Richard C Grondin

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rcgron0@uky.edu

859-323-8925

MN210, Medical Science Bldg.

Position(s):

Associate Professor

Director, Good Research Practices (GRP) Resource Center

Affiliation(s):

Neuroscience

Interests / Specialties:

Parkinson's disease

Huntington's disease

Gene silencing by RNA interference

Bio / Education:

Dr. Richard C. Grondin, Ph.D., graduated in December 1997 from Laval University College of Medicine in Quebec City (Canada) with a doctorate degree in Neurobiology. Dr. Grondin currently holds the academic position of Associate Professor of Neuroscience at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine.

He also serves as Director for the University of Kentucky Good Research Practices (GRP) Resource Center. The GRP Resource Center was created to support research conducted in laboratories and research core facilities at the University of Kentucky by promoting data reproducibility, rigor and transparency. The GRP Resource Center offers training workshops to students, faculty and staff, which include study planning and conduct through use of protocols and standard operating procedures, logs of use/maintenance and calibration for key equipment as well as data retention and reporting principles. Additionally, Dr. Grondin serves as scientific member on the University of Kentucky Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC).

Research Description:

The Grondin laboratory focuses on developping new treatment strategies for Huntington’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. One promising treatment approach is to use a technique known as RNA interference to silence the expression of genes of interest with the goal of potentially slowing or preventing disease progression. This can be acheived by using either adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors carrying short hairpin ribonucleic acid (shRNA) or small interfering RNA (siRNA) constructs designed to reduce production of target-specific proteins, such as huntingtin and alpha-synuclein. These compounds are delivered directly into brain regions affected by the disease process. These potentially disease-modifying therapies are studied in vertebrate animals and the effects of these experimental treatments are evaluated using a variety of methods, including behavioral, neurochemical and neuropathological methods.

Selected Publications:

Grondin R, Littrell OM, Zhang Z, Ai Y, Huettl P, Pomerleau F, Quintero JE, Andersen AH, Stenslik MJ, Bradley LH, Lemmon J, O’Neill MJ, Gash DM, Gerhardt GA. GDNF revisited: A novel mammalian cell-derived variant form of GDNF increases dopamine turnover and improves brain biodistribution. Neuropharmacology 147:28-36 (2019). PMID: 29857941

Kaemmerer WF, Grondin R. The effects of huntingtin-lowering: What do we know so far? Degener Neurol Neuromuscul Dis 9:3-17, (2019). PMID: 30881191

Littrell OM, Stoeger C, Maier H, Fuchs H, , Hrabě de Angelis M, Cassis LA, Gerhardt GA, Grondin R*, Gailus-Durner V*. Costs of implementing quality in research practice. In: Handb Exp Pharmacol,(2019) PMID: 31541322 *Co-senior author

Grondin, Ai, Hardy, Butt, Nelson, Lemmon, Bumcrot, Gash, Gerhardt, Zhang. Continuous intranigral infusion does not cause observable behavioral deficits or marked pathology in rhesus macaques. J. Neurosurg. 126:1253-1262, (2017). PMID: 27231974

Grondin, Ge, Chen, Sutherland, Zhang, Gash, Stiles, Stewart, Sah, Kaemmerer. Onset time and durability of huntingtin suppression in the rhesus putamen after direct infusion of an anti-huntingtin siRNA. Mol. Ther. Nucleic Acids (2015) 4:e245. doi:10.1038/mtna.2015.20. PMID: 26125484

Pandya, Grondin, Yonutas, Haghnazar, Gash, Zhang, and Sullivan. Decreased mitochondrial bioenergetics and calcium buffering capacity in the basal ganglia correlates with motor deficits in a non-human primate model of aging.Neurobiol. Aging 36:1903-1913, (2015). PMID: 25726361

Smith, Grondin, LeMaster, Martin, Gold, Ain. Reversible cognitive, motor and driving impairments in severe hypothyroidism. Thyroid 25(1):28-36, (2015). PMID: 25381990

Grondin, Kaytor, Ai, Nelson, Burright, Thakker, Heisel, Weatherspoon, Blum, Zhang, Kaemmerer. Six-month partial suppression of huntingtin is well tolerated in the adult rhesus striatum. Brain 135:1197-1209, (2012). PMID: 22252996

Blalock*, Grondin*, Chen, Thibault O., Thibault V., Pandya, Dowling, Zhang, Sullivan, Porter, Landfield. Age-related gene expression in hippocampus proper compared to dentate gyrus is selectively associated with metabolic syndrome variables in rhesus monkeys.J. Neurosci. 30(17):6058-6071, (2010). PMID: 20427664. *Co-first author

Grondin, Zhang, Ai, Slevin, Young, Gash, Gerhardt. Direct delivery of GDNF in the non-human primate and human parkinsonian brain: Success and road blocks. In: CNS regeneration: Basic science and clinical advances, Academic Press, (Kordower and Tuszynski, Eds), Second Edition; pp. 223-244 (2008).

Grondin, Zhang, Ai, Ding, Walton, Surgener, Gerhardt, Gash. Intraputamenal infusion of exogenous neurturin protein restores motor and dopaminergic function in the globus pallidus of MPTP-lesioned rhesus monkeys. Cell Transplant. 17(4):373-381, (2008). PMID: 18522240.

Walton, Scheib, Hall, Zhang, Grondin. Motor memory preservation in aged monkeys mirrors that of aged humans on a similar task. Neurobiol. Aging 29(10):1556-62 (2008). PMID: 17428582.

Cass*, Grondin*, Andersen, Zhang, Hardy, Hussey-Andersen, Rayens, Gerhardt, Gash. Iron accumulation in the striatum predicts age-related decline in motor function in rhesus monkeys. Neurobiol. Aging 28(2):258-71, (2007). PMID: 16442671. * Co-first author

Walton, Branham, Gash, Grondin. Automated video analysis of age-related motor deficits in monkeys using EthoVision. Neurobiol. Aging 27(10):1477-83, (2006). PMID: 16198447.

Grondin, Zhang, Ai, Gash, Gerhardt. Intracranial delivery of proteins and peptides as a therapy for neurodegenerative diseases. Prog. Drug Res. 61:101-123, (2003). PMID: 14674610.

Grondin, Cass, Zhang, Stanford, Gerhardt, Gash. GDNF Increases Stimulus-Evoked Dopamine Release and Motor Speed in Aged Rhesus Monkeys. J. Neurosci. 23(5):1974-1980, (2003). PMID: 12629203

Grondin, Zhang, Cass, Yi, Maswood, Andersen, Elsberry, Klein, Gerhardt, Gash. Chronic, controlled GDNF infusion promotes structural and functional recovery in advanced parkinsonian monkeys. Brain 125:2191-2201, (2002). PMID: 12244077.

Grondin, Zhang, Elsberry, Gerhardt, Gash. Chronic intracerebral delivery of trophic factors via a programmable pump as a treatment for parkinsonism. Methods Mol. Med. 62:257-267, (2001). PMID: 21318781

Grondin, Zhang, Gerhardt, Gash. Dopaminergic therapy improves upper limb motor performance in aged rhesus monkeys. Ann. Neurol. 48(2):250-253, (2000). PMID: 10939577.