GEORGETTE M. GAFFORD, PH.D.
Emory University
Yerkes National Primate Research Center
954 Gatewood Rd, Atlanta, GA 30329
Home 404 520 6308 ٠ Work 404 727 7997
Email [email protected]
EMPLOYMENT
2014
Emory University
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Research Associate
Principal Investigator: Kerry Ressler, MD, Ph.D.
2008
Emory University
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Postdoctoral Fellow
Principal Investigator: Kerry Ressler, MD, Ph.D.
EDUCATION
2008
University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
Ph.D: Experimental Psychology
Major: Neuroscience
Minors: Conditioning and Learning, Cognition and Perception
Advisor: Fred J Helmstetter, Ph.D.
Dissertation Thesis: Molecular Mechanisms of Recent and Remote
Memory
2004
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
M.S: Experimental Psychology
Major: Neuroscience
Minors: Conditioning and Learning, Cognition and Perception
Advisor: Fred J Helmstetter, Ph.D.
Master’s Thesis: Role of alpha 5 containing GABA receptors in memory.
1999
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
B.A: Psychology
Major: Psychology
Minor: Sociology
COMPLETED RESEARCH SUPPORT
2010-2013
NRSA Individual Postdoctoral Fellowship, NIH (F32 MH 090785).
2008 - 2010
Center for Behavioral Neuroscience Postdoctoral Fellowship, Co-Mentor:
Michael Davis, PhD, NSF (IBN-987675)
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PUBLICATIONS
McCullough, KM, Gafford, GM, Zimmermann KS, Ressler, KJ (In Preparation) Dopamine
receptor 2 neurons in the amygdala are engaged in fear extinction.
Gafford GM, Zimmermann KS, Andero R, Ressler, KJ (In Preparation for Biological
Psychiatry) Support for a phosphodiesterase and phosphatase sensitive mechanism within in the
amygdala important for fear extinction.
Gafford, GM and Ressler KJ (2015) Mouse models of fear related disorders - cell-type specific
manipulations within the amygdala. Neuroscience (invited review).
Gafford, GM and Ressler KJ (2015) GABA and NMDA Receptors in CRF Neurons have
opposing effects in fear acquisition and anxiety in Central Amygdala vs. Bed Nucleus of the
Stria Terminalis, Hormones and Behavior. Advanced Online Publication, doi: 10.1016/j.yhbehav-2015.04.001.
Gafford GM, Jasnow, AJ, Ressler, KJ (2014) Grin1 Receptor Deletion within CRF Neurons
Enhances Fear Memory. PLoS One. 9(10):e111009.
Gafford GM, Parsons RG, Helmstetter FJ. (2013) Memory accuracy predicts hippocampal
mTOR pathway activation following retrieval of contextual fear memory. Hippocampus.
23(9):842-7.
Gafford GM, Guo JD, Flandreau EI, Hazra R, Rainnie DG, Ressler KJ. (2012) Cell-type
specific deletion of GABA(A)α1 in corticotropin-releasing factor-containing neurons enhances
anxiety and disrupts fear extinction. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. Oct 2;109(40):16330-5.
Jarome TJ, Kwapis JL, Werner CT, Parsons RG, Gafford GM, Helmstetter FJ. (2012) The
timing of multiple retrieval events can alter GluR1 phosphorylation and the requirement for
protein synthesis in fear memory reconsolidation. Learn Mem. Jun 20;19(7):300-6.
Gafford GM, Parsons RG, Helmstetter FJ. (2011) Consolidation and reconsolidation of
contextual fear memory requires mammalian target of rapamycin-dependent translation in the
dorsal hippocampus. Neuroscience. May 19;182:98-104.
Gafford, GM & Ressler, KJ (2011) Fear conditioning and extinction as a model of PTSD in
mice. In T. Gould (Ed.) Mood and Anxiety Related Phenotypes in Mice Neuromethods (pp 171184).New York: Humana Press.
Lonergan ME, Gafford GM, Jarome TJ, Helmstetter FJ. (2010) Time-dependent expression of
Arc and zif268 after acquisition of fear conditioning. Neural Plast. 2010:139891.
Parsons RG, Gafford GM, Helmstetter FJ (2010) Regulation of extinction-related plasticity by
opioid receptors in the ventrolateral periaqueductal gray matter. Front Behav Neurosci. 4. pii: 44.
Helmstetter, FJ, Parsons, RG, Gafford. GM (2008) Macromolecular synthesis, distributed
synaptic plasticity, and fear conditioning. Neurobiology of Learning and Memory (invited
review), 89, 324-337.
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Parsons, RG*, Gafford. GM*, Helmstetter, FJ (2006) Translational control via the mammalian
target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway is critical for the formation and stability of long term fear
memory in amygdala neurons. The Journal of Neuroscience, 26, 12977-12983. (* Both authors
contributed equally to this publication).
Parsons, RG, Gafford, GM, Baruch, DE, Riedner, BA, Helmstetter, FJ (2006). Long term
stability of fear memory depends on the synthesis of protein but not mRNA in the amygdala.
European Journal of Neuroscience, 23, 1853-1859.
Parsons, RG, Riedner, BA, Gafford, GM, Helmstetter, FJ (2006) The formation of auditory fear
memory requires the synthesis of protein and mRNA in the auditory thalamus. Neuroscience,
141, 1163-1170.
Gafford, GM, Parsons, RG, Helmstetter, FJ (2005) Effects of post training hippocampal
injections of midazolam on fear conditioning. Learning and Memory, 12, 573-578.
POSTER PRESENTATIONS
Gafford, GM, Dias B, Ressler, KJ (2014) Identifying the translational profile of corticotropin
releasing factor neurons in central amygdala during fear conditioning. Society for Neuroscience,
Washington, DC
Gafford, GM, Ressler, KJ (2013) Functional and molecular characterization of CRF neurons
within the central amygdala. Society for Neuroscience, San Diego, CA
Gafford, GM, Guo, J, Rainnie, D, Ressler, KJ (2012) GABAergic and Glutamatergic regulation
of Corticotropin Releasing Factor neurons differentially contributes to anxiety and fear behavior.
Society for Neuroscience, New Orleans, LA
Gafford, GM, Ressler, KJ (2011) Enhanced anxiety and disrupted fear extinction with CRF
neuron-specific deletion of GABA receptors. Gordon Conference: The Amygdala in Health and
Disease, Waterville, ME; Society for Neuroscience, Washington, D.C.
Gafford, GM, Andero, R, Zimmermann, KS, Ressler, KJ (2010) Differential contribution of
amygdala kinase and phosphatase pathways to extinction of auditory fear memory. The Society
for Neuroscience, San Diego, CA
Gafford, GM, Andero, R, Zimmermann, KS, Ressler, KJ (2010) Differential contribution of
amygdala phosphodiesterase and phosphatase pathways to consolidation of extinction of auditory
fear. The Pavlovian Society, Baltimore MD
Andero, R, Heldt, S, Gafford, GM, Armario, A, Ressler, KJ (2010) Immobilization exposure
followed by conditioned fear causes long-term PTSD-like symptoms in mice. The Society for
Neuroscience, San Diego, CA
Werner, CT, Jarome, TJ, Kwapis, JL, Parsons, RG, Gafford, G M, Helmstetter FJ (2010)
The timing of multiple retrieval events can reverse synaptic GluR1 phosphorylation and alter the
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requirement for protein synthesis in fear memory reconsolidation. The Society for Neuroscience,
San Diego, CA
Gafford, GM, Chen, ZJ, Jasnow, A, Heldt, S, Martin, E, Owens, M, Wisden, W, Rainnie, D,
Ressler, KJ (2009) Enhanced anxiety in transgenic mice with crf neuron-specific deletion of
GABA receptors. The Society for Neuroscience, Chicago, IL
Gafford, G.M., Parsons, R.G., Helmstetter, F.J. (2008) Expression of PP1 and the mTOR
signaling pathway after retrieval of recent and remote context fear memory. The Society for
Neuroscience, Washington, D.C.
Parsons, RG, Gafford, GM, Helmstetter, FJ (2008) Dissociation of the neural mechanisms
supporting the extinction of fear conditioning in the ventrolateral periaqueductal gray and
basolateral amygdala. The Society for Neuroscience Meeting, Washington, D.C.
Jarome TJ, Kwapis, JL, Parsons, RG, Gafford, GM, Helmstetter, FJ (2008) Altered gene
expression and a change in the requirements for protein synthesis following multiple retrieval
events in fear memory reconsolidation. The Society for Neuroscience Meeting, Washington,
D.C.
Gafford, GM, Parsons, RG, Helmstetter, FJ (2007) Involvement of mTOR-dependent
translation in retrieval of recent and remote fear memory. The Society for Neuroscience
Meeting, San Diego, CA
Parsons, RG, Gafford, GM, Helmstetter, FJ (2007) AMPA receptors in the amygdala and
ventral periaqueductal gray regulate the expression and extinction of conditional fear. The
Society for Neuroscience Meeting, San Diego, CA
Lonergan, ME, Gafford, GM, Helmstetter, FJ (2007) The temporal expression of Arc and zif268
differs in brain structures during fear memory formation. The Society for Neuroscience Meeting,
San Diego, CA
Gafford, GM, Parsons, RG, Lonergan, ME, Helmstetter, FJ (2006) Intra-amygdala infusion of
rapamycin blocks the time-dependent increase in phosphorylation of p70 S6 kinase after fear
learning. The Society for Neuroscience Meeting, Atlanta, GA
Helmstetter, FJ, Parsons, RG, Gafford, GM (2006) Plasticity in the auditory thalamus is
necessary for the consolidation of auditory fear memory. Poster presented at The Society for
Neuroscience Meeting, Atlanta, GA
Parsons, RG, Gafford, GM, Helmstetter, FJ (2006) Blockade of protein synthesis in the
ventrolateral periaqueductal gray attenuates the formation of fear memory in rats. The Society
for Neuroscience Meeting, Atlanta, GA
Lonergan, ME, Gafford, GM, Helmstetter, FJ (2006) Temporal expression of activity-regulated
cytoskeleton-associated (Arc) protein following pavlovian fear conditioning. The Society for
Neuroscience Meeting, Atlanta, GA
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Gafford, GM, Parsons, RG, Lonergan, ME, Helmstetter, FJ (2005) The Role of the Mammalian
Target of Rapamycin (mTOR) Kinase Pathway in Consolidation of Contextual Fear Memory.
The Society for Neuroscience Meeting, Washington, D.C.
Gafford, GM, Parsons, RG, Lonergan, ME, Helmstetter, FJ (2005) Fear Memory and the
Importance of the Mammalian Target of Rapamycin Kinase Pathway. The Pavlovian Society
Meeting, Anaheim, CA.
Parsons, RG, Riedner, BA, Gafford, GM, Helmstetter, FJ (2005)The Formation of Auditory
Fear Memory Requires the Synthesis of Protein and mRNA in the Medial Geniculate Nucleus of
the Thalamus. The Pavlovian Society Meeting, Anaheim, CA.
Gafford, GM, Parsons, RG, Helmstetter, FJ (2004). Consolidation, but not reconsolidation, of
contextual fear memory is disrupted by rapamycin and an inhibitor of mRNA synthesis in the
dorsal hippocampus. The Society for Neuroscience Meeting, San Diego, CA.
Parsons, RG, Gafford, GM, Helmstetter, FJ (2004). Consolidation of Fear Memory depends on
a Rapamycin Sensitive Pathway in the Amygdala. The Society for Neuroscience Meeting, San
Diego, CA.
Gafford, GM, Parsons, RG, Helmstetter, FJ (2003). Post training manipulations of 5 subunit
containing GABAA receptors in contextual fear conditioning. The Society for Neuroscience
Meeting, New Orleans, LA
Gafford, GM, Parsons, RG, Helmstetter, FJ. (2003) GABAA Receptors in the Dorsal
Hippocampus and Contextual Fear Conditioning. The Pavlovian Society Meeting, Indianapolis,
IN.
Parsons, RG, Gafford, GM, Helmstetter, FJ (2003) Reconsolidation of auditory fear memory is
independent of transcription in the amygdala. The Society for Neuroscience Meeting, New
Orleans, LA
Baruch, DE, Parsons, RG, Gafford, GM, F J Helmstetter (2003) The role of hippocampal
protein synthesis in the acquisition and consolidation of contextual fear memory. The Society for
Neuroscience Meeting, New Orleans, LA
Gafford, GM, Parsons, RG, Powell, SK, Swain, RA, Helmstetter, FJ (2002). Down regulation of
5 subunit containing GABA receptors results in contextual fear conditioning deficits. The
Society for Neuroscience Meeting, Orlando, FL.
Gafford, GM, Helmstetter, FJ (2002). Role of the anterior cingulate cortex in Pavlovian fear
conditioning in rats. The Midwestern Psychological Association Conference, Chicago, IL.
Gafford, GM, Helmstetter, FJ (2001). Contributions of anterior cingulate cortex to cued and
contextual fear conditioning. The Society for Neuroscience Meeting, San Diego, CA.
Parsons, RG, Gafford, GM, Helmstetter, FJ (2002). Consolidation and reconsolidation of
contextual fear memory: different requirements for protein and mRNA synthesis. The Society for
Neuroscience Meeting, Orlando, FL.
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AWARDS AND HONORS
2012
Atlanta Chapter, Society for Neuroscience Poster Presentation Award
2011
Gordon Conference on Amygdala Health and Disease Poster Presentation Award.
2001, 2004
University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee Student Association Committee, Travel
Award – Society for Neuroscience Conference
2002
Anthony Fazio Research Award
2001
Student Leadership Award, University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
1998
Student Scholarship Award in recognition of outstanding research presented at the
Western Psychological Association Convention.
1998
Psi Chi Research Travel Award, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
1998
Outstanding Undergraduate Award, University of Nevada, Las Vegas Psychology
Department
1999
Commencement Honors, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
1997
Student Achievement Scholarship, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
TEACHING/MENTORING/OUTREACH EXPERIENCE
2014 – 2015
Coordinator, ACSFN Lending Library
2014
Facilitator, Fernbank Museum, Science of Fear Exhibit
2013
Judge, Annual Graduate Student Research Symposium
2013
Judge, Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) Poster Competition
2011-2012
Facilitator, ACSFN Brain Awareness Week
2010 – 2014
Mentor, SIRE program, Emory University
2008 – 2009
Mentor, Leila Myrick- Rotation student, Emory University
2005
Guest Lecturer, Advanced Physiological Psychology, UW-Milwaukee
Topic:Learning & Memory
2004
Guest Lecturer, Advanced Physiological Psychology, UW-Milwaukee Topic:
Learning & Memory
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2002
Guest Lecturer, Advanced Physiological Psychology, UW-Milwaukee Topic:
Learning & Memory
2001 - 2006
Lab Instructor, Advanced Physiological Psychology, UW-Milwaukee
2000 -2001
Teaching Assistant, Personality Psychology, Physiological Psychology , UWMilwaukee
INVITED COLLOQUIA
Gafford GM. Cell-type specific deletion of GABA(A)α1 in corticotropin-releasing factorcontaining neurons enhances anxiety and disrupts fear extinction. Postdoctoral Symposium,
Emory University (2012)
Gafford GM. Differential contribution of amygdala kinase and phosphatase pathways to
extinction of auditory fear memory. Behavioral Neuroscience & Psychiatric Disorders
Symposium, Emory University (2010)
Gafford, GM. Translational control by mTOR contributes to the formation and stability of
memory in the hippocampus. Seminar in Neuroscience, University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
(2007).
Gafford, GM. The role of the mTOR pathway in Fear Memory Formation. Seminar in
Neuroscience, University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee (2006).
Gafford, GM. Consolidation and Reconsolidation of contextual fear memory in the dorsal
hippocampus. Biology Brown Bag, University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee (2005)
Gafford, GM. The role of the immediate early gene Zif268 in learning and memory. Cognitive
Neuroscience Brown Bag, University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee (2004).
Gafford, GM. Role of 5 Subunit Containing GABA Receptors in Memory. Cognitive
Neuroscience Brown Bag, University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee (2003).
SERVICE
2009 – 2011
Organizer, Behavioral Neuroscience & Psychiatric Disorder Seminar
2012
Postdoctoral Executive Committee, Emory University
2011-2013
Postdoctoral Social Committee, Emory University
2009 - Present
Emory Sustainability Committee
RECENT COURSEWORK AND WORKSHOPS
2015
Writing an Effective Teaching Statement, Office of Postdoc Education,
Emory University
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2015
Effective CV, Biosketch and Resume Strategies, Office of Postdoc
Education, Emory University
2009
Postdoctoral Ethics Course Office of Postdoc Education, Emory
University
2014
Lab Management Course, Office of Postdoc Education, Emory University
2011
Basic Mechanisms of Neurological Disease, Neurology Dept, Emory
University
JOURNALS REFEREED
2012 – Present
Neurobiology of Learning and Memory; Neuroscience
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