Last updated: 12 March 2015
Department of Biology
University of San Diego
5998 Alcalá Park
San Diego, CA 92110
Office: (619) 260-4129
Lab: (619) 260-5925
FAX: (619) 260-6804
Email: cloer at sandiego dot edu [spam blocked address]
University of California, San Diego 1981-88 (Ph.D., Biology, 1988)
University of California, San Francisco, 1988-93, Postdoctoral Fellow
Honors
Fox Award (Outstanding Graduating Senior in Biology), 1981
Graduation with Honors and Distinction, 1981
NSF Predoctoral Fellowship, 1981 - 1984
NIH Postdoctoral Fellowship, 1989 - 1991
Academic Appointments
7/93 - 6/97. Assistant Professor of Biology, Lafayette College.
1/97 - 8/97. Visiting Associate Professor of Biology, University of San Diego.
9/97 - 8/11. Fletcher Jones Associate Professor of Biology, University of San Diego.
9/11 - present. Fletcher Jones Professor of Biology, University of San Diego.
Courses Taught
Lafayette College: Developmental Biology, Introduction to Developmental Biology, Seminar in Developmental Biology, Neurobiology, Introductory Biology.
University of San Diego: Developmental Biology/Animal Development, Molecular Biology, Techniques in Molecular Biology, Research Project in Molecular Genetics, Honors Neuroscience: Neurobiology & Behavior, Senior Seminar
Publications
Loer, C. M., J. D. Steeves, and C. S. Goodman (1983) Neuronal cell death in grasshopper embryos: variable patterns in different species, clutches, and clones. J. Embryol. Exp. Morph. 78: 169-182.
Loer, C. M., C. Schley, B. Zipser, and W. B. Kristan, Jr. (1986) Development of segmental differences in the pressure mechanosensory neurons of the leech Haementeria ghilianii. J. Comp. Neurol. 254: 403-409.
Jellies, J., C. M. Loer, and W. B. Kristan, Jr. (1987) Morphological changes in leech Retzius neurons after target contact during embryogenesis. J. Neurosci. 7: 2618-2629.
Loer, C. M., J. Jellies, and W. B. Kristan, Jr. (1987) Segment-specific morphogenesis of leech Retzius neurons requires particular peripheral targets. J. Neurosci. 7: 2630-2638.
Loer, C. M. and W. B. Kristan, Jr. (1989) Peripheral target choice by homologous neurons during embryogenesis of the medicinal leech. I. Segment-specific preferences of Retzius cells. J. Neurosci. 9: 513-527.
Loer, C. M. and W. B. Kristan, Jr. (1989) Peripheral target choice by homologous neurons during embryogenesis of the medicinal leech. II. Innervation of ectopic reproductive tissue by non-reproductive Retzius cells. J. Neurosci. 9: 528-538.
Loer, C. M. and W. B. Kristan, Jr. (1989) Central synaptic inputs to identified leech neurons determined by peripheral targets. Science 244: 64-66.
Wittenberg, G., C. M. Loer, S. A. Adamo and W. B. Kristan, Jr. (1990) Segmental specialization of neuronal connectivity in the leech. J. Comp. Physiol. A 167: 453-459.
French, K. A., S. Jordan, C. M. Loer, and W. B. Kristan, Jr. (1992) Mesenchyme of embryonic reproductive ducts directs process outgrowth of Retzius neurons in the medicinal leech. Dev. Biol. 153: 122-140.
Salser, S., C. M. Loer, and C. J. Kenyon (1993) Multiple HOM-C gene interactions specify cell fates in the nematode central nervous system. Genes & Devel. 7: 1714-1724.
Loer, C. M. and C. J. Kenyon (1993) Serotonin-deficient mutants and male mating behavior in the nematode C. elegans. J. Neurosci. 13: 5407-5418.
Loer, C. M., B. D. Davidson & J. M. McKerrow (1999) A phenylalanine hydroxylase gene from the nematode C. elegans is expressed in the hypodermis. J. Neurogenet. 13: 157-180.
Sze, J.Y., M. Victor, C. M. Loer, S. Yang & G. Ruvkun (2000) Feeding and metabolic signalling defects in a Caenorhabditis elegans serotonin-synthesis mutant. Nature 403: 560-564.
Hare, E. E. & C. M. Loer (2004) Function and evolution of the serotonin-synthetic bas-1 gene and other aromatic amino acid decarboxylase genes in Caenorhabditis. BMC Evolutionary Biology 4:24.
Loer, C. M. & L. Rivard (2007) Evolution of neuronal patterning in free-living rhabditid nematodes I: Sex-specific serotonin-containing neurons. J. Comp. Neurol. 502:736-767.
Calvo, A. C., A. L. Pey, M. Ying, C. M. Loer, A. Martinez (2008) Anabolic function of phenylalanine hydroxylase in Caenorhabditis elegans. FASEB Journal 22: 3046-3058.
Rivard, L., J. Srinivasan, A. Stone, S. Ochoa, P.S. Sternberg, C. M. Loer (2010) A comparison of experience-dependent locomotory behaviors and biogenic amine neurons in nematode relatives of Caenorhabditis elegans. BMC Neuroscience 11:22
Loer, C. M. (2010) Neurotransmitters in C. elegans & Criteria for assigning a neurotransmitter function in C. elegans. Online reviews in WormAtlas 2.0.
Baker, Britton, Roberts, Loer, Matthews, Nisbet (2012). Melanisation of Teladorsagia circumcincta larvae exposed to sunlight: A role for GTP-cyclohydrolase in nematode survival. International Journal of Parasitolology 42: 887-891.
Kalis, Kissiov, Kolenbrander, Palchick, Raghavan, Tetreault, Williams, Loer & Ross (2014). Patterning of sexually dimorphic neurogenesis in the Caenorhabditis elegans ventral cord by Hox and TALE homeodomain transcription factors. Developmental Dynamics 243: 159-171.
Schiffer, Nsah, Grotehusmann, Kroiher, Loer & Schierenberg E (2014) Developmental variations among Panagrolaimid nematodes indicate developmental system drift within a small taxonomic unit. Development, Genes & Evolution 224: 183-188.
Loer, Calvo, Watschinger, Werner-Felmayer, O-Rourke, Stroud, Tong, Gotenstein, Chisholm, Werner, Hodgkin & Martinez (2015) Cuticle integrity and biogenic amine synthesis in Caenorhabditis elegans require the cofactor tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) Genetics 200: 237-253.
Abstracts [citable]
Smith, J. T. F., C. M. Loer, and J. L. Larimer (1978) Planaria can be entrained to light cycles and express a free-running rhythm of locomotor activity in constant darkness. Soc. Neurosci. Abstr. 4: 206.
Loer, C. M. and C. S. Goodman (1981) Variability in the cell death of identified neurons in grasshopper embryos. Soc. Neurosci. Abstr. 7: 294.
Loer, C. M., C. Schley, B. Zipser, and W. B. Kristan, Jr. (1983) A monoclonal antibody specific to the leech pressure-sensitive mechanosensory neurons. Soc. Neurosci. Abstr. 9: 605.
Jellies, J., C. M. Loer, and W. B. Kristan, Jr. (1985) Morphogenesis of segment-specific innervation patterns in an identified leech neuron. Soc. Neurosci. Abstr. 11: 956.
Loer, C. M., J. Jellies, and W. B. Kristan, Jr. (1985) The possible role of target interactions in the development of segment-specific differences of an identified neuron. Soc. Neurosci. Abstr. 11: 957.
Loer, C. M., J. Jellies, and W. B. Kristan, Jr. (1986) Target specification of morphological characteristics of identified leech neurons during embryogenesis. Soc. Neurosci. Abstr. 12: 1336.
Loer, C. M. and W. B. Kristan, Jr. (1987) Peripheral target choices by identified neurons during embryogenesis of the leech. Soc. Neurosci. Abstr. 13: 594.
Loer, C. M. and W. B. Kristan, Jr. (1988) Synaptic connectivity of identified leech neurons is specified by peripheral targets during embryogenesis. Soc. Neurosci. Abstr. 14: 164.
Loer, C. M. and C. J. Kenyon (1989) Control of neuronal fate by the homeotic gene mab-5 in the nematode C. elegans. Soc. Neurosci. Abstr. 15: 12.
Loer, C. M. and C. J. Kenyon (1990) Regulation of neurotransmitter phenotype in the nematode C. elegans. Soc. Neurosci. Abstr. 16: 974.
Loer, C. M. and C. J. Kenyon (1991) Serotonin and male mating in the nematode C. elegans. Soc. Neurosci. Abstr. 17: 279.
Loer, C. M. and C. J. Kenyon (1992) Specification of serotonergic phenotype in neurons of C. elegans. Soc. Neurosci. Abstr. 18: 18.
Lockery, S. R., C. M. Loer, and T. J. Sejnowski (1992) Intracellular and patch-clamp recording in the nematode C. elegans. Soc. Neurosci. Abstr. 18: 532.
Loer, C. M. and J. McKerrow (1994) A putative serotonin-synthetic aromatic amino acid hydroxylase from the nematode C. elegans. Soc. Neurosci. Abstr. 20: 914.
Loer, C. M. (1995) Characterization of serotonin-deficient mutants in the nematode C. elegans. Soc. Neurosci. Abstr. 21: 1290.
Loer, C. M. and S. A. Anderton (1997) Biogenic amine synthesis (bas) genes of the nematode C. elegans. Soc. Neurosci. Abstr. 23: 40.
Loer, C. M., N. Marsden-Haug and C. Ramirez (1998) Dopa decarboxylase and GTP cyclohydrolase I genes of the nematode C. elegans. Soc. Neurosci. Abstr. 24: 1775.
E. Hare and C. M. Loer (2000) Characterization of a serotonin-synthetic aromatic amino acid decarboxylase gene in the nematode C. elegans. Soc. Neurosci. Abstr. 26: 564.