Stuart C. Sealfon
- PROFESSOR & CHAIR Neurology
- PROFESSOR Pharmacology and Systems Therapeutics
- PROFESSOR Neuroscience
Print Profile
Specialty
Certifications
Neurology, American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology
Research Topics
Training Areas
Education
MD, Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons
M.D., Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center
Internship, Internal Medicine
Massachusetts General HospitalResidency, Neurology
Massachusetts General Hospital
Biography
Stuart C. Sealfon, M.D. is the Glickenhaus Professor and Chairman of the Department of Neurology, Director of the Center for Genomics, Proteomics and Bioinformatics, Director of the Center for Translational Systems Biology, Professor of Neurobiology, and Professor of Pharmacology and Systems Therapeutics at Mount Sinai Hospital and School of Medicine.
Dr. Sealfon has made important contributions to research on receptor structure, cell signaling, mechanisms of drug specificity and systems biology. His work integrates experimental and theoretical approaches, encompasses several areas of brain research, and is supported by the National Institute of Drug Abuse, the National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease. He directs the multi-institutional Program for Research on Immune Modeling and Experimentation (PRIME), an NIH-funded Modeling Immunity for Biodefense Center.
Several of his research studies have been recognized by the Faculty of 1000 Biology and the Faculty of 1000 Medicine. His laboratory has pioneered numerous research approaches including techniques for microarray design and analysis, transcription-based assays for profiling drug responses, single cell assays of cellular signaling and quantum dot-based assays of gene and protein expression in single brain cells. Significant research accomplishments include: identifying the primary structure of the gonadotropin releasing hormone receptor, finding new signaling pathways activated by drugs for Parkinson's disease, elucidating the mechanism of action of hallucinogens and finding a new brain receptor complex implicated in schizophrenia and as a novel target for antipsychotic drugs.
A graduate of Princeton University and Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, Dr. Sealfon in a member of Phi Beta Kappa and Alpha Omega Alpha. He received his residency training at Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston. He has been associated with the Mount Sinai School of Medicine for more than two decades, initially as a postdoctoral trainee in Neuroscience and subsequently as a member of the faculty. He holds board certification in Neurology.
Dr. Sealfon has contributed to more than 100 patents and original research articles, primarily related to receptors, cell signaling and brain disease. He is a noted mentor and educator. Dr. Sealfon has served on the editorial boards of numerous peer-reviewed journals and scientific advisory boards, and has lectured at universities and conferences throughout the world.
Other Websites:
http://tsb.mssm.edu/primeportal/
Success and Challenges for Academic Neurology
Awards
2008 -
''Identification of a serotonin/glutamate receptor complex implicated in psychosis'' rated ''Exceptional'' by Faculty of 1000, Biology, and ''Must Read'' by Faculty of 1000, Medicine
Faculty of 1000, Medicine2007 -
''BioPP: a tool for web-publication of biological networks'' rated ''Highly Accessed,'' BMC Bioinformatics
2006 -
''Cortical 5-HT2A receptor signaling modulates anxiety-like behaviors in mice'' rated ''Recommended'' by Faculty of 1000, Biology
2004 -
''Early single cell bifurcation of pro-and anti-apoptotic states during oxidative stress'' rated ''Must Read'' by Faculty of 1000, Biology
1988 -
Physician-Scientist Award
NIH1982 -
Sciarra Prize in Neurology
Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons1982 -
Alpha Omega Alpha
Columbia University1982 -
Sandoz Award for Neuroscience Research
Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons1978 -
Phi Beta Kappa
Princeton University
Research
Specific Clinical/Research Interest: Systems biology of cellular signaling specificity in response to drugs or viruses
Current Students: Tony Yuen, Rosalind Ang, Soon-Gang Choi, David Braun
Postdoctoral Fellows: Jeremy Seto, Boris Hartmann, Joanna Gonzalez, Robert Bowles, Liang Qiao, Laura Abizu
Research Personnel: Science Admin: Lidija Ivic, Bioinformatics: Hanna Pincus, Computer Systems: German Nudelman, Techs: Ke Jiang, Esther Rhee, Ming Chen
Associated Faculty: Fernand Hayot, Robert Pfeffer, YongChao Ge Istvan Sugar
Summary of Research Studies:
We use high throughput experiments and modeling to study signaling systems that are important for understanding cellular responses relevant to Parkinson's disease, drug abuse, viral infection and neuroendocrine reproductive function. We are interested in elucidating the molecular mechanisms underlying receptor activation and coupling to signal transduction and in placing these events in a cellular and neurobiological context. The ultimate neurobehavioral effects of an agonist evolve from the specific molecular events that accompany the interaction with its receptor and the pattern of signal transduction that is elicited. How does a specific chemical stimulus lead to the resulting downstream cellular response? In order to address this deceptively simple question we have developed new approaches to study the mechanisms underlying signal coding and signaling specificity of G-protein coupled receptors and to study responses at the single cell level in complex systems. We are investigating these issues in several experimental systems.
1) Frequency-dependent Responses of the Gondotropin-Releasing Hormone Receptor. The GnRH-R is a key mediator of the reproductive neuroendocrine system and represents a key pharmaceutical target for neoplastic and reproductive disorders. The downstream gene responses obtained in the pituitary gonadotrope depend on the frequency of receptor activation. Using gene profiling technologies, we are probing the modulation of the signaling space induced by GnRH receptor activation and developing mathematical models to explain the basis for the frequency-dependence of the pattern of gene induction.
2) Receptor Determinants of Hallucinogen Effects. Hallucinogenic drugs of abuse, such as LSD, generate their psychotropic effects through their interaction with 5-HT2 subtype receptors and the serotonin-glutamate receptor complex we have recently identified.
3) Experiment-based modeling of dendritic cell responses to viruses: We are developing experimental-data based predictive mathematical models of dendritic cell responses to pathogenic viruses.
For more information, please visit the Sealfon Laboratory website.
Publications
Viswanathan G, Jayaprakash C, Sealfon SC, Hayot F. Shared kinase fluctuations between two enzymatic reactions. Phys Biol 2008; 5: 46002-46011.
Borderia AV, Hartmann BM, Fernandez-Sesma A, Moran TM, Sealfon SC. Antiviral-activated dendritic cells: a paracrine-induced response state. J Immunol 2008; 181: 6872-6878.
Gonzalez-Maeso J, Ang RL, Yuen T, Chan P, Weisstaub NV, Lopez-Gimenez JF, Zhou M, Okawa Y, Callado LF, Milligan G, Gingrich JA, Filizola M, Meana JJ, Sealfon SC. Identification of a serotonin/glutamate receptor complex implicated in psychosis. Nature 2008 Mar; 452(7183): 93-97.
Ruf F, Hayot F, Park MJ, Ge Y, Lin G, Roysam B, Sealfon SC. Noise propagation and scaling in regulation of gonadotrope biosynthesis. Biophys J 2007 Dec 15; 93(12): 4474-4480.
Viswanathan GA, Nudelman G, Patil S, Sealfon SC. BioPP: a tool for web-publication of biological networks. BMC Bioinformatics 2007 May 22; 8: 168.
Gonzalez-Maeso J, Weisstaub NV, Zhou M, Chan P, Ivic L, Ang R, Lira A, Ge Y, Zhou Q, Sealfon SC, Gingrich JA. Hallucinogens recruit specific cortical 5-HT (2A) receptor-mediated signaling pathways to affect behavior. Neuron 2007 Feb 1; 53(3): 439-452.
Ruf F, Park MJ, Hayot F, Lin G, Roysam B, Ge Y, Sealfon SC. Mixed analog/digital gonadotrope biosynthetic response to gonadotropin-releasing hormone. J Biol Chem 2006 Oct 13; 281(41): 30967-30978.
Weisstaub NV, Zhou M, Lira A, Lambe E, Gonzalez-Maeso J, Hornung JP, Sibille E, Underwood M, Itohara S, Dauer WT, Ansorge MS, Morelli E, Mann JJ, Toth M, Aghajanian G, Sealfon SC, Hen R, Gingrich JA. Cortical 5-HT2A receptor signaling modulates anxiety-like behaviors in mice. Science 2006; 313(5786): 536-540.
Industry Relationships
Physicians and scientists on the faculty of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai often interact with pharmaceutical, device and biotechnology companies to improve patient care, develop new therapies and achieve scientific breakthroughs. In order to promote an ethical and transparent environment for conducting research, providing clinical care and teaching, Mount Sinai requires that salaried faculty inform the School of their relationships with such companies.
Below are financial relationships with industry reported by Dr. Sealfon during 2012 and/or 2013. Please note that this information may differ from information posted on corporate sites due to timing or classification differences.
Royalty Payments:
- Astellas Pharma Inc.
Mount Sinai's faculty policies relating to faculty collaboration with industry are posted on our website at http://icahn.mssm.edu/about-us/services-and-resources/faculty-resources/handbooks-and-policies/faculty-handbook. Patients may wish to ask their physician about the activities they perform for companies.
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