Assistant Professor
Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics
Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience (TAMU/TAMHSC)

4008 Medical Research and Education Building
8447 State Highway 47
Bryan, TX 77807-3260
Office Phone:979-436-0334
Lab Phone: 979-436-0379
Fax:979-436-0086
Email: MJRimer@medicine.tamhsc.edu

Education

Ph.D., Molecular and Cell Biology. Minor in Pharmacology, University of Maryland at Baltimore

Postdoctoral Training in Neurobiology and Molecular Genetics, Stanford University and New York University

B.S., Major in Biology, Universidad de Los Andes, Mérida, Venezuela

Research Interests

Research in the Rimer lab centers on the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying the formation and maintenance of synapses, the connections between nerve cells and their targets.  Because of its simplicity and experimental accessibility we have used the vertebrate neuromuscular synapse as our model system.  In addition, I am particularly interested in diseases that affect the neuromuscular junction (e.g. Spinal Muscular Atrophy, Myotonic Dystrophy), but also in diseases that affect central nervous system synapses (e.g. Schizophrenia).  We address these problems using state-of-the-art mouse molecular genetic techniques in combination with standard molecular, cellular, and immunological approaches.

 I also participate as a member of the 'training faculty' for the Texas Consortium in Behavioral Neuroscience

I participate in graduate training as a member of the faculty in the Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience.

 

Selected Recent Publications

Rimer, M (2010) Modulation of agrin-induced acetylcholine receptor clustering by extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2 in cultured myotubes. Journal of Biological Chemistry 285: 32370-32377.

Ward, AJ, Rimer, M, Killian, JM, Dowling, JJ, and Cooper, TA (2010) CUGBP1 overexpression in mouse skeletal muscle reproduces features of myotonic dystrophy type 1. Human Molecular Genetics 19: 3614-3622.

Vock, VM, Ponomareva, ON and Rimer, M (2008) Evidence for muscle-dependent neuromuscular synaptic site determination in mammals. Journal of Neuroscience 28:3123-3130.

Kang, H, Tian, L, Son, YJ, Zuo, Y, Kopp, D, Love, F, Hayworth, C, Trachtenberg, J, Mikesh, M, Sutton, L, Ponomareva, O, Mignone, J, Enikolopov, G, Rimer, M and Thompson, W (2007) Regulation of the intermediate filament protein nestin at rodent neuromuscular junctions by innervation and activity. Journal of Neuroscience 27: 5948-5957.

Rimer, M (2007) Neuregulins at the neuromuscular synapse: Past, present, and future. Journal of Neuroscience Research 85: 1827-1833.

Ponomareva, ON, Fischer, TJ, Lai, C and Rimer, M (2006) Schwann cell-derived neuregulin-2alpha can function as a cell-attached activator of muscle acetylcholine receptor expression. Glia 54: 630-637.

Hayworth, CR, Moody, SE, Chodosh, LA, Krieg, PA, Rimer, M* and Thompson, WJ* (2006) Inducible activation of neuregulin signaling in mouse Schwann cells in vivo mimics responses to denervation. Journal of Neuroscience 26: 6873-6884. *Co-corresponding authors.

Ponomareva, ON, Ma, H, Vock, VM, Ellerton, EL, Moody, SE, Dakour, R, Chodosh, LA and Rimer, M (2006) Defective neuromuscular synaptogenesis in mice expressing constitutively active ErbB2 in skeletal muscle fibers. Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience 31: 334-345. Evaluated by Faculty of 1000 Biology. (http://www.f1000biology.com/article/16278083/evaluation).

Ponomareva, ON, Ma, H, Dakour, R, Raabe, TD, Lai, C and Rimer, M (2005) Stimulation of acetylcholine receptor transcription by neuregulin-2 requires an N-box response element and is regulated by alternative splicing. Neuroscience 134: 495-503.

Rimer, M*, Barrett, DW, Maldonado, MA, Vock, VM and Gonzalez-Lima, F (2005) Neuregulin-1 Ig-like domain mutant mice: Clozapine sensitivity and impaired latent inhibition. Neuroreport 16: 271-275. *Corresponding author.

Rimer, M*, Prieto, AL, Weber, JL, Colasante, C, Ponomareva, O, Fromm, L, Schwab, MH, Lai, C and Burden, SJ (2004) Neuregulin-2 is synthesized by motor neurons and terminal Schwann cells and activates acetylcholine receptor transcription in muscle cells expressing ErbB4. Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience 26:271-281. *Corresponding author.