Biography

Joseph Patterson received his Bachelor’s degree in biology with an emphasis in microscopy, and his Master’s degree in biology from Central Michigan University in 2008 and 2010 respectively. In 2016 he earned his Ph.D. in genetics from Michigan State University in the lab of Keith Lookingland and John Goudreau. He did his postdoctoral training in the Lab of Caryl Sortwell in the Department of Translational Neuroscience at the Michigan State University College of Human Medicine campus in Grand Rapids from 2016-2020. In 2020-2021 he oversaw the operation of the Michigan State University COVID-19 Early Detection Program Lab. In late 2020 he was promoted to an assistant professor in the Department of Translational Neuroscience at Michigan State University. His lab currently studies the impact of aging and comorbidities on the severity and progression of synucleinopathies such as Parkinson’s disease.

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Research Interests

Dr. Patterson’s research focuses on studying the impact of aging and comorbidities on the severity and progression of synucleinopathies such as Parkinson’s disease. An additional focus of his is the testing of potential disease modifying therapies in a synucleinopathy model that recapitulates key features of Parkinson’s disease.

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Bibliography (Relevant First/Last author papers)

• Patterson, J. R. et al. Transcriptomic profiling of early synucleinopathy in rats induced with preformed fibrils. NPJ Parkinsons Dis 10, 7 (2024).
• Patterson, J. R. et al. Beta2-adrenoreceptor agonist clenbuterol produces transient decreases in alpha-synuclein mRNA but no long-term reduction in protein. NPJ Parkinsons Dis 8, 61 (2022).
• Howe, J. W. et al. Preformed fibrils generated from mouse alpha-synuclein produce more inclusion pathology in rats than fibrils generated from rat alpha-synuclein. Parkinsonism Relat Disord 89, 41–47 (2021).
• Patterson, J. R. et al. Generation of Alpha-Synuclein Preformed Fibrils from Monomers and Use In Vivo. Journal of Visualized Experiments https://doi.org/10.3791/59758 (2019) doi:10.3791/59758.
• Patterson, J. R. et al. Time course and magnitude of alpha-synuclein inclusion formation and nigrostriatal degeneration in the rat model of synucleinopathy triggered by intrastriatal α-synuclein preformed fibrils. Neurobiol Dis 130, 104525 (2019).

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Education

Institution	Field of Study	Degree Earned	Year
Central Michigan University, Mt. Pleasant, MI	Biology (Microscopy)	B.S.	2008
Central Michigan University, Mt. Pleasant, MI	General Biology	M.S.	2010
Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI	Genetics	Ph.D.	2016
Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, MI	Neuroscience	Postdoctoral Fellow	2016-2020

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Technical Expertise

• Immunohistochemistry
• Immunofluorescence
• Stereological analysis
• Stereotaxic Surgery (Rat and Mouse)
• Neurotoxicant Parkinsonian Rodent Models
• Synucleinopathy Rodent Model
• Synthesis of Preformed Fibrils of Alpha-Synuclein
• Electron Microscopy
• Laser Capture Microdissection
• DNA/RNA Isolation
• Droplet Digital PCR
• SDS-PAGE
• Western Blotting

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