Ari Berkowitz Curriculum Vitae:

Associate Professor
Department of Zoology
University of Oklahoma
Norman, OK 73019

E-mail: ari@ou.edu
Ph:  405-325-3492
Fax: 405-325-6202

EDUCATION:

1996-1997: Postdoctoral Fellow
 UCLA

 Laboratory of Franklin Krasne

1993-1996: Postdoctoral Fellow
 California Institute of Technology

  Laboratory of Gilles Laurent

1993: Ph.D., Neurosciences
 Washington University, St. Louis

  Laboratory of Paul S.G. Stein

1984: A.B. with honors, Chemistry
 University of Chicago

 

HONORS/AWARDS:

2006: Sigma Xi Faculty Research Award

2004-2008: P.I. for National Science Foundation Award, "Selection and generation of rhythmic motor patterns by the spinal cord."

1998-2004: P.I. for National Science Foundation Award, "Selection and generation of rhythmic motor patterns by the spinal cord."

1998-2000: P.I. for Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology Health Research Program Award (declined in favor of NSF Award)

1996-1997: Fellow of the German-American Academic Council Young Scholars Institute on The Organization of Behavior

1995: Capranica Foundation Award in Neuroethology, for best neuroethology paper published in 1994 or 1995 by a young scientist

1994-1996: National Institutes of Health NRSA Postdoctoral Fellowship

1991: Spencer T. and Ann W. Olin Medical Scientist Fellowship, Washington University

1990: Society of General Physiologists Scholarship for Marine Biological Laboratory summer course

1987-1990: National Science Foundation Predoctoral Fellowship

1984: Phi Beta Kappa membership, University of Chicago

1979-1980: National Merit Scholarship
 

TEACHING EXPERIENCE:

Spring 1998-2007: Instructor, Human Physiology (Zoology 2124), University of Oklahoma

Fall 1999-2006: Instructor, Neural Control of Movement (Zoology 4863/5863), University of Oklahoma

1998-2007: Demonstrator at Brain Awareness Week, Omniplex Museum, Oklahoma City

2004: Judge, Oklahoma Virtual Science Fair

Spring 2000, Fall 1999: Instructor, General Seminar (Zoology 4961), University of Oklahoma

Fall 1998 Instructor, Sensorimotor Integration (Zoology 4970/5970), University of Oklahoma

1995-1997: Judge, California State Science Fair

1993: Mentor, Young Scientist Program, Washington University--Supervised research by a St. Louis public high school student

1992-1993: Instructor, Hands-on Neuroscience, Washington University--Demonstrated principles and experiments of neuroscience to St. Louis area grade school and junior high school students

1989: Teaching Assistant, Washington University undergraduate Neuroethology course
 

PUBLICATIONS:

Research articles:

Berkowitz, A. (2007a) Spinal interneurons that are selectively activated during fictive flexion reflex. J. Neurosci. 27:4634-4641.

Berkowitz, A., Yosten, G.L.C., and Ballard, R.M. (2006) Somato-dendritic morphology predicts physiology for neurons that contribute to several kinds of limb movements. J. Neurophysiol. 95:2821-2831.

Berkowitz, A. (2005) Physiology and morphology indicate that individual spinal interneurons contribute to diverse limb movements. J. Neurophysiol. 94:4455-4470.

Berkowitz, A. (2004a) Propriospinal projections to the ventral horn of the rostral and caudal hindlimb enlargement in turtles. Brain Res. 1014:164-176.

Berkowitz, A. (2002a) Both shared and specialized neural circuitry for scratching and swimming in turtles. J. Comp. Physiol. A 188:225-234 (DOI 10.1007/s00359-002-0297-7).

Berkowitz, A. (2002b) Endogenous biotin staining in a subset of spinal neuronal cell bodies: a potential confounding factor for neuroanatomical studies. Brain Res. 938:98-102.

Berkowitz, A. (2001a) Broadly tuned spinal neurons for each form of fictive scratching in spinal turtles. J. Neurophysiol. 86:1017-1025.

Berkowitz, A. (2001b) Rhythmicity of spinal neurons activated during each form of fictive scratching in spinal turtles. J. Neurophysiol. 86:1026-1036.

Berkowitz, A., Vu, E.T., and Krasne, F.B. (1998) Specificity of neural circuits that inhibit escape in crayfish. Ann. NY Acad. Sci. 860:461-463.

Vu, E.T., Berkowitz, A., and Krasne, F.B. (1997) Postexcitatory inhibition of the crayfish lateral giant neuron: a mechanism for sensory temporal filtering. J. Neurosci. 17:8867-8879.

Berkowitz, A. and Laurent, G. (1996a) Local control of leg movements and motor patterns during grooming in locusts. J. Neurosci. 16:8067-8078.

Berkowitz, A. and Laurent, G. (1996b) Central generation of grooming motor patterns and interlimb coordination in locusts. J. Neurosci. 16:8079-8091.

Berkowitz, A. and Stein, P.S.G. (1994a) Descending propriospinal axons in the hindlimb enlargement of the red-eared turtle: Cells of origin and funicular courses. J. Comp. Neurol. 346:321-336.

Berkowitz, A. and Stein, P.S.G. (1994b) Activity of descending propriospinal axons in the turtle hindlimb enlargement during two forms of fictive scratching: Broad tuning to regions of the body  surface. J. Neurosci. 14:5089-5104.

Berkowitz, A. and Stein, P.S.G. (1994c) Activity of descending propriospinal axons in the turtle hindlimb enlargement during two forms of fictive scratching: Phase analyses. J. Neurosci.  14:5105-5119.

Berkowitz, A. and Suga, N. (1989) Neural mechanisms of ranging are different in two species of bats.  Hearing Res. 41:255-264.
 

Research abstracts:

Nguyen, E.B. and Berkowitz, A. (2007). Interactions between the spinal networks for swimming and each form of scratching. Soc. Neurosci. Abstr. (in press).

Berkowitz, A. (2007c). Physiology and morphology of spinal interneurons recorded intracellularly during both fictive swimming and fictive scratching. Soc. Neurosci. Abstr. (in press).

Berkowitz, A. (2007b). Morphology and physiology of scratch/swim and scratch-specialized spinal interneurons. Eighth International Congress of Neuroethology, Vancouver, BC, Canada (in press).

Berkowitz, A. (2006b) Physiology and morphology of spinal interneurons that are preferentially activated during fictive flexion reflex. Soc. Neurosci. Abstr. 448.26.

Berkowitz, A. (2006a) Morphology and physiology of spinal interneurons activated during fictive scratching and/or fictive swimming. Wenner-Gren International Symposium: Networks in Motion. Stockholm, Sweden.

Berkowitz, A., Yosten, G.L.C., and Ballard, R.M. (2006a) Somato-dendritic morphology predicts physiology for neurons that contribute to several kinds of limb movements. Annual Meeting of the Southwestern and Rocky Mountain division of AAAS, Tulsa, OK, 4/8/2006.

Berkowitz, A., Yosten, G.L.C., and Ballard, R.M. (2005) Correlations between morphology and in-vivo physiology of scratch-activated spinal interneurons. Soc. Neurosci. Abstr. 630.16.

Berkowitz, A. (2004b) Central control of intralimb and interlimb coordination in a vertebrate model system. The 7th Congress of the International Society for Neuroethology, Nyborg, Denmark, SY 03.

Berkowitz, A., Yosten, G.L.C., and Ballard, R.M. (2004) A distinct morphological class of rhythmic, scratch-related, spinal interneurons in turtles. The 7th Congress of the International Society for Neuroethology
, Nyborg, Denmark, PO 226.

Berkowitz, A. (2003) Morphology and physiology of scratch-related spinal interneurons. Soc. Neurosci. Abstr.
188.4.

Berkowitz, A. (2002c) Propriospinal projections to the rostral and caudal hindlimb enlargement spinal cord. Soc. Neurosci. Abstr. 167:12.

Berkowitz, A. (2001c) Both shared and dedicated circuitry for scratching and swimming in turtles. International Congress of Neuroethology, Poster 320.

Berkowitz, A. (2001d) Both shared and dedicated circuitry for vertebrate limb movements. Soc. Neurosci. Abstr. 27:306.8.

Berkowitz, A. (2000a) Rhythmicity and cell locations of spinal neurons involved in fictive scratching. Soc. Neurosci. Abstr. 26:455.

Berkowitz, A. (1999) Broadly tuned spinal neurons for each form of fictive scratching in spinal turtles. Soc. Neurosci. Abstr. 25:1909.

Berkowitz, A., Vu, E.T., and Krasne, F.B. (1997) Specificity of neural circuits that inhibit escape in crayfish. Soc. Neurosci. Abstr. 23:479.

Berkowitz, A. and Laurent, G. (1995) Central generation of directed limb movements in locusts.  Soc. Neurosci. Abstr. 21:1764.

Berkowitz, A. and Stein, P.S.G. (1992a) Cells of origin and funicular courses of propriospinal axons descending in the turtle hindlimb enlargement. Soc. Neurosci. Abstr. 18:312.

Berkowitz, A. and Stein, P.S.G. (1992b) Activity of descending propriospinal neurons is linked to the activity cycle of hip motor neurons during both rostral and pocket fictive scratching in  turtles. Proceedings of the Third International Congress of Neuroethology, Abstract No. 309.

Berkowitz, A. and Stein, P.S.G. (1991) Bilateral activation of interneurons during fictive scratching in spinal turtles. Soc. Neurosci. Abstr . 17:123.

Berkowitz, A. and Stein, P.S.G. (1990) Activity of spinal neurons with descending axons during fictive scratch in spinal turtles. Soc. Neurosci. Abstr. 16:1091.

Berkowitz, A. and Suga, N. (1988) Are the mechanisms of delay-dependent integrators for ranging different in two species of bats, Little Brown Bat and Mustached Bat? Soc. Neurosci.  Abstr. 14:1100.

Berkowitz, A. and Grobstein, P. (1987) Frog prey orienting and brain development: neuronal proliferation in ventral tegmentum. Soc. Neurosci. Abstr . 13:252.

Grobstein, P., Hollyday, M., and Berkowitz, A. (1984) Metamorphic changes in the Nucleus Isthmi in Rana Pipiens. Soc. Neurosci. Abstr. 10:466.
 

Reviews:

Berkowitz, A. (2004c) Motor output of the brain and spinal cord. In: Encyclopedia of Life Sciences. John Wiley and Sons Ltd.: Chichester, UK.

Berkowitz, A. (2000b) Motor output of the brain and spinal cord. In: Encyclopedia of Life Sciences. Macmillan Reference Ltd.: London.

Berkowitz, A. (1996) Networks of neurons, networks of genes. Neuron 17:199-202.
 

Essay:

Berkowitz, A. (1998) Our genes, ourselves? In: The Biological Basis of Human Behavior: A Critical Review, 2 nd edition, ed. R.W. Sussman, Prentice Hall: Upper Saddle River, NJ.

Berkowitz, A. (1996) Our genes, ourselves? BioScience 46:42-51.

Read "Our genes, ourselves?" on the Serendip web site


History of science articles:

Berkowitz, A. and Kevles, D.J. (2003) Patenting human genes: the advent of ethics in the political economy of patent law. Medicina nei Secoli Arte e Scienza 15:37-54.

Berkowitz, A. and Kevles, D.J. (2002) Patenting human genes: the advent of ethics in the political economy of patent law. In: Who Owns Life
, ed. D. Magnus, A. Caplan, and G. McGee, Prometheus Books, Amherst, NY, pp. 75-97.

Kevles, D.J. and Berkowitz, A. (2001) The gene patenting controversy: a convergence of law, economic interests, and ethics. Brooklyn Law Review
67:233-248.


Teaching abstract:

Fiez, J.A., Berkowitz, A., Carmichael, S.T., Goodkin, H.P., Keating, J.G., Lewis, A., Solomon, J.S.,  and White, L.E. (1992) Hands-on neuroscience demonstrations for elementary and secondary  school classrooms. Soc. Neurosci. Abstr. 18:190.
 

Letter to the editor:

Berkowitz, A. (1989) Human Genome Program. Science 246:874.
 

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS:

Society for Neuroscience
International Society for Neuroethology
American Physiological Society
American Association for the Advancement of Science
 
 

Ari Berkowitz home page

 

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