David Linn
COURSES TAUGHT
BMS 291 - Lab in Human Physiology
BMS 301 - Introduction to Research
BMS 310 - Pathophysiology
BMS 311 - Pharmacology
BMS 508 - Advanced Physiology
NUR 620 - Clinical Pharmacology
EDUCATION
Post Doc: LSU Eye Center, New Orleans, LA
Post Doc: Moran Eye Center, Salt Lake City, UT
Ph.D. - University of Texas, Houston Medical Center
M.S. Rice University, Houston, TX
RESEARCH INTERESTS
My research at GVSU has largely been an extension of my previous work at Pharmacia/Upjohn/Pfizer. We have been exploring the possible therapeutic benefits of nicotine-like compounds in the treatment of visual diseases, specifically glaucoma. Acetylcholine (ACh) can activate several subtypes of nicotinic ACh receptors (nAChR) and we have been interested in the alpha7 subtype. Our previous studies have shown that selective activation of the alpha7 nAChR can provide protection to the cells that are normally the targets of death during glaucoma. Most recently, we have shown that activation of the alpha7 nAChR can also lead to generation of new cells that could replace those lost to disease. We have been examining this mechanism with a multiple cell culture approach. After obtaining pig eyes from a local slaughterhouse we culture retinal pigment epithelium (RPE, cell layer behind the retina); the targets of the nicotine-like compound. Then, after stimulating (or not) the RPE with the compound we transfer RPE to a different culture dish of cells from the pig retina. Finally, after a defined time, we count if the stimulated RPE can induce more cells vs. non-simulated RPE. In the past, we have also done experiments with labelled neurotransmitter release and confocal microscopy.