Research Interests
By combining electrophysiology with pharmacology, molecular biology (qPCR), optogenetics, behavioral studies, and immunohistochemistry, Dr. Edwards lab investigates synaptic plasticity—the cellular mechanism that enables our brains to learn and adapt. Our research focuses on synaptic plasticity in two key brain regions: the hippocampus, which plays a central role in learning and memory, and the ventral tegmental area, the brain's reward pathway. The ultimate goal is to understand normal brain function and apply this knowledge to abnormal conditions, such as stress, PTSD, and Alzheimer’s disease in the hippocampus, as well as the effects of drug exposure (e.g., psychedelics, morphine, THC, and polysubstance use) on the ventral tegmental area.
Honors and Awards
- BYU Phi Kappa Phi Distinguished Faculty Lecturer Award, Phi Kappa Phi (2019 - 2019)
- Graduate Mentoring Award, Brigham Young University (2018 - 2018)
- PDBio Award for Outstanding Achievement and Service, PDBio (2016 - 2016)
- Honors Award, Faculty for Undergraduate Neuroscience (2013 - 2013)
- Honors Award, Faculty for Undergraduate Neuroscience (2012 - 2012)
- Graduate Mentoring Award, Brigham Young University (2011 - 2011)
- Honors Award, Faculty for Undergraduate Neuroscience (2011 - 2011)
- Course Development Project Grant, Faculty Center (2007 - 2007)
- Thomas E. Ricks Award, BYU-Idaho (2006 - 2006)
- National Service Research Award- Postdoctoral Fellowship, NIH (2005 - 2005)
- Don Tucker Memorial Award Nominee, Association for Chemoreception Sciences (2002 - 2002)
- Assocation for Chemoreception Sciences Travel Awards, Assocation for Chemoreception Sciences (1999 - 2002)
- Don Tucker Memorial Award Nominee, Association for Chemoreception Sciences (2001 - 2001)
- Most outstanding presentation, Intermountain Chapter Society for Neuroscience (2001 - 2001)
Memberships
- International Cannabinoid Research Society (2012 - Present)
- American Association for the Advancement of Science (2007 - Present)
- Society for Neuroscience (2004 - Present)
- Intermountain Chapter Society for Neuroscience (2000 - Present)
- American Physiological Society (1998 - Present)
Professional Citizenship
- Editorial Review Board Member, Frontiers in Synaptic Neuroscience (2019 - Present)
- Editor, Associate Editor, BMC Neuroscience (2017 - Present)
- Editor, Associate Editor, Scientific Reports (a Nature Publishing Group journal) (2015 - Present)
- Grant Proposal Reviewer, External, Tobacco-Related Disease Research Program (TRDRP)
- Grant Proposal Reviewer, External, National Institute of Health
- Conference-Related Role, Spring Brain Conference
- Grant Proposal Reviewer, External, National Institute of Health
- Media Interview, Top of Mind Radio Broadcast
Publications
Book, Chapter or Section
Edwards JG. 2014. TRPV1 in the Central Nervous System: Synaptic Plasticity, Function, and Pharmacological Implications. Omar M.E., editor. Progress in Drug Research: Capsaicin as a Therapeutic Molecule. VIIIth ed. Omar M.E., editor. [place unknown]: Springer. vol. 68 p. 321
Journal Article, Academic Journal
Friend LN, Wu B, Edwards JG. 2021. Acute cocaine exposure occludes long-term depression in ventral tegmental area GABA neurons. 145:105002.
Nufer TM, Merrill CB, Friend L, Hopkins Z, Boyce Z, Edwards JG. 2019. Expression of type I mGluRs predicts plasticity in the hippocampal stratum radiatum interneurons. 712:134472.
Friend LN, Williamson RC, Merrill CB, Newton ST, Christensen MT, Petersen J, Wu B, Ostlund I, Edwards JG. 2019. Hippocampal Stratum Oriens Somatostatin-Positive Cells Undergo CB1-Dependent Long-Term Potentiation and Express Endocannabinoid Biosynthetic Enzymes. 24(7).
Williams SB, Yorgason JT, Nelson AC, Lewis N, Nufer TM, Edwards JG, Steffensen SC. 2018. Glutamate transmission to ventral tegmental area GABA Neurons is altered by acute and chronic ethanol. Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 42(11).
Miller RM, Marriott D, Trotter J, Hammond T, Lyman D, Call T, Walker B, Christensen N, Haynie D, Badura Z, et al. 2018. Running exercise mitigates the negative consequences of chronic stress on dorsal hippocampal long-term potentiation in male mice. 149:28-38. [Website]
Friend L, Weed J, Sandoval P, Nufer T, Ostlund I, Edwards JG. 2017. CB1-Dependent Long-Term Depression in Ventral Tegmental Area GABA Neurons: A Novel Target for Marijuana. 37(45):10943-10954. [Website]
Steffensen SC, Shin SI, Nelson AC, Pistorius SS, Williams SB, Woodward TJ, Park HJ, Friend L, Gao M, Gao F, et al. 2017. α6 subunit-containing nicotinic receptors mediate low-dose ethanol effects on ventral tegmental area neurons and ethanol reward. Addiction Biology.
Hurst K, Badgley C, Ellsworth T, Bell S, Friend L, Prince B, Welch J, Cowan Z, Williamson R, Lyon C, et al. 2017. A putative lysophosphatidylinositol receptor GPR55 modulates hippocampal synaptic plasticity. 27(9):985-998. [Website]
Cordner RD, Friend LN, Mayo JL, Badgley C, Wallman A, Stallings CN, Young PL, Miles DR, Edwards JG, Bridgewater LC. 2017. The BMP2 nuclear variant, nBMP2, is expressed in mouse hippocampus and impacts memory. Scientific Reports. 7:46464. [Website]
Merrill CB, Friend LN, Newton ST, Hopkins ZH, Edwards JG. 2015. Ventral tegmental area dopamine and GABA neurons: Physiological properties and expression of mRNA for endocannabinoid biosynthetic elements. 5:16176. [Website]
Taylor DH, Burman PN, Hansen DM, Wilcox RS, Larsen BR, Blanchard JK, Merrill CB, Edwards JG, Sudweeks SN, Wu J, et al. 2013. Nicotine enhances the excitability of GABA neurons in the ventral tegmental area via activation of alpha 7 nicotinic receptors on glutamate terminals. Biochemistry and Pharmacology. ePub ahead of print. [Website]
Merrill C, McNeil M, Williamson R, Poole B, Nelson B, Sudweeks SN, Edwards JG. 2012. Identification of mRNA for endocannabinoid biosynthetic enzymes within hippocampal pyramidal cells and CA1 stratum radiatum interneuron subtypes using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Neuroscience. 218:88-99. [Website]
Jensen T, Edwards JG. 2012. Calcineurin is required for TRPV1-induced long-term depression of hippocampal interneurons. Neuroscience Letters. 510(2):82-87. [Website]
Bennion D, Jensen T, Wallther C, Hamblin J, Wallmann A, Couch J, Blickenstaff J, Castle M, Dean L, Beckstead S, et al. 2011. Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid 1 agonists modulate hippocampal CA1 LTP via the GABAergic system. Neuropharmacology. 61(4):730-738. [Website]
Steffensen SC, Bradley K, Hansen DM, Wilcox JD, Wilcox RS, Allison DW, Merrill CB, Edwards JG. 2010. The role of connexin-36 gap junctions in alcohol intoxication and consumption. Synapse. 65(8):695-707. [Website]
Edwards JG, Gibson H, Jensen T, Nugent F, Walther C, Blickenstaff J, Kauer J. 2010. A novel non-CB1/TRPV1 endocannabinoid-mediated mechanism depresses excitatory synapses on hippocampal CA1 interneurons . Hippocampus. DOI: 10.1002/hipo.20884. [Website]
Wang Z, Edwards JG, Riley N, Provance DW, Karcher R, Li XD, Davison IG, Ikebe M, Mercer JA, Kauer JA, et al. 2008. Myosin Vb mobilizes recycling endosomes and AMPA receptors for postsynaptic plasticity. Cell. 135:535-548. [Website]
Gibson HE, Edwards JG, Page RS, Hook MJV, Kauer JA. 2008. TRPV1 Channels Mediate Long-Term Depression at Synapses on Hippocampal Interneurons. Neuron. 57:746-759. [Website]
Edwards JG, Greig A, Sakata Y, Elkin D, Michel WC. 2007. Cholinergic innervation of the zebrafish olfactory bulb. Journal of Comparative Neurology. 504:631-645. [Website]
Park M, Penick EC, Edwards JG, Kauer JA, Ehlers MD. 2004. Recycling Endosomes Supply AMPA Receptors for LTP. Science. 305:1972-1975. [Website]
Edwards JG, Michel WC. 2003. Pharmacological characterization of ionotropic glutamate receptors within the zebrafish olfactory bulb. Neuroscience. 122:1037-1047. [Website]
Edwards JG, Michel WC. 2002. Odor-stimulated glutamatergic neurotransmission in the zebrafish olfactory bulb. Journal of Comparative Neurology. 454:294-309.
Presentations
Mayo JL, Nichols BA, Olsen DS, Cordner RD, Hancock CR, Weber KS, Wilson E, Edwards JG, Barrow JR, Bridgewater LC. The nBMP2 mutant mouse shows defects in intracellular calcium transport-regulated pathways. Southwest Regional Meeting of the Society for Developmental Biology. Aurora, Colorado. 2014.