Education
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 B.S. Zoology, University of California, Davis, 1/1972
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Ph.D. Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, 1/1977
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Postdoctoral Training
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NIH and MDA Postdoctoral Fellow, University of California, Los Angeles, 1977-1981
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Academic Appointment, Affiliation, and Employment History
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Tenure Track Appointments
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Professor, Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, 08/1992-
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Associate Professor, Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, 08/1987-07/1992
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Assistant Professor, Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, 08/1981-07/1987
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PostDoctoral Appointments
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NIH and MDA Postdoctoral Fellow, University of California, Los Angeles, 06/1977-07/1981
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Description of Research
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Summary Statement of Research Interests
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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.
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Funded Research
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USC Funding
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Provost's Office Undergraduate Research Program. Activity-Dependent Elimination of Synapses at Neuromuscular Junctions: Anatomical and neurophysiological studies of synapse development in frog neuromuscular junctions, conducted by a team of three undergraduate students under faculty supervision., $10,000, 2007-2008
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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., $15,000, 2006-2007
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Publications
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Journal Article
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Multimedia Scholarship and Creative Works
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Undergraduate Research Web Site, This website features research results obtained by undergraduate researchers supervised by Albert Herrera: www-rcf.usc.edu/~aherrera, 2004-
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Honors and Awards
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Mellon Award for Excellence in Mentoring, 4/2006-
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USC Fund for Innovative Undergraduate Teaching: Redesign of a Large Introductory Biology Class, 2006-2007
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NIH/NSF Career Development Award, 1985-1990
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USC or School/Dept Award for Teaching, 1985
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Service to the Profession
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Professional Memberships
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Society for Neuroscience, 1981-2007
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