Karina A Alvina

Karina A Alvina,

Research Assistant Professor

Department: Department of Neuroscience
Business Phone: (352) 294-8266
Business Email: kalvina@ufl.edu

About Karina A Alvina

Dr. Alviña is a Research Assistant Professor of Neuroscience at the University of Florida College of Medicine. She received her PhD in Biological Sciences-Physiology in 2008 from the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile in Santiago, Chile. She went on to complete her first Postdoctoral Fellowship (2009-2011) at Columbia University in New York, NY and a second Postdoctoral Fellowship (2012-2016) at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in The Bronx, NY. Dr. Alviña’s work focuses on various aspects of fundamental cellular physiology in the brain. In particular, she studies how specific areas involved in learning and memory are influenced by environmental factors such as stress, exercise and dietary habits, and neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease .

Teaching Profile

Courses Taught
2020
GMS7794 Neuroscience Seminar
2021
GMS6705 Functional Human Neuroanatomy
2022-2025
GMS6022 Principles of Neurophysiology
2022
GMS6090 Research in Medical Sciences
2022-2024
GMS6905 Independent Studies in Medical Sciences
2022
GMS7979 Advanced Research
2022-2025
GMS6701 Functional and Comparative Neuroanatomy for Professionals
2023
GMS6971 Research for Master’s Thesis
2023
GMS7795 Special Topics in Neuroscience
2023-2025
GMS6029 Brain Journal Club

Research Profile

Dr. Alviña’s research program centers around understanding how brain cells communicate with each other to evoke different behaviors, in normal and pathological conditions. Areas of focus include neural mechanisms altered by stress and environmental factors such as dietary habits and exercise, and how these mechanisms can lead to unhealthy cognitive aging and neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease. Dr. Alviña’s laboratory utilizes a multi-disciplinary approach that includes behavioral analysis using animals models, electrophysiology, and pharmacology.

Open Researcher and Contributor ID (ORCID)

0000-0002-8369-0953

Areas of Interest
  • Clinical Translational Neuroscience
  • Neurodegenerative diseases
  • Neurological disorders
  • Neurophysiology
  • Neuroplasticity
  • neuro-inflammation
  • neuroscience

Publications

2022
Author Correction: Altered gut microbiome and autism like behavior are associated with parental high salt diet in male mice.
Scientific reports. 12(1) [DOI] 10.1038/s41598-022-10040-2. [PMID] 35383274.
2021
Altered gut microbiome and autism like behavior are associated with parental high salt diet in male mice.
Scientific reports. 11(1) [DOI] 10.1038/s41598-021-87678-x. [PMID] 33863940.
2021
Design, synthesis and structure-activity relationship study of novel urea compounds as FGFR1 inhibitors to treat metastatic triple-negative breast cancer.
European journal of medicinal chemistry. 209 [DOI] 10.1016/j.ejmech.2020.112866. [PMID] 33039722.
2021
Long term effects of stress on hippocampal function: Emphasis on early life stress paradigms and potential involvement of neuropeptide Y
Journal of Neuroscience Research. 99(1):57-66 [DOI] 10.1002/jnr.24614.
2021
Multiple Roles in Neuroprotection for the Exercise Derived Myokine Irisin.
Frontiers in aging neuroscience. 13 [DOI] 10.3389/fnagi.2021.649929. [PMID] 33935687.
2020
Hippocampal injection of the exercise-induced myokine irisin suppresses acute stress-induced neurobehavioral impairment in a sex-dependent manner.
Behavioral Neuroscience. 134(3):233-247 [DOI] 10.1037/bne0000367.
2019
Maternal elevated salt consumption and the development of autism spectrum disorder in the offspring
Journal of Neuroinflammation. 16(1) [DOI] 10.1186/s12974-019-1666-2. [PMID] 31837704.
2019
The role of inflammation and the gut microbiome in depression and anxiety
Journal of Neuroscience Research. 97(10):1223-1241 [DOI] 10.1002/jnr.24476.
2018
Neurotrophin and FGF Signaling Adapter Proteins, FRS2 and FRS3, Regulate Dentate Granule Cell Maturation and Excitatory Synaptogenesis.
Neuroscience. 369:192-201 [DOI] 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2017.11.017. [PMID] 29155277.
2018
Npas4 Is a Critical Regulator of Learning-Induced Plasticity at Mossy Fiber-CA3 Synapses during Contextual Memory Formation.
Neuron. 97(5):1137-1152.e5 [DOI] 10.1016/j.neuron.2018.01.026. [PMID] 29429933.
2017
Diversity of Graduates from Bachelor’s, Master’s and Doctoral Degree Neuroscience Programs in the United States.
Journal of undergraduate neuroscience education : JUNE : a publication of FUN, Faculty for Undergraduate Neuroscience. 16(1):A6-A13 [PMID] 29371835.

Grants

May 2024 ACTIVE
GATORAADE: Gators Advancing Through Opportunities in Research for Aging and Alzheimer's Disease Education
Role: Principal Investigator
Funding: NATL INST OF HLTH NIA
Sep 2022 ACTIVE
Networking and Expanding Undergraduate Research on the Neurobiology of Aging to Advance Diversity
Role: Principal Investigator
Funding: NATL INST OF HLTH NIA
Apr 2021 – Feb 2023
Role of Irisin as mediator of exercise-related cognitive improvement in Alzheimers Disease
Role: Principal Investigator
Funding: FL DEPT OF HLTH ED ETHEL MOORE ALZHEIMER
Apr 2021 ACTIVE
Centrifugal regulation of olfactory function by melanin-concentrating hormone
Role: Principal Investigator
Funding: NATL INST OF HLTH NIDCD

Education

Postdoctoral Fellow
2012-2016 · Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Postdoctoral Fellow
2009-2011 · Columbia University
Ph.D. Biological Sciences, Physiology
2008 · Pontifical Catholic University of Chile

Contact Details

Phones:
Business:
(352) 294-8266
Emails:
Business:
kalvina@ufl.edu
Addresses:
Business Mailing:
PO Box 100244
GAINESVILLE FL 32610
Business Street:
1149 NEWELL DR RM L1 # 100C
GAINESVILLE FL 32610