Mark Miller, Professor
Department of Anatomy
Medical Sciences Campus, University of Puerto Rico.
Telephone: (787) 721-1237
E-Mail: mark.miller@upr.edu

B.A. University of Pennsylvania; Ph.D. University of Connecticut; postdoctoral research at University of Hawaii, Hebrew University, University of California at Los Angeles, and Columbia University.

Research Interests

The broad goal of our research is to understand neuronal circuits underlying the generation and organization of complex behavior patterns. We use marine molluscs (e.g. Aplysia californica and Bursatella leachii) as model systems for these studies, because the nervous systems of these species contain large identified neurons. The role of certain modulatory substances (biogenic amines and neuropeptides) in the regulation of these neural circuits is of particular interest. Our current focus is on the neural control of motivated behavior patterns related to reproduction and feeding. The methods utilized include field observation, electrophysiological analysis of neural circuits, and the cellular localization of neuromodulators using immunohistochemistry.

Recent Publications

Martinez-Rubio C, Serrano GE, Miller MW. (2008) Localization of biogenic amines in the foregut of Aplysia californica: Catecholaminergic and serotonergic innervation. J Comparative Neurology 514:329-342.

Miller, M.W. (2008) Colocalization and cotransmission of classical neurotransmitters: an invertebrate perspective. In: Co-existence and Co-release of Classical Neurotransmitters (R. Gutiérrez, Ed.) Springer. New York. pp. 243-262.

Fort, T.J., Brezina, V., and Miller, M.W. (2007) Regulation of the crab heartbeat by FMRFamide-Like peptides: Multiple interacting effects on center and periphery. Articles in Press, J. Neurophysiology.98:2887-2902

Serrano, G.E., Martínez-Rubio, C., and Miller, M.W. (2007) Endogenous motor neuron properties contribute to a program-specific phase of activity in the polymorphic feeding central pattern generator of Aplysia. J. Neurophysiology.98:29-42.

Fort, T.J., García Crescioni, K., Agricola, H.-.J., Brezina, V. and Miller, M.W. (2007) Regulation of the crab heartbeat by crustacean cardioactive peptide (CCAP): Central and peripheral actions. J. Neurophysiology. 97: 3407-3420.

Stern, E., Fort, T., Miller, M., Peskin, C., and Brezina, V. (2007) Decoding modulation of the neuromuscular transform. Neurocomputing 70: 1753-1758.

Díaz-Ríos M, and Miller MW. (2006) Target-specific regulation of synaptic efficacy in the feeding central pattern generator of Aplysia: Potential substrates for behavioral plasticity? Biological Bulletin210: 215-229.

Serrano GE, and Miller MW. (2006) Conditional rhythmicity and synchrony in a bilateral pair of bursting motor neurons in Aplysia. J Neurophysiology 96:2057-2071.

McPhie DL and Miller MW. (2006) Biological Bulletin virtual symposium:Marine invertebrate models of learning and memory. Biological Bulletin 210: 171-173.

Díaz-Ríos M, and Miller MW. (2005) Rapid dopaminergic signaling by interneurons that contain markers for catecholamines and GABA in the feeding circuitry of Aplysia. J Neurophysiol. 93: 2142-2156.

Fort TJ, Brezina V, and Miller MW. (2004) Modulation of an integrated central pattern generator-effector system: dopaminergic regulation of cardiac activity in the blue crab Callinectes sapidus. J Neurophysiol. 92: 3455-3470.

Painter SD, Cummins SF, Nichols AE, Akalal DB, Schein CH, Braun W, Smith JS, Susswein AJ, Levy M, de Boer PA, ter Maat A, Miller MW, Scanlan C, Milberg RM, Sweedler JV, Nagle GT. (2004) Structural and functional analysis of Aplysia attractins, a family of water-borne protein pheromones with interspecific attractiveness. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 101: 6929-33.

Walters ET, Bodnarova M, Billy AJ, Dulin MF, Díaz-Ríos M, Miller MW, Moroz LL. (2004) Somatotopic organization of mechanosensory neurons expressing sensorin-A mRNA in Aplysia J. Comparative Neurology 471: 219-240.