Professor

Basic Sciences
Division of Physiology
School of Medicine
Loma Linda University
Loma Linda, CA 92350
U.S.A

Phone:  (909) 651-5895
Fax:  (909) 558-4029
E-mail: cgwilson@llu.edu

Profile Photo

Research Interest

My laboratory is primarily interested in the generation and modulation of respiratory rhythm in the mammalian central nervous system. In the past decade, we have focused on apnea of prematurity and other breathing problems that premature infants suffer. The questions we seek to answer are: How does the brain generate the drive for breathing? How is breathing pattern modulated by reflexes and chemosensation? How can we improve breathing regularity in premature infants?

We use electrophysiology techniques (extracellular single-unit recording, whole cell patch-clamp, electrochemistry) and fluorescence imaging (calcium indicators, pH sensitive dyes, cell specific markers) to explore the dynamic relationship between cells that are phasically active during breathing. Our chief animal model is the developing rat but we also use mice to explore genetic variability in the respiratory neural substrate.

Selected Publications

  1. Martin RJ, Wilson CG. Apnea of prematurity. Compr Physiol. 2012 Oct;2(4):2923-31. doi: 10.1002/cphy.c100021. PMID: 23720269
  2. Jafri A, Belkadi A, Zaidi SI, Getsy P, Wilson CG, Martin RJ. Lung inflammation induces IL-1β expression in hypoglossal neurons in rat brainstem. Respir Physiol Neurobiol. 2013 Aug 1;188(1):21-8. doi: 10.1016/j.resp.2013.04.022. Epub 2013 May 3. PMID: 23648475
  3. Diekman CO, Wilson CG, Thomas PJ. Spontaneous autoresuscitation in a model of respiratory control. Conf Proc IEEE Eng Med Biol Soc. 2012;2012:6669-72. doi: 10.1109/EMBC.2012.6347524. PMID: 23367459
  4. Martin RJ, Di Fiore JM, Macfarlane PM, Wilson CG. Physiologic basis for intermittent hypoxic episodes in preterm infants. Adv Exp Med Biol. 2012;758:351-8. doi: 10.1007/978-94-007-4584-1_47. Review. PMID: 23080182
  5. Di Fiore JM, Kaffashi F, Loparo K, Sattar A, Schluchter M, Foglyano R, Martin RJ, Wilson CG. The relationship between patterns of intermittent hypoxia and retinopathy of prematurity in preterm infants. Pediatr Res. 2012 Dec;72(6):606-12. doi: 10.1038/pr.2012.132. Epub 2012 Oct 4. PMID: 23037873