Dr. Julie Parato is an assistant professor of Natural Sciences at SUNY Empire State College. She completed her undergraduate degree at Drew University in Biology and Economics and earned her MS in Biology (Molecular track) from Long Island University. She went on to receive her PhD from SUNY Downstate in Neural and Behavioral Studies, where she studied synaptic pruning during puberty. Her research at Columbia University focuses on the role of the microtubule cytoskeleton as a driver of synapse loss in Alzheimer’s disease. Dr. Parato’s research interests continue to focus on synaptic pruning and exploring the role that cytoskeleton performs in maintaining synapses. Additionally, Dr. Parato has been working on a project to develop an open-source software for counting dendritic spines in ImageJ. She has received fellowships from the Alzheimer’s Association and the Italian Academy, as well as awards for teaching and mentoring.
Degrees
PhD in Neural and Behavioral Studies, SUNY Downstate
MS in Biology (Molecular), Long Island University
BA in Biology and Economics, Drew University
Publications
Peris L*, Parato J*, Qu X*, Soleilhac JM, Lante F, Kumar A, Pero ME, Martinez-Hernandez J, Corrao C, Falvivelli G, Payet F, Bosc C, Blanca-Ramirez M, Sproul A, Brocard J, Buisson A, Goldberg Y, Moutin MJ, Bartolini F and Andrieux A. Tubulin tyrosination regulates synaptic function and is disrupted in Alzheimer's disease. Brain. In press.
Parato J, Bartolini F. The microtubule cytoskeleton at the synapse. Neurosci Lett. May 2021. 753:135850
Parato J, Shen H, Smith SS. Synaptic pruning of female mouse CA3 hippocampus is triggered by α4βδ GABAA receptors at puberty. Neuroscience. February 2019. 398:23-36
Afroz S*, Parato J*, Shen H, Smith SS. Synaptic pruning in the female hippocampus is triggered at puberty by extrasynaptic GABAA receptors on dendritic spines. eLife. May 2016. eLife 2016; 5:e15106
*Co-first authors
Presentations
Parato J, Peris L, Qu X, Soleilhac JM, Lante F, Kumar A, Pero ME, Martinez-Hernandez J, Blanca-Ramirez M, Sproul A, Brocard J, Buisson A, Goldberg Y, Moutin MJ, Bartolini F and Andrieux A. Impaired tubulin tyrosination in Alzheimer’s Disease. The Cytoskeleton of Neurons and Glia; Brandeis University; 2021 December 16.
Voloshin M, Romero PJ, Parato J. Dendritic Spine Counter for Image J. 50th Annual Meeting of the Society for Neuroscience; 2021 November 8 to 11; online.
Parato J, Qu L, Kumar A, Peris L, Pero M, Sproul A, Moutin MH, Andrieux A, Bartolini F. Impaired alpha-tubulin re-tyrosination leads to synaptic dysfunction and is a feature of Alzheimer's Disease. 50th Annual Meeting of the Society for Neuroscience; 2021 November 8 to 11; online.
Parato J, Qu X, Kumar A, Pero ME, Ramírez M, Sproul A, Bartolini F. The Pathogenic Role of Tubulin Tyrosine Ligase and D2 Tubulin in Alzheimer’s Disease. AAIC; 2021 August 30; Denver, Colorado
Parato J, Smith SS. Mechanistic insight into pubertal synaptic pruning in the hippocampus. Regeneron; 2019 February 12; Tarrytown, NY.
Parato J, Smith SS. Expression of the GABA-A receptor α4 subunit is selective for specific spine types in female mouse hippocampus at puberty. 48th Annual Meeting of the Society for Neuroscience; 2018 November 3 to 7; San Diego, CA
Parato J, Smith SS. Adolescent synaptic pruning in CA3 hippocampus is due to ɑ4βδ GABAAR expression. Regeneron Science to Medicine Forum; 2018 June 22; Tarrytown, NY
Parato J, Smith SS. Selected pruning of spine types by α4βδ GABA-A receptors is necessary for normal memory and re-learning. ARD 2018 SUNY Downstate; 2018 April 11; Brooklyn, NY
Parato J, Smith SS. Adolescent synaptic pruning in CA3 hippocampus is due to α4βδ GABAAR expression. ARD 2017 SUNY Downstate; 2017 April 19; Brooklyn, NY
Parato J, Smith SS. Adolescent synaptic pruning in CA3 hippocampus is due to α4βδ GABAR expression. 46th Annual Meeting of the Society for Neuroscience; 2016 November 11 to 16; San Diego, CA
Parato J, Smith SS. Synaptic pruning in the dentate gyrus during adolescence: A role GABA-A receptor α4 subunit. ARD 2016 SUNY Downstate; 2016 April 13; Brooklyn, NY
Parato J, Afroz S, Smith SS. Kalirin-7 mediates α4βδ GABAA receptor-induced synaptic pruning in pubertal female mouse CA1 hippocampus. 45th Annual Meeting of the Society for Neuroscience; 2015 October 17-21; Chicago, Il
Parato J, Smith SS. Synaptic pruning in the male hippocampus during adolescence: reversal by knock-out of the GABAA receptor α4 subunit. 44th Annual Meeting of the Society for Neuroscience; 2014 November 15- 19; Washington, DC
Parato J, Smith SS. α4βδ GABAA receptors play a role in the synaptic pruning of dentate gyrus granule cells during adolescence of female mice. 43rd Annual Meeting of the Society for Neuroscience; 2013 November 9- 13; San Diego, CA
Parato J, Stager CE, Kwon DH. Clonal dissemination of carbapenemase-encoding genes (OXA-23 and OXA- 24) in Acinetobacter baumannii in the USA. 111th General Meeting American Society of Microbiology; 2011 May 21-24; New Orleans, LA