College of Science and Health > Faculty & Staff > Faculty A-Z > okunola-jeyifous

Okunola Jeyifous

  • ojeyifou@depaul.edu
  • Assistant Professor
  • Neuroscience
  • 773-325-7462

Website: https://www.labjeyifo.us​

Classes Taught

  • Introduction to Neuroscience (NEU 201)
  • Neuroscience Research Methods (NEU 301)
Research Interests
The Jeyifous lab utilizes a multidisciplinary approach to characterize the molecular mechanisms underlying learning and memory, neuronal disease, and drug abuse. We are broadly interested in the cell biology of neurons and synaptic junctions. More specifically, we are characterizing molecular processes that underlie the assembly and proper synaptic delivery and retention of proteins important for synaptic transmission and plasticity. These studies make use of recombinant DNA technology, biochemical assays and, most prominently, fluorescent light microscopic techniques. Recently, we have been characterizing novel effects of nicotine and synaptic activity on the reorganization of elements of the neuronal secretory pathway (endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi organelles). This has important implications for increasing our understanding of neuronal cell biology, elucidating nicotine’s addictive properties, and in the design of more efficacious smoking cessation agents. In addition to our neurobiological research projects, Dr. Jeyifous has established a bio-arts practice which fuses elements of the lab’s research focus and methodology with photographic study and digital collage approaches.

Select Publications
Govind, A.P.*, Jeyifous, O.*, Russell, T.A., Yi, Z, Weigel, A.V., Ramaprasad, A., Newell, L., Ramos, W., Valbuena, F., Casler, J.C., Yan, J.Z., Glick, B.S., Swanson, G.T., J., Lippincott-Schwartz, J., Green, W.N. Activity-dependent Golgi satellite formation in dendrites reshapes the neuronal surface glycoproteome. eLife. 2021 Sep21;10:e68910 DOI: 10.7554/eLife.68910. *Co-first authors

Jeyifous O., Lin E.I., Chen X., Antinone S.E., Mastro R., Drisdel R., Reese T.S., Green W.N. Palmitoylation regulates glutamate receptor distributions in postsynaptic densities by controlling PSD95 conformation and orientation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2016 Dec 27;113(52):E8482-E8491. PMID:27956638.

Zheng, N., O. Jeyifous, C. Munro, J. Montgomery and W. N. Green. 2015. Synaptic Activity Regulates AMPA Receptor Trafficking Through Different Recycling Pathways. eLife. 2015 May 13;4. PMID: 25970033.

Lin E.I.*, Jeyifous O.*, Green W.N. CASK Regulates SAP97 Conformation and Its Interactions with AMPA and NMDA Receptors. J Neurosci. 2013;33(29):12067-76. PMCID: 3713737. *Co-first authors

Jeyifous, O., Waites, C.L., Specht, C.G., Fujisawa, S., Schubert M., Lin, E.I., Marshall, J., Aoki, C., de Silva T., Montgomery, J.M., Garner, C.C., Green, W.N. SAP97 and CASK mediate sorting of NMDA receptors through a previously unknown secretory pathway.  Nat Neurosci. 2009 Aug; 12(8):1011-9. PMID: 19620977.

Professional Society Memberships
  • Society for Neuroscience
  • Faculty for Undergraduate Neuroscience