The University of Arizona Department of Neurology: faculty

Department of Neurology - Faculty

Torsten Falk, PhD
Research Assistant Professor of Neurology
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Education/Training:

PhD: University of Hamburg, Germany, 1996

MS: University of Kaiserslautern, Germany, 1992

Clinical/Research Interests

Cell-based and gene-based strategies for the treatment of Parkinson's disease.

Selected Publications:

Falk, T., W. Meyerhof, B.J. Corrette, J. Schaefer, C.K. Bauer, J.R. Schwarz and D. Richter (1995) Cloning, functional expression and mRNA distribution of an inwardly rectifying potassium channel protein. FEBS Letters 367, 127-131.
Bauer, C.K., T. Falk and J.R. Schwarz (1996) An endogenous inactivating inwardly rectifying potassium current in oocytes of Xenopus laevis. Pflügers Archive, European Journal of Physiology 432, 812-820.
Falk, T., Y.L. Muller and A.J. Yool (1999) Differential expression of three classes of voltage-gated Ca²⁺ channels during maturation of the rat cerebellum in vitro. Developmental Brain Research 115/2, 161-170.
Falk, T., W.S. Garver, R.P. Erickson, J.M. Wilson and A.J. Yool (1999) Expression of Niemann-Pick type C transcript in rodent cerebellum in vivo and in vitro. Brain Research 839/1, 49-57.
Falk, T., L.A. Strazdas, R.S. Borders, R.K. Kilani, A.J. Yool and S.J. Sherman (2001) A herpes simplex viral vector expressing green fluorescent protein can be used to visualize morphological changes in high-density neuronal culture. Electronic Journal of Biotechnology [online] 15 April 2001, vol.4, n.1. Available from:
http://ejb.ucv.cl/content/vol4/issue1/full/5/index.html.
Falk, T., R.K. Kilani, A.J. Yool and S.J. Sherman (2001) Viral-vector mediated expression of K⁺ channels regulates excitability in skeletal muscle. Gene Therapy 8(18):1372-1379.
Falk, T., R.K. Kilani, R.S. Borders, L.A. Strazdas, J.V. Steidl, A.J. Yool and S.J. Sherman (2003) Developmental regulation of the A-current in hippocampal neurons: Role of the Kvβ1.1 potassium channel subunit. Neuroscience 120(2), 387-404.
Falk, T., S.L. Zhang, E.L. Erbe and S.J. Sherman (2006) Neurochemical and electrophysiological characteristics of rat striatal neurons in primary culture. Journal of Comparative Neurology, 494: 275-289.
McKay, B.S., B. Goodman, T. Falk and S.J. Sherman (2006) Retinal pigment epithelial cell transplantation could provide trophic support in Parkinson's disease: results from an in vitro model system. Experimental Neurology 201, 234-243.
Falk, T., J.Y. Xie, S.L. Zhang, J. Kennedy, J. Bennett, A.J. Yool and S.J. Sherman (2008) Over-expression of the potassium channel Kir2.3 using the dopamine-1 receptor promoter selectively inhibits striatal neurons. Neuroscience 155:114-127.
Falk, T., S.L. Zhang and S.J. Sherman (2009) PEDF is neurotrophic and neuroprotective in two in vitro models of Parkinson's disease. Neuroscience Letters 458:49-52.
Falk, T., R.T. Gonzalez and S.J. Sherman (2009) The Yin and Yang of VEGF and PEDF: Multifaceted Neurotrophic Factors and their Potential in the Treatment of Parkinson's disease. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, Invited Review, in preparation.