Albert Herrera

• NIH and MDA Postdoctoral Fellow, University of California, Los Angeles, 1977 – 1981

Tenure Track Appointments

• Professor, Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, 08/1992 –
• Associate Professor, Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, 08/1987 – 07/1992
• Assistant Professor, Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, 08/1981 – 07/1987

PostDoctoral Appointments

• NIH and MDA Postdoctoral Fellow, University of California, Los Angeles, 06/1977 – 07/1981

Summary Statement of Research Interests

Professor Herrera’s research focuses on the development, growth, regulation and plasticity of synapses in the vertebrate nervous system.

Herrera studies the formation and subsequent elimination of the nervous system’s overabundance of synaptic connections during embryonic development. He has shown this occurs through an activity-dependent, competitive process controlled by the expression of ion channels, which results in the permanent adult set of neural connections.

His research on neural development, learning and memory, and neural recovery from injury focuses on long-term effects of altered activity on synaptic efficiency. He uses a frog model to focus on events at the neuro-muscular junction in this research.

In another project, Herrera’s lab investigates the role of Schwann cells in the development and the growth of peripheral synapses. Schwann cells are glial cells that cover and sustain the synapse. He has revealed that Schwann cells lead the growth of motor axons during new synapse formation and synaptic enlargement.

USC Funding

• Provost’s Undergraduate Research Associates Program. Embryonic development of skeletal muscle in frogs: Three students study embryogenesis of skeletal muscle and nerve-muscle synapses in frog tadpoles. Students work closely with the sponsor, and study methods, ethics, and the relevant literature., $10000, 2010-2011
• Provost’s Undergraduate Research Associates Program. Plasticity of Synaptic Connections during Embryogenesis: A small team of undergraduate researchers examines structural and functional aspects of the dramatic rearrangements of nerve-muscle synaptic connections during early embryonic development in frogs., $10000, 2009-2010
• USC Fund for Innovative Undergraduate Teaching. Redesign of a Large Introductory Biology Class: Lectures were recorded and archived for online access. In groups of about 50, students read and discussed original research papers. Extensive polling was done to correlate opinions with performance., $15000, 2006-2007

Journal Article

• VanSaun, M., Herrera, A. A., Werle, M. (2004). Structural alterations at the neuromuscular junctions of matrix metalloproteinase-3 null mutant mice. Journal of Neurocytology/Kluwer Academic Press. Vol. 32, pp. 1129-1142.
• Herrera, A. A., Zeng, Y. (2003). Activity-dependent switch from synapse formation to synapse elimination during development of neuromuscular junctions. Journal of Neurocytology/Kluwer Academic Press. Vol. 32, pp. 817-833.
• Reddy, L. V., Koirala, S., Sugiura, Y., Herrera, A. A., Ko, C. (2003). Glial cells maintain synaptic structure and function and promote development of the neuromuscular junction in vivo. Neuron/Cell Press. Vol. 40, pp. 563-580.
• Herrera, A. A., Qiang, H., Ko, C. (2000). The role of perisynaptic Schwann cells in development of neuromuscular junctions in the frog (Xenopus laevis). Journal of Neurobiology/Wiley. Vol. 45, pp. 237-254.
• Herrera, A. A., Qiang, H., Ko, C. (2000). The role of perisynaptic Schwann cells in development of neuromuscular junctions in the frog (Xenopus laevis). Journal of Neurobiology. Vol. 45, pp. 237-254.

• Undergraduate Research Web Site, This website features research results obtained by undergraduate researchers supervised by Albert Herrera: www-rcf.usc.edu/~aherrera, 2004 –

Review Panels

• NIH-NINDS, External Advisory Committee, Special Neuroscience Research Program, La Universidad Central del Carib, 2004 – 2009

Other Service to the University

• Faculty Sponsor, Operation Smile (pre-medical/dental student organization), 01/01/2008 – 12/31/2010
• Faculty Sponsor, Chicanos/Latinos for Health Education (pre-medical student organization), 09/01/2005 – 12/31/2010
• Faculty Director, Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society, 09/01/2004 – 12/31/2010
• Member, Advisory Board, Our Savior Catholic Center at USC, 09/01/2000 – 12/31/2010
• Member, Selection Committee, USC Mellon Awards for Excellence in Mentoring , Spring 2009
• Judge, USC Undergraduate Symposium for Scholarly and Creative Work, Spring 2008

Professional Memberships

• Society for Neuroscience, 1981 – 2010