Bruce Kennedy

Ph.D. 2016

E-mail: [email protected]

Thesis Title:

Role of TLR4 in Opioid Withdrawal

Undergraduate Institution and Major:

University of Wisconsin, B.S. in Biology and Psychology, 2009
 

Current Position:

Senior Clinical Affairs Specialist at Medtronic

Graduate Advisor:

Jonathan Gewirtz, Ph.D., Department of Psychology
 

Thesis Committee members:

  • Bob Meisel, Ph.D., Department of Neuroscience (Chair)
  • Michael Georgieff, M.D., Department of Pediatrics
  • Jonathan Gewirtz, Ph.D., Department of Psychology
  • Sabita Roy, Ph.D., Department of Surgery
  • Mark Thomas, Ph.D., Department of Neuroscience

Description of Graduate Research:
 

Opioid addiction is an increasingly serious health problem and current treatment options are limited. I am interested in the role of the innate immune system, in particular Toll-like receptors (TLR), in opiate dependence and withdrawal. My research is focused on understanding the role of TLRs in opioid withdrawal using in vivo models and how bi-directional communication between microglia, immune cells of the brain, and neurons are altered during chronic opioid exposure using in vitro models.

Research Categories

  • Drug Abuse and Addiction
  • Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience
  • Developmental Neuroscience

Graduate Level Awards and Honors: 

  • Predoctoral fellowship, PNI training program, University of Minnesota, 2012-2014     
  • Center for Neurobehavioral Development travel award, University of Minnesota, 2013 and 2015
  • Graduate student research award, Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, 2013 and 2014
  • Sping and Ying Ngoh Lin Award, University of Minnesota, 2014, 2015-2016
  • Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship, University of Minnesota, 2015
  • Best poster, International Behavioral Neuroscience Society annual meeting, 2015

Graduate Level Publications: 

  • Kennedy BC, Tran PV, Kohli M, Maertens JJ, Gewirtz JC, Georgieff MK. Beneficial Effects of Postnatal Choline Supplementation on Long-Term Neurocognitive Deficit Resulting from Fetal-Neonatal Iron Deficiency. Behav Brain Res. 2018;336:40-43.
  • Kennedy BC, Kohli M, Maertens JJ, Marell PS, Gewirtz JC. Conditioned object preference: an alternative approach to measuring reward learning in rats. Learn Mem. 2016 Oct 17;23(11):623-630.
  • Kennedy BC, Dimova JG, Dakoji S, Yuan LL, Gewirtz JC, Tran PV. Deletion of novel protein TMEM35 alters stress-related functions and impairs long-term memory in mice. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 2016;311(1):R166-178.
  • Tran PV, Kennedy BC, Pisansky MT, Won KJ, Gewirtz JC, Simmons RA, Georgieff MK. Prenatal Choline Supplementation Diminishes Early-Life Iron Deficiency-Induced Reprogramming of Molecular Networks Associated with Behavioral Abnormalities in the Adult Rat Hippocampus. J Nutr. 2016;146(3):484-493.
  • Been LE, Moore KM, Kennedy BC, Meisel RL. Metabotropic Glutamate Receptor and Fragile X Signaling in a Female Model of Escalated Aggression. Biol Psychiatry. 2016;79:685-692.
  • Lahvis GP, Panksepp JB, Kennedy BC, Wilson CR, Merriman DK. Social conditioned place preference by captive ground squirrels: Social reward as natural phenotype. J Comp Psychol. 2015;129:291-303.
  • Tran PV, Kennedy BC, Lien YC, Simmons RA, Georgieff MK. Fetal iron deficiency induces chromatin remodeling at the Bdnf locus in adult rat hippocampus. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 2014;308:R276-282.
  • Kennedy BC, Dimova JG, Siddappa AJ, Tran PV, Gewirtz JC, Georgieff MK. Prenatal choline supplementation ameliorates the long-term neurobehavioral effects of fetal-neonatal iron deficiency in rats. 2014;J Nutr.144:1858-1865.
  • Kabir ZD, Kennedy BC, Katzman A, Lahvis GP, Kosofsky BE. Effects of prenatal cocaine exposure on social development in mice. Dev Neurosci. 2013;36:338-346.
  • Blegen MB, Kennedy BC, Thibert KA, Gewirtz JC, Tran PV, Georgieff MK. Multigenerational effects of fetal‐neonatal iron deficiency on hippocampal BDNF signaling. Physiolog Rep. 2013;1(5):e00096.
  • Kennedy BC, Panksepp JB, Runckel PA, Lahvis GP. Social Influences on morphine-conditioned place preference in adolescent BALB/cJ and C57BL/6J mice. Psychopharmacology (Berl.) 2012;219:923–932.
  • Kennedy BC, Panksepp JB, Wong JC, Krause EJ, Lahvis GP. Age-dependent and strain-dependent Influences of morphine on mouse social investigation behavior. Behav Pharmacol. 2011;2:147–159.
  • Panksepp JB, Wong JC, Kennedy BC, Lahvis GP. Differential entrainment of a social rhythm in adolescent mice. Behav Brain Res. 2008;195:239-245.

Graduate Level Abstracts: 

  • Kennedy BK, Kohli M, Maertens J, Pisansky MT, Tran PV, Gewirtz JC, Georgieff MK. (2015) Postnatal choline supplementation ameliorates long-term disruptions in behavior and hippocampal gene expression resulting from fetal iron deficiency. Chicago, IL. Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting, 2015.
  • Kennedy BC, Kohli M, Maertens J, Marell JP, Gewirtz JC. (2015) Conditioned object preference: A novel measure of drug-seeking behavior in rodents. Portland, OR. Pavlovian Society Annual Meeting, 2015.
  • Kennedy BC, Kohli M, Maertens J, Marell JP, Gewirtz JC. (2015) Conditioned object preference: A novel measure of drug-seeking behavior in rodents. Victoria, BC, Canada. International Behavioral Neuroscience Society Annual Meeting, 2015. *Winner of best poster award
  • Kennedy BC, Dimova JG, Reise KH, Marell P, Von Hohenberg W, Gewirtz JC, Tran PV. (2013) Tmem35 (tuf1): A novel factor in pain pathway? San Diego, CA. Society for Neuroscience Conference, 2013
  • Kennedy BC, Dimova JG, Pisansky MT, Thapa P, Gewirtz JC, Georgieff MK. (2012) Dietary choline supplementation improves performance of formerly iron-deficient rats in novel object recognition and social approach tasks. New Orleans, LA. Society for Neuroscience Conference, 2012.
  • Kennedy BC, Panksepp JB, Lahvis GP.(2010) Effects of social experience on place preference conditioning to morphine in juvenile mice. San Diego, CA, Society for Neuroscience Conference, 2010.

Professional Presentations: 

  • Kennedy BC. Conditioned Object Preference: A Novel Measure of Drug-Seeking in Rodents. PharmacoNeuroImmunology Annual Retreat, UMN, 2015
  • Kennedy BC. Conditioned Object Preference: A Novel Measure of Drug-Seeking in Rodents. Neuroscience Colloquium, UMN, 2015
  • Kennedy BC. Tuf1: A Novel Molecule in Memory and Pain. Neuroscience Colloquium, UMN, 2015
  • Kennedy BC, Dimova JG, Reise KH, Marell P, Von Hohenberg W, Gewirtz JC, Tran PV. TMEM35 (TUF1): A Novel Factor in Pain Pathways. Pediatrics research symposium (PRESS), UMN, 2014
  • Kennedy BC, Dimova JG, Reise KH, Marell P, Von Hohenberg W, Gewirtz JC, Tran PV. TMEM35 (TUF1): A Novel Factor in Pain Pathways. PharmacoNeuroImmunology Annual Retreat, UMN, 2014
  • Thibert KA, Kennedy BC#, Siddappa AJ, Tran PV, Gewirtz JC, Georgieff MK. Prenatal choline supplementation reverses the downregulation of hippocampal gene expression resulting from gestational iron deficiency. Midwest Society for Pediatric Research Annual Conference, Minneapolis, MN, 2013. #Presenter on behalf of 1st author.
  • Kennedy BC, Dimova JG, Pisansky MT, Thapa P, Callahan LS, Gewirtz JC, Georgieff MK. Effects Of Prenatal Choline Supplementation on Memory and Social Behavior in Formerly Iron Deficient Rats. Pediatrics research symposium (PRESS), UMN, 2013
  • Kennedy BC, Dimova JG, Pisansky MT, Thapa P, Callahan LS, Gewirtz JC, Georgieff MK Effects Of Prenatal Choline Supplementation on Memory and Social Behavior in Formerly Iron Deficient Rats. Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS), Washington DC, 2013
  • Dimova JG, Kennedy BC#, Marell P, Lai J, Gale J, Reise KH, Georgieff MG, Gewirtz JC ,Tran PV. Novel Biomarker for Limbic HPA (LHPA) Axis Regulation of Stress and Neuropathic Pain. Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) Washington DC, 2013
    #Presenter on behalf of 1st author.

Rotations: 

  • Michael Georgieff, M.D., Department of Pediatrics (Neonatology)
  • Jonathan Gewirtz, PhD., Department of Psychology
  • Mark Thomas, Ph.D., Department. of Neuroscience
  • Bob Meisel, Ph.D., Department of Neuroscience

GPN Committees: 

  • Career Facilitation Committee, Founding Member, Feb 2014 – Present
  • Steering Committee, April 2014 – Present
  • Seminar Committee, 2013 – 2014

Other Committee Involvement:

  • PharmacoNeuroImmunology Student Group: President, July 2014- Sept 2015
  • PharmacoNeuroImmunology Training Program: Seminar Committee, 2012 – 2015
  • Center for Neurobehavioral Development: Student Member, 2012 – Present

Professional Outreach: 

  • University of Minnesota Brain Awareness Week Classroom Visit, 2012
  • Presentation for Brain Club student group, Nov. 2015

Why Did You Choose MN?

I chose the UMN because it was a strong program with a huge pool of great faculty and labs. The impressive interview weekend sealed the deal.

Student Mentor And The Best Advice They Gave?


Be flexible about your research/lab interests and stay positive!

Bruce Kennedy