University of California Office of the President

Curriculum Vitae
Gene D. Block

Education:
1970 Stanford University A.B. Psychology
1972 University of Oregon M.S. Psychology (Neurobiology)
1975 University of Oregon Ph.D. Psychology (Neurobiology)
1978 Stanford University Postdoctoral Fellow (Biology)

Course work at George Washington University, Foothill College and University of California, Berkeley.

Employment:
2001 – Vice President and Provost, University of Virginia
1998 – 2001 Vice President for Research and Public Service, University of Virginia
1993 – 1998 Vice Provost for Research, University of Virginia
1991 – 2002 Founding Director, NSF Center for Biological Timing, UVa
1998 – Professor, Department of Biology, University of Virginia
1998 – Research Professor of Neuroscience, University of Virginia
1991 – Professor, Department of Medicine (courtesy appointment), Virginia
1990 – 1991 Associate Director, Markey Center, University of Virginia
1989 – 1990 Director, Biodynamics Institute, University of Virginia
1989 Acting Chairman, Department of Biology, Fall Term, Virginia
1984 -1989 Associate Professor of Biology, University of Virginia
1978 – 1984 Assistant Professor, Department, University of Virginia
1976 – 1978 Research Fellow, Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford (Colin Pittendrigh)
1975 - 1976 Research Fellow, Department of Biology, Stanford, (Don Kennedy)
1973 – 1975 Behavioral Biology Trainee, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon
1970 – 1973 Research Assistant, Psychology Department (Fred Attneave)

Professional Honors :
2004 Navigator Award, Virginia Piedmont Technology Council
2003 Pioneer Award, National Science Foundation (NSF Centers Program)
1998 Commonwealth of Virginia, Outstanding Public Service Award
1997 Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science
1997 Chairman, Gordon Conference on Chronobiology
1997 Visiting Fellow, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science
1996 – 1998 President, Society for Research on Biological Rhythms
1995 Glaser Distinguished Visiting Professor, Florida International University
1993 Alumni Council Thomas Jefferson Professor (endowed chair)
1988 – 1991 Treasurer: Society for Research on Biological Rhythms
1983 – 1988 Research Career Development Award, National Institutes of Health
1975 – 1978 National Institutes of Health Postdoctoral Fellowship, Stanford
1970 Graduation with distinction, Stanford University, Stanford

Advisory Boards/Academic/Administrative Service

Current service:
Board or Directors, (chair) National Institute of Aerospace (2006-2007)
Board of Directors, Carilion Biomedical Institute (1999 -)
Japan Prize in Biology selection committee (2006)
Board of Directors: Charlottesville Free Clinic (2002 - )
Board of Directors, Spinner Inc., Charlottesville, Virginia (2000 -)
Program Advisory Committee(Chair) Specialized Neuroscience Research Program (SNRP), Univ. Alaska, Fairbanks (2005 -)
Board of Directors, University of Virginia Patent Foundation (1993-)

Past Service:
Institute of Medicine Sleep Medicine and Research Advisory Committee (2005 - 2006)
AAAS EPSCoR Nebraska Advisory Committee (2006)
Scientific Advisory Board NSF MRSEC at UVa chair (2000 – 2005)
Governors Biotechnology Task Force (2002-2005)
Honma Prize , Hokkaido University (2002-2005)
Scientific Advisory Board, NASA PRET program, Univ. Pennsylvania (1997 - 2004)
Sleep Disorders Advisory Board, NHLBI, NIH (2000- 2004)
Scientific Advisory Board, NSF Center for Behavioral Neuroscience, chair (1997 -2004)
Educational Program Committee, Society for Neuroscience (2001 - 2004 )
U.S. Army Research Advisory Panel (chair, 2004)
Board of Visitors, University of Maryland School of Biological Sciences (2000 – 2004)
NIH Task Force for the cross-agency Sleep Research Plan (2001 - 2002)
AAAS, State of Michigan Science Fund review (2002)
Commonwealth of Virginia Research and Technology Advisory Commission (2000 -2002)
Governors Higher Education Summit (resource representative, 2002)
AAAS EPSCoR review committee for Kentucky universities (2000 - 2002 )
Biology program review, Florida International University (2002
Advisory Board, Journal of Biological Timing (1994 - 2002)
Board of Trustees, Southeastern University Research Association (1998 -2003)
Board of Trustees - Virginia Museum of Natural History (1996 – 2003)
Advisory Board, Journal of Biological Timing (1994 - 2002)
Scientific Advisory Board, Whitney Marine Laboratory, St. Augustine, Fl (1995 -2000)
Swiss National Science Foundation, SNSF Center Review Committee (2000)
Board of Trustees, Oak Ridge Associated Universities (1999-2002)
Advisory Board: Society for Research on Biological Rhythms (1992 – 2000)
Associate Editor: Journal of Biological Rhythms (1986-1994)
MacArthur Foundation Task Force on Biological Rhythms (1992-1994)
Neurobiology Advisory Committee, Promega Corporation (1992)
Advisory Board, Center for Excellence, Meharry Medical College (1994-1996)
Advisory Board, Mental Health Clinical Research Center for Affective Disorders,
University of Pittsburgh (1994 -1998)
Advisory Board, Morehouse College Neuroscience Program (1998)
Advisory Group, Morehouse School of Medicine SNRP Advisory group (1996-1997)

Major Research Interest :
Cellular physiology of biological clocks
Chronobiological aspects of aging

Membership in Scientific Societies :
Society for Neuroscience
American Association for the Advancement of Science
Society for Research on Biological Rhythms

Current Sponsored Research Support:

RO1 MH062517 (Block, principal investigator) 04/01/2001 – 03/30/2009

Neural Basis of Circadian Organization. This grant focuses on the role of calcium in the generation and entrainment of circadian rhythms. There is a subcontract to the Karolinska Institute.

1 P50 MH074924 (Takahashi, PI, Block, Investigator) 9/05 – 09/10

Chemical and Genetic Manipulation of Circadian Systems. Grant supporting NIMH Conte Neuroscience Center. G. Block and M. Menaker share a project to study the effects of methamphetamine and lithium on the SCN and other brain regions.

1 T32 NS44851 (Block, principal investigator) 08/15/2002 - 06/30/2007

Training grant in Temporal Biology (special training grant to increase participation of minority graduate students in the neurosciences).

Pending:

NSF Emerging Frontiers in Research and Innovation Proposal to construct small neuronal networks in culture as well as the development of solid-state integrated recording devices. A multi-disciplinary group of electrical and chemical engineers and biologists. I will participate as an investigator.

Selected prior research support (Two selected from numerous grants from NIH, NASA, Air Force, NSF, others to support my research, postdoctoral trainees, and for disciplinary meetings that I have organized).

1979 – 20032 R01 NS15264 NIH, Neural Basis of Circadian Organization, The goals of this 24-year project were the biophysical analysis of isolated pacemaker neurons from the molluscan retina and study of pacemaker modulation/regulation (Principal Investigator)

1991 – 2002IBN-8920162 NSF, Science and Technology Center in Biological Timing

This was an NSF Science and Technology Center that received support for the 11 year limit of this funding source. The NSF Center supported research, education and outreach. (Director and Principal Investigator)

Courses Developed :
Biological Clocks (BIO 419/819)
Neurobiology Laboratory (BIO 424/818)
Electronics for Biologists (BIO 517)
Animal Behavior (BIO 408)

Courses Taught :
Biological Clocks (BIO 419/819)
Neurobiology Laboratory (BIO 424/818)
Cell Biology (BIO 506) neurobiology lectures
Electronics for Biologists (BIO 517)
Intensive Survey in Neuroscience (NUSC 708)
Colloquium in Neurobiology (BIO 806)
Introductory Biology (BIO 202,203) neurobiology lectures
Techniques and Instrumentation (BIO 837)
Journal Club for first year students
Cellular Neurobiology (BIO 417)
Animal Behavior (BIO 408)
Undergraduate Seminar in Neurobiology (USEM 170)

Select University Committee Service
Vice Provosts Search Committee (chair) 1994-1995
Y2K Research Coordinating Committee (co-chair with Dr. Robert Reynolds) 1999
Information Systems Task Force (co-chair with Dr. Robert Reynolds), 2000
CLAS Dean Search Committee, (chair) 2000-2001
University Research Policy Advisory Committee (chair) 1993-2000
Dean's Promotion and Tenure Committee 1991-1992
University Computing Committee 1990
Provost Search Committee (Chair) 1994
Provost's ad hoc Committee on Computer Needs
Neuroscience Program Graduate Committee
University Science Requirement Committee 1985-
University Faculty Forum 1985-1986, 1991 -
Deans Promotion and Tenure Committee 1991 -
Markey Center Steering Committee 1991 - 1993
Markey Center Second Messenger Search Committee 1992 -1993
IBM SUR Selection Committee (Chairman) 1994
SEAS Dean Search Committee (Chairman) 2005
Darden Dean Search Committee (Chairman) 2005
Naming committee 2004 -

Non-University Related Scientific Activities
NIH Neurobiology B Study Section (1986-1990)
NIH Psychobiology Study Section (1982, 1984, ad hoc)
NIH Comparative Medicine Study Section (1995, ad hoc)
NIH Special Site Visiting teams, (1990, 1991, 1993, 1994)
Deans Biology Department Evaluation Committee - University of Kentucky (1993)
NIMH Conte Neuroscience Center special review panel (1999)
NSF STC Centers pre-proposal review panel (1999)
NSF Centers Site Visit committee (1999)
NIA Special Site visit committee (1999)
NIA ad hoc Review Committee (2000)
Ph.D. External reviewer, Brain Research Institute, Amsterdam, Holland (2002)
Ph.D. External reviewer, Leiden University, Leiden, Holland (2002)
Ph.D. “Opponent” Karoliniska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden (2003)
Ph.D. External reviewer, leiden University, Leiden Holland (2005)
Ad hoc Air Force research advisory group (1995)
Ad hoc reviewer for NSF Neurobiology Program
Ad hoc reviewer for NSF Neurobiology Program and
Fogarty International Fellowship Program

Inventions:
Non-contact respiratory monitor for the prevention of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (assigned to the Alumni Patents Foundation - Patent Issued)

Sonic leveling device (assigned to the Alumni Patents Foundation).

Speaking aid for movement restricted patients (assigned to the Alumni Patents Foundation).

Two chambered disposable hospital urinal (assigned to Alumni Patents Foundation).

Remote slave alarm for battery operated fire and smoke sensors, (assigned to University of Virginia Patent Foundation).

AI operator fatigue monitor (assigned to University of Virginia Patent Foundation).

Publications (since 1995)

63. Khalsa, S.B., S. Michel, and G.D. Block. 1995. The anesthetic agents pentobarbital and chloralose block phase shifts of a neuronal in vitro circadian pacemaker. Neurosci Lett 187:41-44.

64. Block, G., M. Geusz, S. Khalsa, S. Michel, and D. Whitmore. 1995. Cellular analysis of a molluscan retinal biological clock. Ciba Found Symp 183:51-60; discussion 60-56.

65. Block, G.D., S.B. Khalsa, K. Manivannan, S. Michel, and D. Whitmore. 1995. Unwinding the snail's clock: cellular analysis of a retinal circadian pacemaker. Netherlands Journal of Zoology 44:550-562.

66. Block, G.D. 1995. Circadian Clocks. McGraw Hill,

67. Khalsa, S.B., D. Whitmore, B. Bogart, and G.D. Block. 1996. Evidence for a central role of transcription in the timing mechanism of a circadian clock. Am J Physiol 271:C1646-1651.

68. Block, G.D., M. Geusz, S.B. Khalsa, S. Michel, and D. Whitmore. 1996. Circadian rhythm generation, expression and entrainment in a molluscan model system. Prog Brain Res 111:93-102.

69. Block, G.D. 1996. Studying the snail's clock at better than a snail's pace. Braz J Med Biol Res 29:71-75.

70. Wayne, N.L., T. Nick, and G.D. Block. 1996. Effects of temperature on reproductive neuroendocrine function in Aplysia californica. Gen Comp Endocrinol 102:351-359.

71. Block, G.D. 1996. Cellular aspects of molluskan biochronometry. Cell and Developmental Biology 7:781-789.

72. Geusz, M.E., C. Fletcher, G.D. Block, M. Straume, N.G. Copeland, N.A. Jenkins, S.A. Kay, and R.N. Day. 1997. Long-term monitoring of circadian rhythms in c-fos gene expression from suprachiasmatic nucleus cultures. Curr Biol 7:758-766.

73. Page, T.L., G.T. Wassmer, J. Fletcher, and G.D. Block. 1997. Aftereffects of entrainment on the period of the pacemaker in the eye of the mollusk Bulla gouldiana. J Biol Rhythms 12:218-225.

74. Herzog, E.D., M.E. Geusz, S.B. Khalsa, M. Straume, and G.D. Block. 1997. Circadian rhythms in mouse suprachiasmatic nucleus explants on multimicroelectrode plates. Brain Res 757:285-290.

75. Khalsa, S.B., S. Michel, and G.D. Block. 1997. The role of extracellular sodium in the mechanism of a neuronal in vitro circadian pacemaker. Chronobiol Int 14:1-8.

76. Geusz, M.E., R.G. Foster, W.J. DeGrip, and G.D. Block. 1997. Opsin-like immunoreactivity in the circadian pacemaker neurons and photoreceptors of the eye of the opisthobranch mollusc Bulla gouldiana. Cell Tissue Res 287:203-210.

77. Herzog, E.D., J.S. Takahashi, and G.D. Block. 1998. Clock controls circadian period in isolated suprachiasmatic nucleus neurons. Nat Neurosci 1:708-713.

78. Yamazaki, S., M.C. Kerbeshian, C.G. Hocker, G.D. Block, and M. Menaker. 1998. Rhythmic properties of the hamster suprachiasmatic nucleus in vivo. J Neurosci 18:10709-10723.

79. Block, G.D. 1998. Cellular basis of biological timing. Kangaku 68:144-150.

80. Herzog, E.D., and G.D. Block. 1999. Keeping an eye on retinal clocks. Chronobiol Int 16:229-247.

81. Sloan, M.A., J. Levenson, Q. Tran, M. Kerbeshian, G.D. Block, and A. Eskin. 1999. Aging affects the ocular circadian pacemaker of Aplysia californica. J Biol Rhythms 14:151-159.

82. Michel, S., K. Manivannan, J.J. Zaritsky, and G.D. Block. 1999. A delayed rectifier current is modulated by the circadian pacemaker in Bulla. J Biol Rhythms 14:141-150.

83. Block, G.D., E. Herzog, and M. Kerbeshian. 1999. Chapter 4: Chronobiology. In Neuroendocrinology in Physiology and Medicine. Friedman, editor Humana Press, 391-401.

84. Abe, M., E.D. Herzog, and G.D. Block. 2000. Lithium lengthens the circadian period of individual suprachiasmatic nucleus neurons. Neuroreport 11:3261-3264.

85. Herzog, E.D., M.S. Grace, C. Harrer, J. Williamson, K. Shinohara, and G.D. Block. 2000. The role of Clock in the developmental expression of neuropeptides in the suprachiasmatic nucleus. J Comp Neurol 424:86-98.

86. Yamazaki, S., R. Numano, M. Abe, A. Hida, R. Takahashi, M. Ueda, G.D. Block, Y. Sakaki, M. Menaker, and H. Tei. 2000. Resetting central and peripheral circadian oscillators in transgenic rats. Science 288:682-685.

87. Aujard, F., E.D. Herzog, and G.D. Block. 2001. Circadian rhythms in firing rate of individual suprachiasmatic nucleus neurons from adult and middle-aged mice. Neuroscience 106:255-261.

88. Blumenthal, E., G.D. Block, and A. Eskin. 2001. Cellular and molecular molluscan circadian pacemakers. In Handbook of Behavioral Neurobiology: Circadian Clocks. Plenum, New York.

89. Constance, C.M., C.B. Green, H. Tei, and G.D. Block. 2002. Bulla gouldiana period exhibits unique regulation at the mRNA and protein levels. J Biol Rhythms 17:413-427.

90. Yamazaki, S., M. Straume, H. Tei, Y. Sakaki, M. Menaker, and G.D. Block. 2002. Effects of aging on central and peripheral mammalian clocks. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 99:10801-10806.

91. Abe, M., E.D. Herzog, S. Yamazaki, M. Straume, H. Tei, Y. Sakaki, M. Menaker, and G.D. Block. 2002. Circadian rhythms in isolated brain regions. J Neurosci 22:350-356.

92. Wilsbacher, L.D., S. Yamazaki, E.D. Herzog, E.J. Song, L.A. Radcliffe, M. Abe, G. Block, E. Spitznagel, M. Menaker, and J.S. Takahashi. 2002. Photic and circadian expression of luciferase in mPeriod1-luc transgenic mice invivo. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 99:489-494.

93. Vansteensel, M.J., S. Yamazaki, H. Albus, T. Deboer, G.D. Block, and J.H. Meijer. 2003. Dissociation between circadian Per1 and neuronal and behavioral rhythms following a shifted environmental cycle. Curr Biol 13:1538-1542.

94. Davidson, A.J., F. Aujard, B. London, M. Menaker, and G.D. Block. 2003. Thermochron ibuttons: an inexpensive method for long-term recording of core body temperature in untethered animals. J Biol Rhythms 18:430-432.

95. Block, G., B. Bogart, C. Collwell, C. Constance, M. Geusz, S. Khalsa, D. McMahon, S. Michel, M. Ralph, M. Roberts, and D. Whitmore. 2003. The molluskan retina as a model for studying circadian physiology. In Circadian Clock as Multi-Oscillator System. K. Honma, and S. Honma, editors. Hokkaido Press, Hokkaido. 41-58.

96. Aton, S.J., G.D. Block, H. Tei, S. Yamazaki, and E.D. Herzog. 2004. Plasticity of circadian behavior and the suprachiasmatic nucleus following exposure to non-24-hour light cycles. J Biol Rhythms 19:198-207.

97. Nakamura, W., S. Yamazaki, N.N. Takasu, K. Mishima, and G.D. Block. 2005. Differential response of Period 1 expression within the suprachiasmatic nucleus. J Neurosci 25:5481-5487.

98. Albus, H., M.J. Vansteensel, S. Michel, G.D. Block, and J.H. Meijer. 2005. A GABAergic mechanism is necessary for coupling dissociable ventral and dorsal regional oscillators within the circadian clock. Curr Biol 15:886-893.

99. Davidson, A.J., B. London, G.D. Block, and M. Menaker. 2005. Cardiovascular tissues contain independent circadian clocks. Clin Exp Hypertens 27:307-311.

100. Lundkvist, G.B., and G.D. Block. 2005. Role of neuronal membrane events in circadian rhythm generation. Methods Enzymol 393:623-642.

101. Block, G. 2005. Keep time, stay healthy. Sci Aging Knowledge Environ 2005:13.

102. Block, G.D., G.B. Lundkvist, and Y. Kwak. 2005. Is there a role for membrane electrical events. In Biological Rhythms. K. Honma, and S. Honma, editors. Hokkaido Press, Hokkaido. 49-57.

103. Lundkvist, G.B. Kwak K, Davis E, Tei H, Block GD 2005. A calcium flux is required for circadian rhythm generation in mammalian pacemaker neurons J. Neurosci. 2005 25:7682-7686.

104. Davidson , A.J., M.T. Sellix, J. Daniel, S. Yamazaki, M. Menaker and G.D. Block Chronic jet-lag increases mortality in aged mice. 2006 Current Biology 16: R914-R916

Davidson, A.J., S. Yamazaki, D.M. Arble, M. Menaker, and G.D. Block.

Resetting of central and peripheral circadian oscillators in aged rats. Neurobiology of Aging (in press)

Block, G.D. Drosophila and mammalian circadian systems: Similarities on the surface, some differences at the core. Sleep and Biological Rhythms (in press)

Lundkvist, G.B. and G.D. Block. Function and Pharmacology of Circadian

Clocks. In: Handbook of Contemporary Neuropsychopharmacology (in press)

Kwak, Y., G.B. Lundkvist, J. Brask, . Davidson, M. Menaker, K. Kristensson and G.D. Block . Interferon- gamma alters electrical activity and clock gene expression in suprachiasmatic nucleus neurons (under review)

109. VanderLeest, H.G., T. Houben, S. Michel, T. Deboer, H. Albus, M.J. Vansteensel, G.D. Block and J.H. Meijer. Seasonal encoding by the circadian pacemaker of the SCN (under review)