Alma Rodenas-Ruano

• B.S. in Biological Sciences, City College of New York, CUNY
• M.S. in Molecular Biology and Microbiology, University of Central Florida
• Ph.D. in Neuroscience, University of Miami Medical School / Miami Project to Cure Paralysis.

Postdoctoral Training - Dominic E. Purpura Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine

• Suzanne Zukin Lab: Epigenetic alteration of hippocampal excitatory synaptic function following  maternal deprivation in newborns.
• Pablo E. Castillo Lab: Cellular mechanism of neuronal plasticity in the hippocampus, a brain region critical for learning and memory.

Dr. Alma Rodenas-Ruano is a neuroscientist, whose research focuses on understanding how environmental cues shape normal development of brain circuits via epigenetic mechanisms, and on the impact that aberrant environments have on survival, neuronal development, plasticity and behavior.

Her lab focuses on:

• Unearthing novel NMDA receptor dependent plasticity mechanisms in the hippocampal dentate gyrus.
• Understanding the mechanisms that rule synaptic development in neurons. This includes understanding how environmental factors and hormones, like oxytocin, can change epigenetic gene transcription mechanisms and impact the balance of excitation vs inhibition in neurons.
• Understanding how environmental toxins, often a product of industrial runoff, might impact neuronal function in aquatic species like zebrafish and horseshoe crabs.

NSCI 1423 Concepts in Biology I – General Biology for Neuroscience and Psychology students
NSCI 4630 Neuroscience
NSCI 4032 Neuroscience Lab
NSCI 4112 Human and Comparative Neuroscience
NSCI 4812 Human and Comparative Physiology Lab
NEUR 4900 Neuroscience Capstone Seminar

For a complete list of publications visit my Google Scholar page.

Berthoux, C., Rodenas-Ruano A., Bist,L., Nasrallah, K., Castillo, M., Shelkar, G.P., Dravid, S.M., Swanger, S.A., Castillo, P.E. (2026). GluN2D-containing NMDA receptors support dentate granule cell excitability, synaptic plasticity, and memory. bioRxiv doi: https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.03.06.710109

Nasrallah, K., Castillo, M., Lutzu, S., Castillo, P. E., Rodenas-Ruano, A. (2026) Heterosynaptic NMDA Receptor Plasticity in Hippocampal Dentate Granule. Frontiers in Synaptic Neuroscience doi: 10.3389/fnsyn.2026.1825949

Rodenas-Ruano, A., Nasrallah, K., Lutzu, S., Castillo, M., Castillo, P. E. (2022) Heterosynaptic NMDA Receptor Plasticity in Hippocampal Dentate Granule Cells bioRxiv doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2022.01.12.476040

Ben Simon, Y., Rodenas-Ruano, A., Alvina, K., Castillo, P.E., Ashery, U. (2015) Optogenetic activation of hippocampal mossy fiber synapses reveals major role for tomosyn in short-term plasticity. Cell Rep.12(3):396-404.

Chávez A.E., Hernandez V.,., Chan S., Castillo P.E. (2014). Functional expression of TRPV1 channels at inhibitory synapses in the dentate gyrus. J Neurosci. 34(50):16621-9.

Rodenas-Ruano, A., Chávez, A.E., Cossio, M.J., Castillo, P.E. and Zukin, R.S. (2012) REST-dependent epigenetic remodeling promotes the in vivo developmental switch in synaptic NMDA receptors. Nat. Neurosci. 15(10):1382-90. PMID: 22960932.

Lau, C.G., Takayasu, Y., Rodenas-Ruano, A., Paternain, A.V., Lerma, J., Bennett, M.V.L. and Zukin, R.S. (2010) SNAP-25 is a target of protein kinase C phosphorylation critical to NMDA receptor trafficking. J. Neurosci. 30:242-546. PMID: 20053906.

Lau C.G. Takeuchi K., Rodenas-Ruano A., Takayasu Y., Murphy J., Bennett M.V.,L. and Zukin R.S. (2009) Regulation of NMDA receptor Ca2+ signaling and synaptic plasticity. Biochem. Soc. Trans. 37:1369-74. PMID: 19909278.

Yang, Y., Takeuchi, K., Rodenas-Ruano, A., Takayasu Y., Bennett, M.V.L and Zukin, R.S. (2009) Developmental switch in requirement for PKA RII in NMDA-receptor-dependent synaptic plasticity at Schaffer Collateral to CA1 pyramidal cell synapses. Neuropharmacology 56: 56-65. PMID: 18789341.

Rodenas-Ruano A., Perez-Pinzon M.A., Green E.J. (2006) Henkemeyer M. and Liebl D.J. Distinct roles for ephrinB3 in the formation and function of hippocampal synapses. Dev. Biol. 292:34-45. PMID: 16466709.

Howard, M.A., Rodenas-Ruano A., Henkemeyer M., Martin G., Lonsbury-Martin B. and Liebl D.J. (2003) Eph receptor deficiencies lead to altered cochlear function. Hear. Res. 178:118-30. PMID: 12684184.

Fernandez-Valle C., Tang Y., Ricard J., Rodenas-Ruano A., Taylor A., Hackler E., Biggerstaff J., Iacovelli J. (2002) Paxillin binds Schwannomin and regulates its density-dependent localization and effect on cell morphology. Nat.Gen. 31: 354-62. PMID: 12118253.