BIOGRAPHY

Dr. Gomez received his bachelor’s degree in Biology from The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) in 2009.  He then went on to pursue a doctoral degree in Neurobiology from UTSA under the supervision of Dr. Carlos Paladini.  During this time his work focused on studying how astrocytes of the ventral tegmental area (VTA) control the firing activity of dopamine and GABA neurons via glutamate release.

PUBLICATIONS

Gomez JA, Perkins JM, Beaudoin GM, Cook NB, Quraishi SA, Szoeke EA, Thangamani K, Tschumi CW, Wanat MJ, Maroof AM, Beckstead MJ, Rosenberg PA, Paladini CA. (2019). Glutamate transporters on ventral tegmental area astrocytes orchestrate avoidance and approach behaviors. Nature Communications. PMID30926783.

Wang HL, Zhang S, Qi J, Wang H, Cachope R, Mejias-Aponte CA, Gomez JA, Mateo-Semidey GE, Beaudoin G, Paladini CA, Cheer JF, Morales M. (2019). Dorsal Raphe Dual Serotonin-Glutamate Neurons Drive Reward by Establishing Excitatory Synapses on VTA Mesoaccumbens Dopamine Neurons. Cell reports. PMID30699344.

Beaudoin GMJ 3rd, Gomez JA, Perkins J, Bland JL, Petko AK, Paladini CA. (2018). Cocaine Selectively Reorganizes Excitatory Inputs to Substantia Nigra Pars Compacta Dopamine Neurons. The Journal of Neuroscience. PMID29263240.

Grow DA, Simmons DV, Gomez JA, Wanat MJ, McCarrey JR, Paladini CA, Navara CS. (2016). Differentiation and Characterization of Dopaminergic Neurons From Baboon Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells. Stem Cells Translational Medicine. PMID27343168.

Goertz RB, Wanat MJ, Gomez JA, Brown ZJ, Phillips PE, Paladini CA. (2014). Cocaine Increases Dopaminergic Neuron and Motor Activity via Midbrain α1 Adrenergic Signaling. Neuropsychopharmacology. PMID25374094.