Gretchen N. Neigh (McCandless), Ph.D.

Associate Professor

Gretchen N. Neigh (McCandless), Ph.D.

Department: Anatomy and Neurobio

Fax: 804-828-9477

Email: gretchen.mccandless@vcuhealth.org

Associate Professor
Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology
1101 East Marshall Street
Box 980709
P.O. Box 980709
Richmond, VA 23298
Fax: 804-828-9477
gretchen.mccandless@vcuhealth.org
http://gretchenneigh.com
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=neigh+gn
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Gretchen_Neigh
  

UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION

  • Washington & Jefferson College, Washington, PA, Biology Major, BA received in 1998. 

    Theodore K. Vogeley Memorial Scholarship. Butler Area Senior High School. One scholarship was awarded among the class of 650 graduates. The selection was made by the community appointment board and school officials based on academic success, essays regarding future plans and goals, demonstration of community involvement, and performance in an interview. This was a full academic merit scholarship including tuition, room, board, and books for all 4 years of college education at a school of the awardee's choice. 1994 - 1998

GRADUATE EDUCATION

  • The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, Neuroscience, PhD received 2004

    Presidential Fellowship (1998-1999). The Ohio State University. Presidential Fellowships awardees are selected from all incoming graduate students at The Ohio State University within a given year. The selection is made by a university appointment faculty committee based upon previous academic achievement and a letter generated by the admissions committee of the program admitting the student.

    Dean’s Fellowship for Dissertation Research (2003-2004).The Ohio State University. Awardees are selected from all graduate students at The Ohio State University entering their dissertation year. Selections are made based upon academic achievement, publication record, and letters of recommendation. 1998 - 2004

POST GRADUATE EDUCATION

  • Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Emory University, Atlanta, GA

    T32DK007298-35 “Endocrinology, Metabolism, and Diabetes”(2004-2005). NIH-NIDDK awarded to Dr. Roberto Pacifici at Emory University. Candidates were selected based upon research proposal, previous academic success, and letters of recommendation. Two fellowship positions for PhD-trained fellows were available per year.

    Frederick Gardner Cottrell Postdoctoral Enhancement Award. (2005-2007). Emory University School of Medicine. Eligible applicants for this award consisted of all postdoctoral fellows within Emory School of Medicine. The selection was made by a faculty committee chosen by the Emory Office of Postdoctoral Education. The award was based upon previous demonstration of academic and research success, letters of recommendation, and review of a research proposal. The award consisted of two years of $15,000/year of fellowship augmentation, funds of academic travel, and funds for research.

    K12GM000680-15 “Institutional Research and Academic Career Development”. (2005-2007). NIH-NIGMS awarded to Dr. Douglas Eaton. Candidates were selected from a national pool of applicants based upon previous academic accomplishments, publication history, letters of recommendation, and demonstration of a commitment to teaching and achievement in the domain of teaching.

    1F32NS054535 “Effects of Stress on Cerebral Vasculature and Behavior”(2005-2007). NIH-NINDS generated award based upon established review criteria by the Center for Scientific Review. 2004 - 2007

RESEARCH EXPERTISE

  • Dr. Neigh's research spans multiple systems and levels of analysis. 
     
    Areas of expertise include:
     
    1) neuroendocrinology
    2) transcription factors
    3) psychoneuroimmunology
    4) cerebrovascular biology
    5) affective disorders
    6) stress-related adaptations
    7) HIV
    8) sex differences
     

TEACHING EXPERTISE

  • Dr. Neigh has taught a variety of courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels.  Although she has taught general courses such as Introduction to Psychology (The Ohio State University) and Vertebrate Anatomy (Agnes Scott College), Dr. Neigh spends the majority of her teaching effort on graduate education.  Dr. Neigh taught the professional skills course for Neuroscience graduate students at Emory University for 7 years which included presentation skills, professional ethics, and grant writing.  In addition, Dr. Neigh provided lectures on subtopics within the fields of neuroendocrinology and psychoneuroimmunology.

KEYWORDS & INTEREST AREAS

  • hormones
  • stress
  • sex differences
  • HIV
  • psychoneuroimmunology
  • psychoneuroendocrinology
  • diet
  • hippocampus
  • professional ethics
  • grant writing
  • neuroendocrinology

AWARDS & HONORS

  • Developmental Core Junior Investigator Travel Award. Emory University Center for AIDS Research.
    Selections were made from the pool of junior investigators conducting research related to HIV/AIDS are Emory University. The selection was made by a faculty review committee appointed by the Emory Center for AIDS research and selection was based upon the quality of research submitted and previous demonstration of research success. 11/2015
  • Elected Associate Member. American College of Neuropsychopharmacology. 
    Membership is competitively evaluated by the membership committee of ACNP and selections are based upon previous academic success as demonstrated by publications and funding history, nomination and support letters from current members of ACNP, demonstration of a commitment to teaching, demonstration of a sustained interest in the core missions of ACNP, and judged potential for future academic success. Generally there are approximately 60 applications for membership per year and approximately 20 new members selected per year. 12/2014
  • Young Investigator Travel Award. Winter Conference on Brain Research. 
    Selection of awardee was based upon letter of support from the department chair, quality of research submitted to the conference, and previous academic accomplishments as demonstrated by the CV. The selection committee was an appointed committee selected by the conference's faculty organizers. 01/2014
  • Young Investigator Award: “Anti-inflammatory Treatment for Reversal of Late-Life Depressive-like Behavior.” National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression (now Brain & Behavior Research Foundation). 
    All junior researchers conducting research in relevant areas are eligible to apply. Selections are based upon previous accomplishments, letters of recommendation, and review of a research proposal. Selections are made by a committee of international experts appointment by the foundation. (I received this award twice.) 01/2013
  • Creative and Novel Ideas in HIV Research Young Investigator Award. Awarded by the International AIDS Society and the National Institutes of Health. 
    This is an international competition with individuals competing from over 27 countries. Awardees are selected based upon previous academic accomplishments outside of the area of HIV/AIDS, letters of recommendation, and quality of research proposed. Awardees are selected by an international committee of experts in the field of HIV/AIDS that are appointed by the program organizers. 07/2012
  • Young Investigator Memorial Travel Award. American College of Neuropsychopharmacology. 
    This is an international award open to all senior postdoctoral fellows and junior faculty. The awardees are selected based on scholarship to date based on the CV, letters of recommendation, essays regarding career path and teaching philosophy, and quality of scientific work submitted for the annual meeting. (I won this award twice.) 12/2010
  • Raefelson Young Investigator Award. Collegium Internationale Neuro-Psychopharmacologicum.
    This is an international award given by the ICNP professional society. The selection was made based upon established criteria that demonstrate success at the junior faculty level and quality of research submitted for the annual conference. (I won this award twice.) 07/2010
  • Raefelson Young Investigator Award. Collegium Internationale Neuro-Psychopharmacologicum.
    This is an international award given by the ICNP professional society. The selection was made based upon established criteria that demonstrate success at the junior faculty level and quality of research submitted for the annual conference. 07/2008
  • Young Investigator Memorial Travel Award. American College of Neuropsychopharmacology. 
    This is an international award open to all senior postdoctoral fellows and junior faculty. The awardees are selected based on scholarship to date based on the CV, letters of recommendation, essays regarding career path and teaching philosophy, and quality of scientific work submitted for the annual meeting. 12/2007
  • Young Investigator Award: “Underlying Neurobiology of Vascular Depression”. National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression (now Brain & Behavior Research Foundation). 
    All junior researchers conducting research in relevant areas are eligible to apply. Selections are based upon previous accomplishments, letters of recommendation, and review of a research proposal. Selections are made by a committee of international experts appointment by the foundation. 07/2007

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

  • Society for Biological Psychiatry 12/2016 - Present
  • Society of Neuroimmune Pharmacology
         Program Committee (2017-2019; appointed) 01/2015 - Present
  • Associate Member, American College of Neuropsychopharmacology 12/2014 - Present
  • Organization for the Study of Sex Differences 
         Program Committee (2010-2013; appointed)
         Councilor (2013-2016; elected)
         Secretary (2016-2018; elected)
     01/2007 - Present
  • International Society of Psychoneuroendocrinology 01/2004 - Present
  • Society for Behavioral Neuroendocrinology
         Program Committee (2012-2015; appointed) 01/2001 - 12/2017
  • Society for Neuroscience 01/1999 - Present

SELECTED PEER REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS:

  • Note: Direct report trainees' names are underlined. 2018
  • Rowson SA, Foster SL, Weinshenker D, Neigh GN. Locomotor sensitization to cocaine in adolescent and adult female Wistar rats. Behav Brain Res. 2018 Sep 3; 349:158-162. PMID: 29704596 09/2018
  • Bekhbat M, Mehta CC, Kelly SD, Vester A, Ofotokun I, Felger J, Wingood G, Anastos K, Gustafson DR, Kassaye S, Milam J, Aouizerat B, Weber K, Golub ET, Moore MF, Diclemente R, Fischl M, Kempf MC, Maki P, Neigh GN. HIV and symptoms of depression are independently associated with impaired glucocorticoid signaling. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2018 Jun 18; 96:118-125. PMID: 29936334 06/2018
  • Harrell CS, Zainaldin C, McFarlane D, Hyer MM, Stein D, Sayeed I, Neigh GN. High-fructose diet during adolescent development increases neuroinflammation and depressive-like behavior without exacerbating outcomes after stroke. Brain Behav Immun. 2018 May 19. PMID: 29787857 05/2018
  • Bekhbat M, Glasper ER, Rowson SA, Kelly SD, Neigh GN. Measuring corticosterone concentrations over a physiological dynamic range in female rats. Physiol Behav. 2018 May 3; 194:73-76. PMID: 2973028405/2018
  • Mills JC, Pence BW, Todd JV, Bengtson AM, Breger TL, Edmonds A, Cook RL, Adedimeji A, Schwartz RM, Kassaye S, Milam J, Cocohoba J, Cohen M, Golub E, Neigh G, Fischl M, Kempf MC, Adimora AA. Cumulative Burden of Depression and All-Cause Mortality in Women Living with HIV. Clin Infect Dis. 2018 Mar 30. PMID: 29618020 03/2018
  • Espinosa-Garcia C, Sayeed I, Yousuf S, Atif F, Sergeeva EG, Neigh GN, Stein DG. Stress primes microglial polarization after global ischemia: Therapeutic potential of progesterone. Brain Behav Immun. 2017 Nov; 66:177-192. PMID: 28648389 11/2017
  • Kalidindi A, Kelly SD, Singleton KS, Guzman D, Merrill L, Willard SL, Shively CA, Neigh GN. Reduced marker of vascularization in the anterior hippocampus in a female monkey model of depression. Physiol Behav. 2017 Apr 1; 172:12-15. PMID: 27423324 04/2017
  • Neigh GN, Nemeth CL, Kelly SD, Hardy EE, Bourke C, Stowe ZN, Owens MJ. Prenatal stress-induced increases in hippocampal von Willebrand factor expression are prevented by concurrent prenatal escitalopram. Physiol Behav. 2017 Apr 1; 172:24-30. PMID: 27422674 04/2017
  • Ozdemir AC, Wynn GM, Vester A, Weitzmann MN, Neigh GN, Srinivasan S, Rudd MK. GNB3 overexpression causes obesity and metabolic syndrome. PLoS One. 2017; 12(12):e0188763. PMID: 29206867 01/2017

BOOKS, BOOK CHAPTERS, & MONOGRAPHS:

  • Note: Direct report trainees' names are underlined. 2018
  • Hyer, M., Neigh, G. Depression in Women. In Neurobiology of Depression. Ed. J. Luciano de Quevedo, A.F. Carvalho, C.A. Zarate. Elsevier Inc., in press. 2018
  • Neigh, G., Bekhbat, M., Rowson, S. Behavioral effects of Neuroimmunology. In Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Neuroscience. Ed. S. Murray Sherman. New York: Oxford University Press, in press. 2018
  • Takeshi Otowa,T., Roberson-Nay,R., Bekhbat,M., Neigh,G.N., Hettema, J.M.  Genetics of anxiety disorders.  Chapter 33 in: Kaplan and Sadock’s Comprensive Textbook of Psychiatry, 10e. Wolters Kluwver, 2017. 2017
  • Kohn, J., Panagiotakopoulos, L., Neigh, G.N., The effects of social experience on the stress system and immune function in non-human primates. In: Shively, C and Wilson, M. ed. Developments in Primatology. Springer, 2016. 2016
  • Kinsley, C., Massimo, B., Neigh, G.N., Lambert, K. Chromosomal and endocrinological origins of sex. In: Neigh, G.N. and Mitzelfelt, M. ed. Sex Differences in Physiology. Elsevier, 2016. 2016
  • Neigh, G.N., Merrill, L. Neurophysiology and Behavior. In: Neigh, G.N. and Mitzelfelt, M. ed. Sex Differences in Physiology. Elsevier, 2016. 2016
  • Sex differences in Physiology. Neigh, G.N. and Mitzelfelt, M ed. Elsevier. 2016.
    ISBN: 978-0-12-802388-4 2016
  • Howell, B.R., Neigh, G., Sanchez, M.M.. (2015). Animal models of developmental psychopathology. In: Cicchetti, D. (Ed.), “Developmental Psychopathology”, 3rd Edition. John Wiley & Sons Press. 2015
  • Neigh, G.N., Nemeth, C.L., Rowson, S. Sex and Neuroinflammation. In: Shansky, R ed. The Neuroscience of Sex. Elsevier; 2015. 2015

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