Directory Profile
Office: 6257 Salk Hall, 3501 Terrace St, 15261
Phone: 412-624-8185
Fax: 412-383-7436
Email: gibbsr@pitt.edu
Robert B. Gibbs, PhDProfessor, Pharmaceutical Sciences
Robert Gibbs is a Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy. He received a BS in Neuroscience, and a BA in Philosophy from the University of Rochester in 1981, and a Ph.D. in Biological Sciences from the University of California, Irvine in 1987.
His research focuses on the role of gonadal hormones in the regulation of cholinergic neurons, brain aging, and cognition. Recent interests focus on local estrogen production in the brain and how local production is influenced by injury and stress.
His research has been continuously funded by the National Institutes of Health or the National Science Foundation for over 20 years. He has served as an ad hoc reviewer for several NIH study sections, as a reviewer for over a dozen scientific journals, and has published over 100 scientific papers, book chapters, and reviews. He is co-editor of the book “Hormones, Cognition and Dementia: State of the Art and Emergent Therapeutic Strategies” published by Cambridge University Press. Memberships include the Society for Neuroscience, the Society for Behavioral Neuroendocrinology, and the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy.
Effects of gonadal hormones on cholinergic neurons, brain aging, and cognition. Effects of injury and stress on local estrogen production in the brain, and the ability of local estrogen production to promote healing and reduce functional impairment.
Kirshner, Z.Z., and Gibbs, R.B. (2018) Use of the REVERT® total protein stain as a loading control demonstrates significant benefits over the use of housekeeping proteins when analyzing brain homogenates by Western blot: An analysis of samples representing different gonadal hormone states. Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology. DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2018.01.015, PMID 29396126. In Press.
Long, T., Yao, J., Li, J., Kirshner, Z.Z., Nelson, D., Dougherty, G., Gibbs, R.B. (2018) Comparison of transitional vs surgical menopause on monoamine and amino acid levels in the rat brain., Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology. DOI.org/10.1016/j.mce.2018.05.003. In Press.
Li, J., Rao, D., Gibbs, R.B. (2018) Effects of cholinergic lesions and cholinesterase inhibitors on aromatase and estrogen receptor expression in different regions of the rat brain. Neuroscience. In Press.
Li, J., P. J. Oberly, S. Polloyac, R.B. Gibbs (2016) A microsomal based method to detect aromatase activity in different brain regions of the rat using ultra performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. The Journal of steroid biochemistry and molecular biology. Journal of Steroid Biochemistry abnd Molecular Biology 163: p.113-120.
Gibbs, R.B., Nelson, D., Hammond, R.E. (2014) Role of GPR30 in mediating estradiol effects on acetylcholine release in the hippocampus, Hormones & Behavior, 66(2): 339-345. PMCID 4131743.
Impact of Estrogens and Menopause on Interacting Monoamine Neurotransmitters in the Brain
NIH 1R21AG043817-01A1 (8/13 – 7/17)
Regulation of aromatase in the brain by cholinergic inputs and cholinesterase inhibitors
CRDF Proposal (7/31/13 – 6/30/17)