Erica A Dale

Erica A Dale, PhD

AST PROF

Department: Department of Physiology and Aging
Business Phone: (352) 273-8241
Business Email: ericadale@ufl.edu

Accomplishments

McKnight Brain Institute Women in Neuroscience Spotlight
2024 · UF McKnight Brain Institute
Rising Star award in Basic Translational Sciences in the College of Medicine
2024 · UF College of Medicine
Faculty Council President
2023-2024 · UF College of Medicine
Giles F. Filley Memorial Award for Excellence in Respiratory Physiology and Medicine
2023 · American Physiological Society

Teaching Profile

Courses Taught
2018
EGN4912 Engineering Directed Independent Research
2020-2022,2024
BMS3521 Human Physiology in Translation
2021-2023
GMS7794 Neuroscience Seminar
2021-2023
DEN5120C Physiology
2022-2024
GMS7979 Advanced Research
2023
GMS6022 Principles of Neurophysiology
2023-2025
GMS7980 Research for Doctoral Dissertation
2023-2025
PAS5025 Human Physiology
2024
GMS6471 Fundamentals of Physiology and Functional Genomics I
2024
GMS6472 Fundamentals of Physiology and Functional Genomics II
2024
GMS6473 Fundamentals of Physiology and Functional Genomics III
2024-2025
BMS6020 Clinical Neuroscience

Research Profile

My research interests involve understanding mechanisms of spinal learning within the context of breathing function. Within the respiratory neural control network there are several known spinal mechanisms underlying plasticity and they all lead to a long-lasting increase in phrenic motor output; a direct correlation to contraction of the diaphragm and, thus, breathing. I have shown that hypoxia-inducible factors can act as neurotrophic stimulators of the phrenic motor network to elicit facilitation in much the same way. A large portion of my current research focus is aimed towards activating phrenic motor networks via electrical spinal cord stimulation to enable functional recovery of breathing after upper cervical spinal cord injury in rodents. Recently published work utilizing this model in a closed-loop stimulation paradigm has shown promise for eliciting plasticity within the respiratory motor network.

Publications

Academic Articles
2024
Closed-loop cervical epidural stimulation partially restores ipsilesional diaphragm EMG after acute C2 hemisection.
Respiratory physiology & neurobiology. 320 [DOI] 10.1016/j.resp.2023.104182. [PMID] 37923238.
2023
BDNF-induced phrenic motor facilitation shifts from PKCθ to ERK dependence with mild systemic inflammation
Journal of Neurophysiology. 129(2):455-464 [DOI] 10.1152/jn.00345.2022. [PMID] 36695529.
2022
Closed-Loop, Cervical, Epidural Stimulation Elicits Respiratory Neuroplasticity after Spinal Cord Injury in Freely Behaving Rats
eneuro. 9(1):ENEURO.0426-21.2021 [DOI] 10.1523/eneuro.0426-21.2021.
2022
The phrenic neuromuscular system.
Handbook of clinical neurology. 188:393-408 [DOI] 10.1016/B978-0-323-91534-2.00012-6. [PMID] 35965035.
2022
Therapeutic acute intermittent hypoxia: A translational roadmap for spinal cord injury and neuromuscular disease.
Experimental neurology. 347 [DOI] 10.1016/j.expneurol.2021.113891. [PMID] 34637802.
2021
Electrical epidural stimulation of the cervical spinal cord: implications for spinal respiratory neuroplasticity after spinal cord injury
Journal of Neurophysiology. 126(2):607-626 [DOI] 10.1152/jn.00625.2020. [PMID] 34232771.
2021
Formation of a novel supraspinal-spinal connectome that relearns the same motor task after complete paralysis
Journal of Neurophysiology. 126(3):957-966 [DOI] 10.1152/jn.00422.2020. [PMID] 34406891.
2021
Spinal Anesthesia Reduces Myocardial Ischemia-triggered Ventricular Arrhythmias by Suppressing Spinal Cord Neuronal Network Interactions in Pigs.
Anesthesiology. 134(3):405-420 [DOI] 10.1097/ALN.0000000000003662. [PMID] 33411921.
2018
Progression of myocardial ischemia leads to unique changes in immediate-early gene expression in the spinal cord dorsal horn.
American journal of physiology. Heart and circulatory physiology. 315(6):H1592-H1601 [DOI] 10.1152/ajpheart.00337.2018. [PMID] 30216122.
2017
Effect of Thoracic Epidural Anesthesia on Ventricular Excitability in a Porcine Model.
Anesthesiology. 126(6):1096-1106 [DOI] 10.1097/ALN.0000000000001613. [PMID] 28358748.
2017
Phrenic motor neuron TrkB expression is necessary for acute intermittent hypoxia-induced phrenic long-term facilitation.
Experimental neurology. 287(Pt 2):130-136 [DOI] 10.1016/j.expneurol.2016.05.012. [PMID] 27185271.
2017
Spinal cord stimulation reduces ventricular arrhythmias during acute ischemia by attenuation of regional myocardial excitability.
American journal of physiology. Heart and circulatory physiology. 313(2):H421-H431 [DOI] 10.1152/ajpheart.00129.2017. [PMID] 28576833.
2016
Repetitive acute intermittent hypoxia increases growth/neurotrophic factor expression in non-respiratory motor neurons.
Neuroscience. 322:479-88 [DOI] 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2016.02.060. [PMID] 26944605.
2015
Intermittent hypoxia and neurorehabilitation.
Journal of applied physiology (Bethesda, Md. : 1985). 119(12):1455-65 [DOI] 10.1152/japplphysiol.00235.2015. [PMID] 25997947.
2015
Phrenic long-term facilitation requires PKCθ activity within phrenic motor neurons.
The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience. 35(21):8107-17 [DOI] 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.5086-14.2015. [PMID] 26019328.
2013
Intermittent hypoxia and stem cell implants preserve breathing capacity in a rodent model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
American journal of respiratory and critical care medicine. 187(5):535-42 [DOI] 10.1164/rccm.201206-1072OC. [PMID] 23220913.
2013
Spinal vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and erythropoietin (EPO) induced phrenic motor facilitation after repetitive acute intermittent hypoxia.
Respiratory physiology & neurobiology. 185(3):481-8 [DOI] 10.1016/j.resp.2012.10.014. [PMID] 23128070.
2012
Cervical spinal erythropoietin induces phrenic motor facilitation via extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase and Akt signaling.
The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience. 32(17):5973-83 [DOI] 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.3873-11.2012. [PMID] 22539857.
2012
Repetitive acute intermittent hypoxia increases expression of proteins associated with plasticity in the phrenic motor nucleus.
Experimental neurology. 237(1):103-15 [DOI] 10.1016/j.expneurol.2012.05.020. [PMID] 22704858.
2012
Severe acute intermittent hypoxia elicits phrenic long-term facilitation by a novel adenosine-dependent mechanism.
Journal of applied physiology (Bethesda, Md. : 1985). 112(10):1678-88 [DOI] 10.1152/japplphysiol.00060.2012. [PMID] 22403346.

Grants

May 2024 ACTIVE
Mechanisms and therapeutic potential of vagus nerve stimulation in aging and Alzheimer's disease
Role: Co-Investigator
Funding: NATL INST OF HLTH NIA
Apr 2024 ACTIVE
Spinal Direct Current Stimulation to Enhance Breathing Following Cervical Spinal Cord Injury
Role: Consultant
Funding: NATL INST OF HLTH NINDS
Jul 2021 ACTIVE
Cervical Epidural Stimulation and Respiratory Motor Plasticity
Role: Principal Investigator
Funding: NATL INST OF HLTH NHLBI
May 2021 – Apr 2024
Mechanisms and therapeutic potential of vagus nerve stimulation in aging and Alzheimers disease
Role: Co-Investigator
Funding: NATL INST OF HLTH NIA
May 2020 ACTIVE
Control of Breathing and Pompe Disease
Role: Co-Investigator
Funding: NATL INST OF HLTH NICHD
Jul 2019 – Jul 2023
Cervical Spinal Epidural Stimulation and Respiratory Recovery after SCI
Role: Principal Investigator
Funding: CRAIG H NEILSEN FOU
Sep 2016 – Jul 2022
Functional mapping of peripheral and central circuits for airway protection and breathing
Role: Project Manager
Funding: NATL INST OF HLTH OD
Jul 2006 – Sep 2024
BRAIN AND SPINAL CORD INJURY RESEARCH
Role: Project Manager
Funding: FL DEPT OF HLTH

Contact Details

Phones:
Business:
(352) 273-8241
Emails:
Business:
ericadale@ufl.edu
Addresses:
Business Mailing:
PO BOX 100274
PHYSIOLOGY AND FUNCTIONAL GENOMICS
GAINESVILLE FL 326100274
Business Street:
CG-20
CG-20
1345 CENTER DRIVE
GAINESVILLE FL 326110001