Education
- 2003: Ph.D. (Pharmacology) - LSU Health Sciences Center-Shreveport, (Dissertation title: Beta-adrenergic modulation of mouse brain tryptophan), Louisiana, United States.
- 1998 B.S. (Biological Sciences), B.S. (Chemistry) - Louisiana Tech University, Ruston, Louisiana, United States.
Academic Experience
- 2021-present: Assistant Dean, Arts and Sciences - Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University, Rouge, Louisiana, United States.
- 2019-present: Professor, Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University (Teach biology coursework to undergraduate students of all levels), Rouge, Louisiana, United States.
- 2015-2019: Associate Professor, Our Lady of the Lake College/Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University (Teach biology coursework to undergraduate students of all levels), Rouge, Louisiana, United States.
- 2014-present: Biology Program Director/Chair, Our Lady of the Lake College/Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University, Rouge, Louisiana, United States.
- 2011-2016: Our Lady of the Lake College Title III Learning in Laboratories Grant – Science Labs Strategy Team Leader , Rouge, Louisiana, United States.
- 2009-2015: Assistant Professor, Our Lady of the Lake College, Rouge, Louisiana, United States.
Peer-Reviewed Original Research Manuscripts
- Lenard NR, Gettys TW, Dunn AJ. Activation of beta2- and beta3-adrenergic receptors increases brain tryptophan. J Pharmacol Exp Ther.2003. 305:653-659.
- Lenard NR, Dunn AJ. Increased insulin is not required for beta2-adrenoceptor-induced increases in mouse brain tryptophan. Eur J Pharmacol. 2004.497:105-110.
- Lenard NR, Dunn AJ. Potential role for nonesterified fatty acids in beta-adrenoceptor-induced increases in brain tryptophan. Neurochem Intl. 2005. 46:179-187.
- Lenard NR, Roerig SC. Development of antinociceptive tolerance and physical dependence following morphine i.c.v. infusion in mice. Eur J Pharmacol. 2005. 527:71-76
- Daniels DJ, Lenard NR, Etienne CL, Law PY, Roerig SC, Portoghese PS. Opioid-induced tolerance and dependence in mice is modulated by the distance between pharmacophores in a bivalent ligand series. Proc Natl Acad Sci. 2005.102:19208-19213
- Lenard NR, Prpic V, Adamson AW, Rogers RC, Gettys TW. Differential coupling of mouse beta3A- and beta3B-adrenoceptors to chimeric G proteins. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 2006.291:E704-15.
- Lenard NR, Daniels DJ, Portoghese PS, Roerig SC. Absence of conditioned place preference or reinstatement with bivalent ligands containing mu-opioid receptor agonist and delta-opioid receptor antagonist pharmacophores. Eur J Pharmacol. 2007.566:75-82
- Zheng H, Shin AC, Lenard NR, Townsend RL, Patterson LM, Sigalet DL, Berthoud HR. Meal patterns, satiety, and food choice in a rat model of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 2009.297:R1273-82
- Zhang Y, Huypens P, Adamson AW, Chang JS, Henagan TM, Boudreau A, Lenard NR, Burk D, Klein J, Perwitz N, Shin J, Fasshauer M, Kralli A, Gettys TW. Alternative mRNA splicing produces a novel biologically active short isoform of PGC-1alpha. J Biol Chem. 2009.284:32813-26
- Lenard NR, Zheng H, Berthoud HR. Chronic suppression of mu-opioid receptor signaling in the nucleus accumbens attenuates development of diet-induced obesity in rats. Int J Obes. 2010.34(6):1001-10
- Hasek BE, Stewart LK, Henagan TM, Boudreau A, Lenard NR, Black C, Shin J, Huypens P, Malloy VL, Plaisance EP, Krajcik RA, Orentreich N, Gettys TW. Dietary methionine restriction enhances metabolic flexibility and increases uncoupled respiration in both fed and fasted states. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 2010.299(3):R728-39
- Plaisance EP, Henagan TM, Echlin H, Boudreau A, Hill KL, Lenard NR, Hasek BE, Orentreich N, Gettys TW. Role of beta-adrenergic receptors in the hyperphagic and hypermetabolic responses to dietary methionine restriction. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 2010. 299(3):R740-50.
- Henagan, TM, Lenard, NR, Gettys, TW, Stewart, LK. Dietary quercetin supplementation in mice increases skeletal muscle PGC1α expression, improves mitochondrial function and attenuates insulin resistance in a time- and dose-specific manner. PLoS One. 2014. 9(2): e89365.
- Henagan, TM, Stefanska, B, Fang, Z, Navard, AM, Ye, J, Lenard, NR, Devarshi, PP. Sodium butyrate epigenetically modulates high fat diet-induced skeletal muscle mitochondrial adaption, obesity and insulin resistance through nucleosome positioning. Br J Pharmacol. 2015.172(11):2782-98.
- Forney LA, Lenard NR, Stewart LK, Henagan TM. Dietary Quercetin Attenuates Adipose Tissue Expansion and Inflammation and Alters Adipocyte Morphology in a Tissue-Specific Manner. Int J Mol Sci. 2018.19(3).
- Ma K, Devarshi PP, Henagan TM, Lenard NR. Thirteen Weeks of Resistance Training Exercise Increases Circulating Mesenchymal Stem Cells. Int J Sports Sci Med. 2022 March 03;6(1): 001-005. doi: 10.37871/ijssm.id55
Review Articles
- Lenard NR, Dunn AJ. Mechanisms and significance of increased brain uptake of tryptophan. Neurochem Res. 2005.30:1543-1548
- Lenard NR, Berthoud HR. Central and peripheral regulation of food intake and physical activity: pathways and genes. Obesity, 2008.16 Suppl 3:S11-22.
- Zheng H, Lenard NR, Shin AC, Berthoud HR. Appetite control and energy balance regulation in the modern world: reward-driven brain overrides repletion signals. Int J Obesity 2009.33:S8–S13.
- Berthoud HR, Lenard NR, Shin AC. Food reward, hyperphagia, and obesity. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 2011 Jun;300(6):R1266-77. Epub 2011 Mar 16. Review.
Grants and Awards
External Grants
- 2015-2016: PI-Louisiana Board of Regents' Undergraduate Enhancement Grant Award. Title: EMBRACE: Enhancing Molecular and Biochemical Research Activities in Course Experiences; Total Award: $68,100
- 2011-2016: DOE Title III Learning in Laboratories Grant (contributed to writing, served as Sciences Strategy Leader); Total Award: $1,953,989..
- 2004-2008 PI: Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award, National Institute on Drug Abuse (PI). Title: “Analgesic tolerance to mu-delta bivalent ligands,” Dates: 02/06/04 to 02/29/08. Role: Principal Investigator; Grant Number: F32DA018028; Total stipend amount: $134,743.
- 2003-2004: Training Grant Fellow, National Institute on Drug Abuse. Title: “Stress and the Neurobiology of Drug and Alcohol Dependence,” Dates: 02/01/03 to 02/05/04. PI: Nicholas Goeders, Ph.D., Grant Number: T32DA007311.
Internal Grants (FranU, PI for all)
- 2018-2022: Louisiana Board of Regents/FranU, Sr. M. Edana Corcoran I, Carl Baldridge, Sr. Julie O’Donovan I, Sr. Mary Elizabeth Gibbens, Sr. Ann Young Professorships, “Engaging Students by Enhancing Undergraduate Research Opportunities” Total Award: $611,765.
- 2017-2018: Louisiana Board of Regents/OLOL College, Sr. Magdalen O’Donovan Professorship, “Multidisciplinary and Multilevel Undergraduate Independent Research Experiences in the Sciences” Total Award: $7000.
- 2016-2017: Louisiana Board of Regents/OLOL College, Sr. Marie Lemine Professorship, “Thinking Like a Scientist: Development of Student Skills in Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CURE) and Supervised Independent Research Experiences (SIRE)” Total Award: $7000.
- 2014-2015: Louisiana Board of Regents/OLOL College, Sr. M. Edana Corcoran Professorship I, “Supporting Undergraduate Research in the Molecular Biology Research Labs” Total Award: $7000.
Awards
- 2011: Our Lady of the Lake Faculty Awards – Collegial Faculty Member
- 2003: LSUHSC-Shreveport Graduate Research Day, 2nd place, Postdoctoral Category “Activity of opioid receptor bivalent ligands in a model of acute pain”.
