-gonadotropes?
 The effects of epidermal growth factor on pituitary corticotropes and  gonadotropes.
 The effects of stress on the expression of pituitary epidermal growth factor .
 Regulation and secretion of pituitary nerve growth factor
 Stimulus secretion coupling in corticotropes: role of ion channels in signaling
Significance and regulation of Anterior pituitary leptin to the reproductive system (page under construction)
Regulation of monohormonal gonadotropes, expressing only one beta subunit mRNA (page under construction)
Significance and regulation of anterior pituitary leptin
Significance of leptin receptors on pituitary somatotropes and gonadotropes.

 Graduate students 1994-present

 James Patterson (M.D. Ph.D. student; completed Ph.D in 1994) Now doing a residency in Psychiatry at the University of Texas Medical Branch.
  Xuemo Fan (completed Ph.D. in 1994)
  Jennifer Armstrong (completed Ph.D. in 1997)
  Jiangang Xie (completed Ph.D. in 1998)
Iris MacDuffie (M.S. student in Nutrition at UAMS)
Mary  Iruthayanathan, M.D. (completed Ph.D. in 2006)
Chris Crane, M.S. (Master's program; Honors Medical Student; Completed MD in 2010
Zachary Brodrick, M.S. (MS, completed in 2008).
Angela Odle (Ph.D. program, 2010--present
Melody Allensworth (Ph.D. Program, 2011-present)

Special techniques used in laboratory

  Immunogold cytochemistry for detection of hormones and growth factors
  Affinity Cytochemistry for detection of receptors
  In situ hybridization to detect messenger RNA
  Dual labeling for detection of receptors or mRNA and antigens (or two antigens)
  Centrifugal elutriation to enrich and purify pituitary corticotropes gonadotropes, and growth hormone cells.
siRNA silencing of pituitary leptin.  Transfection of primary pituitary cell cultures
Cre-loxP technology applied to selectively knockout genes in gonadotropes or somatotropes.  Deletion mutants of leptin receptors are now being produced.

We also use more routine technology like electron microscopy, cytology, radioimmunoassay, image analysis, enzyme immunoassay, and tissue culture. Most molecular biology techniques such as qRT-PCR, RNA and DNA extraction, genotyping are ongoing in core facilities, 

Last updated: 05/06/11
URL Address: http://www.cytochemistry.net/childs/Childs.htm
email: gvchilds@me.com or childsgwenv@uams.edu


 � copyright 1995 Gwen V. Childs, Ph.D.

visitors since original page went online: 10/23/00