George Gomez's CV

llustration by George Gomez,
age 5.

Text reads "I want to be a sayantist to biscover meny things".

I have taken many steps since then (such as learning how to spell"scientist", "discover", and "many").

Notice that I was already safety-conscious at such anearly age: I was wearing my protective eyewear. With my futuristic jumpsuit, I figured that the lab coat was optional.

WORKEXPERIENCE
•   2002 -present. Faculty, University of Scranton, Scranton, PA
•   1997 - 2002. Research Associate, Monell Chemical Senses Center, Philadelphia. PA.
•   1994 - 1997. Post-doctoral researcher at the Monell Chemical Senses Center, Philadelphia. PA.
•   1989-1994. Teaching assistant/research assistant, Boston University Marine Program, Woods Hole, MA.
•   1987-1989. High School Biology teacher, St.Scholastica’s High School, Manila, Philippines.

EDUCATION
•   Post-Graduate (1989-1995). Doctor of Philosophy (Marine Biology), Boston University, Boston, MA.
•   Undergraduate (1983-1987). Bachelor of Science (Zoology), University of the Philippines, Quezon City,Philippines (Cum Laude).

HONORS/AWARDS
•   1989-1990. Presidential University GraduateFellowship, Boston University
•   1990-1993. University Teaching Fellowships, Boston University
•   1994. Dean’s Award (College of Liberal Arts) for Outstanding Research, Boston University.
•   1994. Arthur G. Humes Alumni Award, Boston University Marine Program
•    2005 Edward Gannon Award for Excellence in Teaching, Alpha Sigma Nu Chapter of the University of Scranton

TEACHINGEXPERIENCE

High School:

1987-1989. High School Biology (St. Scholastica’s High School, Manila Philippines)

Teaching assistant:

1990. Course Coordinator, Boston University Marine Program/Woods Hole Marine Semester (WHMS)
1990. Neurobiology and Membrane Biophysics (WHMS)
1991 to 1993. Chemosensory Biology (WHMS)
1992. Experimental Biology (WHMS)
1992. Introduction to Marine Biology (Boston University)

Lecturer:

1997 Guest Lecturer, Biology 461,(University of Pennsylvania Biology Department).
1997-2000. Guest Lecturer, Physiology 3001 (University of PennsylvaniaSchool of Veterinary Medicine)

Faculty (University of Scranton):

2002 –present – Cell Biology (Biology350 lecture and lab)
2002-2003 – Introduction to Biology (Biology 101 lecture)
2003 –present – Developmental Biology (Biology 351, lecture and lab)
2004-present – Sensory Biology (Biology 444, lecture)
2004-Freshman Seminar

PUBLICATIONS

Gomez, G., Voigt,R., Atema, J. 1992. High resolution measurement and control of chemical stimuli in the lateral antennule of the lobster Homarus americanus. Biol. Bull. 183:353-354.
Gomez, G., Voigt, R., Atema, J. 1994. Frequency filter properties of lobster chemoreceptor cells determined with high-resolution stimulus measurement. J. Comp. Physiol. A 174:803-811.
Gomez, G., Voigt, R., Atema, J. 1994. Tuning properties of chemoreceptor cells of the American lobster: temporal filters. In Proceedings of the International Symposium on Olfaction and Taste XI, pp.788-789.
Gomez, G., Atema, J. 1994. Time course of recovery from adaptation by hydroxyproline-sensitive lobster olfactory receptor neurons. Biol. Bull. 187:259-260.
Gomez, G., Atema, J. 1996. Temporal resolution in olfaction II. Time course of recovery from adaptation in lobster chemoreceptor cells. J. Neurophysiol. 76:1340-1343.
Gomez, G., Atema, J. 1996. Temporal resolution in olfaction: stimulus integration time of lobster chemoreceptor cells. J. Exp. Biol. 199:1771-1779.
Gomez, G., Restrepo, D., Rawson, N. E., Lowry, L.D., Keane, W.M., Rothstein, J. L. 1996. Induction of differentiation of human olfactory neuroblastoma cells into odorant responsive cells. Neurosci. 74:567-577.
Rawson, N. E., Gomez, G., Cowart, B., Brand, J.G., Lowry, L.D., Pribitkin, E.A., Restrepo, D. 1997. Selectivity and response characteristics of human olfactory neurons. J. Neurophysiol. 77:1606-1613.
Rawson, N. E., Gomez, G., Cowart, B., Restrepo, D. 1998. The use of olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs) from biopsies to study changes in aging and neurodegenerative diseases. Ann. NY Acad. Sci.
Gomez, G., Voigt, R., Atema, J. 1999. Temporal resolution in olfaction III. Flicker fusion and concentration-dependent synchronization with stimulus pulse trains in lobster chemoreceptor cells. J. Comp. Physiol. A 185:427-436.
Gomez, G., Rawson, N.E., Cowart, B., Lowry,L.D., Pribitkin, E. A., Restrepo, D. 2000. Modulation of odor-induced increases in [Ca²⁺]_i by inhibitors of protein kinases A and C in olfactory receptor neurons. Neurosci. 98:181-189.
Gomez, G. 2000. Olfactory receptor neurons are complex odorant information processors. Focus on “Excitation, inhibition, and suppression by odors in isolated toad and rat olfactory receptor neurons”. Am. J. Physiol. Cell 279: C19-C20.
Gomez, G., Rawson, N.E., Hahn C-G., Micahels, R., Restrepo, D. 2000. Characteristics of odorant elicited calcium changes in cultured human olfactory neurons. J. Neurosci. Res., 62: 737-749.
Lane, A.P., Gomez, G., Dankulich, T., Wang H., Bolger W.E., Rawson N.E. 2002. The superior turbinate as a source of functional human olfactory receptor neurons. Laryngoscope 112:1183-1189.
Rawson, N.E., Gomez, G. 2002. Cell and molecular biology of human olfaction. Microsc. Res. Tech. 58:142-151.
Hahn, C-G., Gomez, G., Restrepo, D., Friedman, E.. Josiassen, R., Pribitkin, E.A., Lowry, L.D., Gallop, R.J., Rawson, N.E. 2005. Aberrant intracellular calcium signaling in olfactory neurons from patients with bipolar disorder. Am. J. Psych. 162(3): 616-618.
Gomez, G., Lischka, F.W., Haskins, M.E., Rawson, N.E. 2005. Evidence for multiple calcium response mechanisms in mammalian olfactory receptor neurons. Chem. Senses 30:317-326.
Jung, Y., Wirkus, E., Amendola, D., Gomez, G. 2005. Characteristics of odorant elicited calcium fluxes in acutely-isolated chick olfactory neurons. J. Comp. Physiol. A. 191: 511-520.
Gomez, G. 2007. Olfaction in birds: an untapped resource for the study of olfactory systems. Chemosense 9: 1-5.
Gomez, G. and Celii, A. 2008. The peripheral olfactory system of the domestic chicken: physiology and development. Brain Res Bull. 76:218-216

PROFESSIONALSERVICE (SELECTED)

July 20, 1993. “Orientation in the lobster, Homarusamericanus: odor dispersal, odor reception, and chemotactic behavior”. Marine Science Institute, University of thePhilippines, Quezon City, Philippines
July 21, 1993. “Neurobiology of chemoreception in the lobster Homarus americanus: signal filters". Institute of Biology, University of the Philippines, Quezon City, Philippines
December 3, 1993. “Making scents of the underwaterworld”. Elderhostel, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA
September 7, 1994. “Temporal filter properties of lobster chemoreceptor cells”. Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA
External Reviewer: NSF (Sensory Systems, Biological Oceanography,1995)
Invited Lecturer: “Mechanisms of human olfactory neurons”. National Food Research Institute, Tsukuba, Japan (1996).
Invited Lecturer: “Cellular physiology of human olfactory neurons”. Hofstra University, Long Island, NY (1996).
Invited Speaker, Workshop: “Olfactory neurons as in vitro models of psychopharmacology”, Annual Meeting of the Society of Biological Psychiatry, San Diego, CA (1997).
Invited Lecturer. “Molecular Mechanisms of Human Olfaction”. Faculty of Dentistry, Tokyo Dental and Medical School, Tokyo, Japan (1997).
Invited Speaker: “Second messenger signaling in the human olfactory system”. Dept. of Pharmacology, Finch University of Health Sciences, Chicago Medical School, North Chicago, IL (1998).
Invited Lecturer. “Human olfactory neurons: function and dysfunction in clinical populations”, Dept. of Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat, Makati Medical Center, Manila, Philippines (1998).
Invited Speaker: “Function and dysfunction in odorant signalingin human olfactory neurons”. Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA (Oct. 17, 1999)
Invited Speaker: “Probing the human nose: the physiology and pathophysiology of human olfactory neurons”. University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Jan. 2000.
Invited Speaker: “Human olfaction: neuronal growth and function”. Hollins University, Jan. 22, 2002.
Invited Speaker: “Cellular Physiology and Neurogenesis in the Human Olfactory System”. Marquette University, March 27, 2002
Invited Speaker: “Growing Noses in a Dish”. Marywood University, March 19, 2003

RECENT RESEARCH PROJECTS (ONGOING OR COMPLETED)

“Functional Maturation of Human Olfactory Neurons”(2002-2005)
Agency: NIH/NIDCD RO3DC004954-01A2          Role: P.I.
The goal of this project is to study functional maturation of human olfactory cells in vitro and identify growth factors that may influence this process. Olfactory neurons in vitro (cultured human olfactory cells) will be tested for odorant sensitivity, then the patterns of expression of molecular markers will be determined and compared withthose found in freshly-isolated human olfactory receptor neurons. The effect of growth factors on the development of functional characteristics will also be determined. These are important steps inunderstanding the stages of human olfactory neurogenesis, as well as identify novel pathways for the investigation of drug effects.

“Cell Biology of Human Olfaction in Health and Disease” (1999- 2003)
Agency: NIH – NIDCD Project 1 of a PO1 (P.I.: G. Beauchamp)   Role: Research Associate
This component of a Chemosensory Clinical Research Center Program Grantaims to investigate olfactory transduction processes in olfactory receptor neurons obtained from biopsies and to study how calcium homeostasis, odorant response characteristics and potassium channel function may be influenced in healthy young, elderly humans and in patients with Alzheimer’s dementia. The proposed project will closelyinteract with this project to gain greater insight into human olfaction. The pursuit of concurrent studies using freshly isolatedcells and primary cultures will permit greater progress than either project alone, and the use of cultures will enable focusing on understanding specific observations in depth and with greater controlover the sample than is possible with biopsy samples alone.

“Structure and function of the feline olfactory system” (1998 – 2002)
Agency: Private              Role: Research Associate
This project focuses on developing a basic understanding of the anatomy and physiology of the feline olfactory system. Feline olfactory cells exhibit some properties similar to those of humans and some similar to hose of rat, and are thus an interesting new animal model for comparative olfactory physiology and evolutionary studies. In addition, feline rhinovirus is a serious disease with symptoms similarto the common cold. This model may also, therefore, provide a new tool to investigate the impact of viral diseases on the olfactory system.

“Physiology of isolated human taste receptor cells” (1998-2000)
Agency: NIH-NIDCD # 1R21 DC03969-01          Role: co-P.I.
This project focuses on developing and enhancing techniques to obtainviable isolated human taste cells using a biopsy procedure and to investigate the physiological characteristics of these cells. Human taste cells have yet to be used for single cell physiological studies. Tastant responses from isolated cells will be measured using fluorescence imaging and loose-patch clamp techniques.

“Human Cellular Adaptation”(1994-1998)
Agency: Private                       Role:Co-PI
This project investigated odorant adaptation mechanisms of human olfactory neurons using fluorescence imaging techniques. Targets for modulation of olfactory adaptation were identified and studied. Odorant compounds synthesized by the sponsors of the project were then tested on human olfactory neurons and on cultured olfactory cells to assess their ability to create long-lasting cellular effects. The ultimate application was to develop long-lasting fragrances for cosmetic applications. An international patent forthe effects of specific compounds investigated in this study has been granted.

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