John A Gray

Title(s)Associate Professor, Med: Neurology
SchoolSchool of Medicine
AddressCenter for Neuroscience
CA 95618
Phone530-754-6975
ORCID ORCID Icon0000-0002-7287-0748 Additional info
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    Other Positions
    Title(s)Associate Professor, MED: Psychiatry & Behav Sci


    Collapse Biography 
    Collapse Education and Training
    Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OHB.S.05/1997Biochemistry
    Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OHPh.D.05/2003Biochemistry
    Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OHM.D.05/2005Medicine
    University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CAResidency06/2009Psychiatry
    University of California, San Francisco , San Francisco, CAPostdoc06/2013Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology
    Collapse Awards and Honors
    Case Western Reserve University1993  - 1997Dean’s High Honors List
    Case Western Reserve University1997Undergraduate Research Award
    1997Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society
    Case Western Reserve University1997  - 2005Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP) Fellowship
    National Institute of Mental Health2007NIMH Outstanding Resident Award
    University of California, San Francisco2009Langley Porter Psychiatric Institute Resident Research Award
    Brain and Behavior Research Foundation2010  - 2012NARSAD Young Investigator Award
    Society of Biological Psychiatry2013Travel Fellowship Award
    Society of Biological Psychiatry 2013Top Poster Award for Basic Research
    American College of Neuropsychopharmacology 2013Travel Fellowship Award
    National Institute of Mental Health2013  - 2017NIMH Mentored Clinical Scientist Research Career Development Award
    Brain and Behavior Research Foundation2015  - 2017NARSAD Young Investigator Award
    University of California, San Francisco2019UCSF Psychiatry Residency Distinguished Alumni Award

    Collapse Overview 
    Collapse Overview
    Research in Dr. Gray’s laboratory focuses on understanding the molecular and cellular mechanisms involved in synapse development and plasticity throughout the brain. In particular, Dr. Gray’s laboratory studies the regulation of the NMDA-type glutamate receptors that play crucial roles in synapse development and synaptic plasticity. Because of these important functions, dysregulation of NMDA receptors has been implicated in a broad range of neuropsychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia, autism, addiction, Alzheimer’s disease, Huntington’s disease and ischemia. By combining innovative genetic approaches with electrophysiology, imaging, and biochemistry to gain a detailed understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in the regulation of NMDA receptors and synapses, Dr. Gray’s laboratory is striving to open new frontiers for the development of disease-modifying therapeutic approaches for complex neuropsychiatric disorders.

    Collapse Research 
    Collapse Research Activities and Funding
    Distinct mechanisms for memory storage and retrieval in hippocampal engram cells
    NIH R21NS122356Apr 1, 2021 - Sep 30, 2022
    Role: Co-Investigator
    Function and Regulation of Postsynaptic Serine Racemase
    NIH R01MH117130Apr 5, 2019 - Jan 31, 2024
    Role: Principal Investigator
    The role of NMDA receptor co-agonist site occupancy in synaptic plasticity
    NIH R21MH116315Dec 3, 2018 - Oct 31, 2021
    Role: Principal Investigator
    Synaptic targeting and regulation of NMDAR subunits
    NIH K08MH100562May 1, 2013 - Mar 31, 2017
    Role: Principal Investigator

    Collapse Featured Content 
    Collapse Featured Videos

    Collapse Bibliographic 
    Collapse Publications
    Publications listed below are automatically derived from MEDLINE/PubMed and other sources, which might result in incorrect or missing publications. Researchers can login to make corrections and additions, or contact us for help. to make corrections and additions.
    Newest   |   Oldest   |   Most Cited   |   Most Discussed   |   Timeline   |   Field Summary   |   Plain Text
    Altmetrics Details PMC Citations indicate the number of times the publication was cited by articles in PubMed Central, and the Altmetric score represents citations in news articles and social media. (Note that publications are often cited in additional ways that are not shown here.) Fields are based on how the National Library of Medicine (NLM) classifies the publication's journal and might not represent the specific topic of the publication. Translation tags are based on the publication type and the MeSH terms NLM assigns to the publication. Some publications (especially newer ones and publications not in PubMed) might not yet be assigned Field or Translation tags.) Click a Field or Translation tag to filter the publications.
    1. d-Serine Inhibits Non-ionotropic NMDA Receptor Signaling. J Neurosci. 2024 Aug 07; 44(32). Barragan EV, Anisimova M, Vijayakumar V, Coblentz A, Park DK, Salaka RJ, Nisan AFK, Petshow S, Dore K, Zito K, Gray JA. PMID: 38942470; PMCID: PMC11308331.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions:    Fields:    Translation:AnimalsCells
    2. D-Serine inhibits non-ionotropic NMDA receptor signaling. bioRxiv. 2024 Jun 01. Barragan EV, Anisimova M, Vijayakumar V, Coblentz AC, Park DK, Salaka RJ, Nisan AFK, Petshow S, Dore K, Zito K, Gray JA. PMID: 38854020; PMCID: PMC11160797.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions:
    3. D-serine availability modulates prefrontal cortex inhibitory interneuron development and circuit maturation. Sci Rep. 2023 06 13; 13(1):9595. Folorunso OO, Brown SE, Baruah J, Harvey TL, Jami SA, Radzishevsky I, Wolosker H, McNally JM, Gray JA, Vasudevan A, Balu DT. PMID: 37311798; PMCID: PMC10264435.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 3     Fields:    Translation:AnimalsCells
    4. GluN3A subunit tunes NMDA receptor synaptic trafficking and content during postnatal brain development. Cell Rep. 2023 05 30; 42(5):112477. González-González IM, Gray JA, Ferreira J, Conde-Dusman MJ, Bouchet D, Perez-Otaño I, Groc L. PMID: 37149869; PMCID: PMC11189104.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 5     Fields:    Translation:Cells
    5. Psychedelics promote neuroplasticity through the activation of intracellular 5-HT2A receptors. Science. 2023 02 17; 379(6633):700-706. Vargas MV, Dunlap LE, Dong C, Carter SJ, Tombari RJ, Jami SA, Cameron LP, Patel SD, Hennessey JJ, Saeger HN, McCorvy JD, Gray JA, Tian L, Olson DE. PMID: 36795823; PMCID: PMC10108900.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 85     Fields:    Translation:AnimalsCells
    6. 5-HT2ARs Mediate Therapeutic Behavioral Effects of Psychedelic Tryptamines. ACS Chem Neurosci. 2023 02 01; 14(3):351-358. Cameron LP, Patel SD, Vargas MV, Barragan EV, Saeger HN, Warren HT, Chow WL, Gray JA, Olson DE. PMID: 36630260; PMCID: PMC9939288.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 18     Fields:    Translation:HumansAnimals
    7. SOX2 is essential for astrocyte maturation and its deletion leads to hyperactive behavior in mice. Cell Rep. 2022 12 20; 41(12):111842. Wang Y, Zhang S, Lan Z, Doan V, Kim B, Liu S, Zhu M, Hull VL, Rihani S, Zhang CL, Gray JA, Guo F. PMID: 36543123; PMCID: PMC9875714.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 5     Fields:    Translation:AnimalsCells
    8. Reduced d-serine levels drive enhanced non-ionotropic NMDA receptor signaling and destabilization of dendritic spines in a mouse model for studying schizophrenia. Neurobiol Dis. 2022 08; 170:105772. Park DK, Petshow S, Anisimova M, Barragan EV, Gray JA, Stein IS, Zito K. PMID: 35605760; PMCID: PMC9352378.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 6     Fields:    Translation:HumansAnimalsCells
    9. Excessive Laughter-like Vocalizations, Microcephaly, and Translational Outcomes in the Ube3a Deletion Rat Model of Angelman Syndrome. J Neurosci. 2021 10 20; 41(42):8801-8814. Berg EL, Jami SA, Petkova SP, Berz A, Fenton TA, Lerch JP, Segal DJ, Gray JA, Ellegood J, Wöhr M, Silverman JL. PMID: 34475199; PMCID: PMC8528495.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 9     Fields:    Translation:AnimalsCells
    10. Increased excitation-inhibition balance and loss of GABAergic synapses in the serine racemase knockout model of NMDA receptor hypofunction. J Neurophysiol. 2021 07 01; 126(1):11-27. Jami SA, Cameron S, Wong JM, Daly ER, McAllister AK, Gray JA. PMID: 34038186; PMCID: PMC8325603.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 12     Fields:    Translation:AnimalsCells
    11. Basic and Clinical Pharmacology; Katzung BG (Ed.). Introduction to the Pharmacology of CNS Drugs. 2020; 381-394. Gray JA.
    12. Postsynaptic Serine Racemase Regulates NMDA Receptor Function. J Neurosci. 2020 12 09; 40(50):9564-9575. Wong JM, Folorunso OO, Barragan EV, Berciu C, Harvey TL, Coyle JT, Balu DT, Gray JA. PMID: 33158959; PMCID: PMC7726548.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 22     Fields:    Translation:AnimalsCells
    13. The Role of Glutamate in Language and Language Disorders - Evidence from ERP and Pharmacologic Studies. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2020 12; 119:217-241. Li W, Kutas M, Gray JA, Hagerman RH, Olichney JM. PMID: 33039453; PMCID: PMC11584167.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 13     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    14. NMDAR-Activated PP1 Dephosphorylates GluN2B to Modulate NMDAR Synaptic Content. Cell Rep. 2019 07 09; 28(2):332-341.e5. Chiu AM, Wang J, Fiske MP, Hubalkova P, Barse L, Gray JA, Sanz-Clemente A. PMID: 31291571; PMCID: PMC6639021.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 14     Fields:    Translation:AnimalsCells
    15. Sestd1 Encodes a Developmentally Dynamic Synapse Protein That Complexes With BCR Rac1-GAP to Regulate Forebrain Dendrite, Spine and Synapse Formation. Cereb Cortex. 2019 03 01; 29(3):1217. Yang XY, Stanley RE, Ross AP, Robitaille AM, Gray JA, Cheyette BNR. PMID: 29474518; PMCID: PMC6373680.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions:    Fields:    
    16. Sestd1 Encodes a Developmentally Dynamic Synapse Protein That Complexes With BCR Rac1-GAP to Regulate Forebrain Dendrite, Spine and Synapse Formation. Cereb Cortex. 2019 02 01; 29(2):505-516. Yang XY, Stanley RE, Ross AP, Robitaille AM, Gray JA, Cheyette BNR. PMID: 29293918; PMCID: PMC6319175.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 4     Fields:    Translation:AnimalsCells
    17. Excitotoxic superoxide production and neuronal death require both ionotropic and non-ionotropic NMDA receptor signaling. Sci Rep. 2018 11 30; 8(1):17522. Minnella AM, Zhao JX, Jiang X, Jakobsen E, Lu F, Wu L, El-Benna J, Gray JA, Swanson RA. PMID: 30504838; PMCID: PMC6269523.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 18     Fields:    Translation:AnimalsCells
    18. Incomplete block of NMDA receptors by intracellular MK-801. Neuropharmacology. 2018 12; 143:122-129. Sun W, Wong JM, Gray JA, Carter BC. PMID: 30227149; PMCID: PMC8920045.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 7     Fields:    Translation:HumansAnimalsCells
    19. Psychedelics Promote Structural and Functional Neural Plasticity. Cell Rep. 2018 06 12; 23(11):3170-3182. Ly C, Greb AC, Cameron LP, Wong JM, Barragan EV, Wilson PC, Burbach KF, Soltanzadeh Zarandi S, Sood A, Paddy MR, Duim WC, Dennis MY, McAllister AK, Ori-McKenney KM, Gray JA, Olson DE. PMID: 29898390; PMCID: PMC6082376.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 342     Fields:    Translation:AnimalsCells
    20. Metaplasticity contributes to memory formation in the hippocampus. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2019 01; 44(2):408-414. Crestani AP, Krueger JN, Barragan EV, Nakazawa Y, Nemes SE, Quillfeldt JA, Gray JA, Wiltgen BJ. PMID: 29849054; PMCID: PMC6300591.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 19     Fields:    Translation:AnimalsCells
    21. Long-Term Depression Is Independent of GluN2 Subunit Composition. J Neurosci. 2018 05 09; 38(19):4462-4470. Wong JM, Gray JA. PMID: 29593052; PMCID: PMC5943974.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 20     Fields:    Translation:AnimalsCells
    22. Basic and Clinical Pharmacology; Katzung BG (Ed.). Introduction to the Pharmacology of CNS Drugs. 2017; 367-380. Gray JA.
    23. Kaplan & Sadock’s Comprehensive Textbook of Psychiatry; Sadock BJ, Sadock VA and Ruiz P (Eds.). Intraneuronal Signaling. 2017; 119-130. Gray JA and Roth BL.
    24. Non-ionotropic signaling by the NMDA receptor: controversy and opportunity. F1000Res. 2016; 5. Gray JA, Zito K, Hell JW. PMID: 27303637; PMCID: PMC4882754.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 14     Fields:    
    25. Non-Ionotropic NMDA Receptor Signaling Drives Activity-Induced Dendritic Spine Shrinkage. J Neurosci. 2015 Sep 02; 35(35):12303-8. Stein IS, Gray JA, Zito K. PMID: 26338340; PMCID: PMC4556794.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 69     Fields:    Translation:AnimalsCells
    26. Basic and Clinical Pharmacology. Katzung BG (Ed.). Introduction to the Pharmacology of CNS Drugs. 2014; 355-368. Gray JA and Nicoll RA .
    27. Activated CaMKII couples GluN2B and casein kinase 2 to control synaptic NMDA receptors. Cell Rep. 2013 Mar 28; 3(3):607-14. Sanz-Clemente A, Gray JA, Ogilvie KA, Nicoll RA, Roche KW. PMID: 23478024; PMCID: PMC3615108.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 67     Fields:    Translation:AnimalsCells
    28. SAP102 mediates synaptic clearance of NMDA receptors. Cell Rep. 2012 Nov 29; 2(5):1120-8. Chen BS, Gray JA, Sanz-Clemente A, Wei Z, Thomas EV, Nicoll RA, Roche KW. PMID: 23103165; PMCID: PMC3513525.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 51     Fields:    Translation:HumansAnimalsCells
    29. Thinking outside the synapse: glycine at extrasynaptic NMDA receptors. Cell. 2012 Aug 03; 150(3):455-6. Gray JA, Nicoll RA. PMID: 22863001.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 5     Fields:    
    30. Parkinsonism and rabbit syndrome after discontinuation of low-dose ziprasidone and concomitant initiation of sertraline. J Clin Psychopharmacol. 2012 Feb; 32(1):142-3. Gray JA. PMID: 22217953.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 1     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    31. Distinct modes of AMPA receptor suppression at developing synapses by GluN2A and GluN2B: single-cell NMDA receptor subunit deletion in vivo. Neuron. 2011 Sep 22; 71(6):1085-101. Gray JA, Shi Y, Usui H, During MJ, Sakimura K, Nicoll RA. PMID: 21943605; PMCID: PMC3183990.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 182     Fields:    Translation:AnimalsCells
    32. Genetic analysis of neuronal ionotropic glutamate receptor subunits. J Physiol. 2011 Sep 01; 589(17):4095-101. Granger AJ, Gray JA, Lu W, Nicoll RA. PMID: 21768264; PMCID: PMC3180569.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 25     Fields:    Translation:Cells
    33. Potentiation of synaptic AMPA receptors induced by the deletion of NMDA receptors requires the GluA2 subunit. J Neurophysiol. 2011 Feb; 105(2):923-8. Lu W, Gray JA, Granger AJ, During MJ, Nicoll RA. PMID: 20980546; PMCID: PMC3059181.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 12     Fields:    Translation:AnimalsCells
    34. Metabolic control of vesicular glutamate transport and release. Neuron. 2010 Oct 06; 68(1):99-112. Juge N, Gray JA, Omote H, Miyaji T, Inoue T, Hara C, Uneyama H, Edwards RH, Nicoll RA, Moriyama Y. PMID: 20920794; PMCID: PMC2978156.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 189     Fields:    Translation:HumansAnimalsCells
    35. Kaplan & Sadock’s Comprehensive Textbook of Psychiatry; Sadock BJ, Sadock VA and Ruiz P (Eds.). Intraneuronal Signaling. 2009; 118-129. Gray JA and Roth BL.
    36. The expanded biology of serotonin. Annu Rev Med. 2009; 60:355-66. Berger M, Gray JA, Roth BL. PMID: 19630576; PMCID: PMC5864293.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 688     Fields:    Translation:HumansAnimals
    37. The pipeline and future of drug development in schizophrenia. Mol Psychiatry. 2007 Oct; 12(10):904-22. Gray JA, Roth BL. PMID: 17667958.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 64     Fields:    Translation:HumansAnimals
    38. Molecular targets for treating cognitive dysfunction in schizophrenia. Schizophr Bull. 2007 Sep; 33(5):1100-19. Gray JA, Roth BL. PMID: 17617664; PMCID: PMC2632344.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 81     Fields:    
    39. Handbook of Contemporary Neuropharmacology. Sibley DR, Hanin I, Kuhar M and Skolnick P (Eds.). Serotonin Systems. 2007; 257-298. Gray JA and Roth BL.
    40. Developing selectively nonselective drugs for treating CNS disorders. Drug Discovery Today Therapeutic Strategies. 2006 Dec 1; 3(4):413-419. Gray GJ, Roth RB. .
      View in: Publisher Site   Mentions:
    41. Identification of two serine residues essential for agonist-induced 5-HT2A receptor desensitization. Biochemistry. 2003 Sep 16; 42(36):10853-62. Gray JA, Compton-Toth BA, Roth BL. PMID: 12962510.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 14     Fields:    Translation:HumansAnimalsCells
    42. The interaction of a constitutively active arrestin with the arrestin-insensitive 5-HT(2A) receptor induces agonist-independent internalization. Mol Pharmacol. 2003 May; 63(5):961-72. Gray JA, Bhatnagar A, Gurevich VV, Roth BL. PMID: 12695524.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 24     Fields:    Translation:HumansCells
    43. A direct interaction of PSD-95 with 5-HT2A serotonin receptors regulates receptor trafficking and signal transduction. J Biol Chem. 2003 Jun 13; 278(24):21901-8. Xia Z, Gray JA, Compton-Toth BA, Roth BL. PMID: 12682061.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 64     Fields:    Translation:HumansCells
    44. The PDZ-binding domain is essential for the dendritic targeting of 5-HT2A serotonin receptors in cortical pyramidal neurons in vitro. Neuroscience. 2003; 122(4):907-20. Xia Z, Hufeisen SJ, Gray JA, Roth BL. PMID: 14643760.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 33     Fields:    Translation:HumansAnimalsCells
    45. Cell biology. A last GASP for GPCRs? Science. 2002 Jul 26; 297(5581):529-31. Gray JA, Roth BL. PMID: 12142517.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 5     Fields:    Translation:HumansCells
    46. Paradoxical trafficking and regulation of 5-HT(2A) receptors by agonists and antagonists. Brain Res Bull. 2001 Nov 15; 56(5):441-51. Gray JA, Roth BL. PMID: 11750789.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 104     Fields:    Translation:HumansAnimalsCells
    47. Cell-type specific effects of endocytosis inhibitors on 5-hydroxytryptamine(2A) receptor desensitization and resensitization reveal an arrestin-, GRK2-, and GRK5-independent mode of regulation in human embryonic kidney 293 cells. Mol Pharmacol. 2001 Nov; 60(5):1020-30. Gray JA, Sheffler DJ, Bhatnagar A, Woods JA, Hufeisen SJ, Benovic JL, Roth BL. PMID: 11641430.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 30     Fields:    Translation:HumansAnimalsCells
    48. The dynamin-dependent, arrestin-independent internalization of 5-hydroxytryptamine 2A (5-HT2A) serotonin receptors reveals differential sorting of arrestins and 5-HT2A receptors during endocytosis. J Biol Chem. 2001 Mar 16; 276(11):8269-77. Bhatnagar A, Willins DL, Gray JA, Woods J, Benovic JL, Roth BL. PMID: 11069907.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 42     Fields:    Translation:HumansAnimals
    49. Structure and function of the third intracellular loop of the 5-hydroxytryptamine2A receptor: the third intracellular loop is alpha-helical and binds purified arrestins. J Neurochem. 1999 May; 72(5):2206-14. Gelber EI, Kroeze WK, Willins DL, Gray JA, Sinar CA, Hyde EG, Gurevich V, Benovic J, Roth BL. PMID: 10217304.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 31     Fields:    Translation:AnimalsCells
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