Brian Burrell

Introduction to Neurobiology (BIOL 430/530)

Medical Neuroscience (IMC 602)

Neuroscience - specifically modulation of synaptic transmission in the context of pain and learning and memory. We use a combination of electrophysiology, cellular biology, and behavioral approaches to understand processes within the nervous system that increase or reduce the perception of painful stimuli. We are especially interested in the role of the endocannabinoid system and the potential overlap between cellular mechanisms that modulate pain and those that mediate learning and memory.

I also serve as the director for the NIH-funded Graduate Research Training Initiative for Student Enhancement (G-RISE) and co-director of the NIDA-funded Summer Program for Undergraduate Research in Addiction (SPURA) at USD.

I highly value enhancing the diversity of the biomedical and biobehavioral workforce. For the scientific enterprise to serve all members of our society, all members of our society must be involved in science.

Citations listed below are presented in a standardized, modified format for display purposes only. They do not necessarily reflect the preferred style and conventions of the faculty member or discipline.

, and Burrell, Brian. Differences in chloride gradients allow for three distinct types of synaptic modulation by endocannabinoids, 619-628. Vol. 116 Journal of Neurophysiology, 2016.
Summers, Torrie, Wang, Yanqing, , and Burrell, Brian. Physiological, Pharmacological, and Behavioral Evidence for a TRPA1 Channel That Can Elicit Defensive Responses in the Medicinal Leech, 3023-3031. Vol. 218 Journal of Experimental Biology, 2015. (DOI: 10.1242)
Wang, Yanqing, Summers, Torrie, Peterson, Warren , Miiller, Elly, and Burrell, Brian. Differential effects of GABA in modulating nociceptive vs. non-nociceptive synapses, 397-409. Vol. 298 Neuroscience, 2015. (DOI: 10.1016)
Hahn, Elizabeth , and Burrell, Brian. Pentylenetetrazol-induced seizure-like behavior and neural hyperactivity in the medicinal leech, 1-8. Vol. 15 Vermillion: Invertebrate Neuroscience, 2015.
Summers, Torrie, and Burrell, Brian. Physiological and behavioral evidence of a capsaicin-sensitive TRPV-like channel in the medicinal leech, 4167-4173. Vol. 217 Vermillion: Journal of Experimental Biology, 2014.
Yuan, Sharleen, and Burrell, Brian. Non-nociceptive afferent activity depresses nocifensive behavior and nociceptive synapses via an endocannabinoid-dependent mechanism., 2607-2616. Vol. 110 Journal of Neurophysiology, 2013. (DOI: 10.1152)
Higgins, Alexandra, Yuan, Sharleen, Wang, Yanqing, and Burrell, Brian. Differential Modulation of Nociceptive versus Non-Nociceptive Synapses by Endocannabinoids, 26. Vol. 9 Molecular Pain, 2013.
Yuan, Sharleen, and Burrell, Brian. Endocannabinoid-dependent long-term depression in a nociceptive synapse requires coordinated pre- and postsynaptic transcription and translation, 4349-4358. Vol. 33 Journal of Neuroscience, 2013.
Yuan, Sharleen, and Burrell, Brian. Long-term depression of nociceptive synapses by non-nociceptive afferent activity: Role of endocannabinoids, Ca2+, and calcineurin. , 1-11. Vol. 1460 Brain Research, 2012.
Li, Qin, and Burrell, Brian. Associative, bidirectional changes in neural signaling utilizing NMDA receptor- and endocannabinoid-dependent mechanisms., 545-553. Vol. 18 Learning & Memory, 2011.
Grey, Kathryn B., and Burrell, Brian. Seasonal variation of long-term potentiation at a central synapse in the medicinal leech., 2534-2539. Vol. 214 J Exp Biol, 2011.
Grey, Kathryn , and Burrell, Brian. Co-induction of LTP and LTD and its regulation by protein kinases and phosphatases., 2737–2746. Vol. 103 Journal of Neurophysiology, 2010.
Yuan, Sharleen, and Burrell, Brian. Endocannabinoid-dependent LTD in a nociceptive synapse requires activation of a presynaptic TRPV-like receptor., 2766-2777. Vol. 104 J Neurophsiol, 2010.
Li, Qin, and Burrell, Brian. Properties of cannabinoid-dependent long term depression in the leech. , 841-851. Vol. 196 J Comp Physiol , 2010.
Crisp, Kevin, and Burrell, Brian. Cellular and behavioral properties of learning in the leech and other annelids. In Annelids as Model Systems in the Biological Sciences. In Annelids in Modern Biology. Annelids as Model Systems in the Biological Sciences, 2009.
Grey, Kathryn B., Moss, Brenda L., and Burrell, Brian. Molecular identification and expression of the NMDA receptor NR1 subunit in the leech., 11-20. Vol. 9 Invert. Neurosci, 2009.
Li, Qin , and Burrell, Brian. Two Forms of Long Term Depression in a Leech Polysynaptic Connection: One NMDA Receptor-Dependent and the other Cannabinoid-Dependent., 831-841. Vol. 195 J Comp Physiol., 2009.
Paulsen, Riley T., Agany, Diing D., Petersen, Jason, Davis, Christel M., Ehli, Erik, Gnimpieba, Etienne, and Burrell, Brian. The Draft Reference Genome for Hirudo verbana, the Medicinal Leech. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. (DOI: 10.1101/2020.12.08.416024)

Wang, Yanqing , and Burrell, Brian, Endovanilloid-mediated synaptic potentiation contributes to behavioral sensitization. Presented at the Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL. (October 19, 2015)
Fanta, John, and Burrell, Brian, The Role of Endovanilloids during Stress-Induced Modulation of Nociception. Presented at the Faculty for Undergraduate Neuroscience, Chicago, IL. (October 18, 2015)
Wang, Yanqing , and Burrell, Brian, Three discrete mechanisms by which endovanilloids modulate synaptic transmission. Presented at the Annual Meeting of the Nebraska Physiological Society, Vermillion, SD. (October 10, 2015)
Summers, Torrie, Hanten, Branden, and Burrell, Brian, Endocannabinoids/endovanilloids attenuate injury-induced hyperalgesia but not mechanical allodynia. Presented at the Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting, Washington, DC. (November 18, 2014)
Wang, Yanqing, and Burrell, Brian, Endovanilloids modulate synaptic transmission by three distinct mechanisms. Presented at the Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting, Washington, DC. (November 18, 2014)
Wang, Yanqing, and Burrell, Brian, Differential effects of GABA in modulating nociceptive vs. non-nociceptive synapses. Presented at the USD Sanford Research Symposium, Vermillion, SD. (May 19, 2014)
Wang, Yanqing, and Burrell, Brian, Differential effects of GABA in modulating nociceptive vs. non-nociceptive synapses. Presented at the IdeaFest, Vermillion, SD. (April 09, 2014)
Summers, Torrie, and Burrell, Brian, Cannabinoids differentially modulate behavioral responses to nociceptive vs non-nociceptive stimuli. Presented at the Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA. (November 12, 2013)
Wang, Yanqing, and Burrell, Brian, Differential effects of GABA in modulating nociceptive vs. non-nociceptive synapses. Presented at the Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA. (November 12, 2013)
Burrell, Brian, What the leech can tell us about how it hurts.. Presented at the MidBrains 2013, Northfield, MN (Carleton College). (October 05, 2013)
, Yuan, Sharleen, and Burrell, Brian, Differential endocannabinoid modulation of nociceptive vs. non-nociceptive synapses . Presented at the Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA. (October 16, 2012)
Yuan, Sharleen, and Burrell, Brian, Endocannabinoids depress both nociceptive synapses and nocifensive behavior via a gate control-like mechanism . Presented at the Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA. (October 16, 2012)
Summers, Torrie, and Burrell, Brian, A comparison of central and peripheral effects of TRPV and TRPA activators and antagonists in the leech . Presented at the Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA. (October 15, 2012)
Burrell, Brian, What a Leech Can Tell Us About How It Hurts. Presented at the Tedx Sioux River, Sioux Falls, SD. (August 04, 2012)
Yuan, Sharleen, and Burrell, Brian, Endocannabinoid-dependent nociceptive signaling requires both pre- and postsynaptic protein synthesis, but only postsynaptic RNA synthesis . Presented at the Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting, Washington DC. (November 15, 2011)
Higgins, Alexandra , and Burrell, Brian, Differential Modulation of Nociceptive versus Non-Nociceptive Synapses by Endocannabinoids. Presented at the Faculty For Undergraduate Neuroscience Symposium, Washington DC. (November 14, 2011)
Burrell, Brian, Hahn, Elizabeth, List, Jeb, and Rasmussen, Torrie, Nocifensive response and behavioral sensitization induced by TRP activators in the leech . Presented at the Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting, Washington DC. (November 13, 2011)

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