Henry J. Baker, D.V.M. Dr. Henry Baker, Professor of Pathobiology and Small Animal Surgery and Medicine, received the DVM degree from Auburn University, with honors in 1960. He interned at the Angell Memorial Hospital and practiced before entering postdoctoral training in Pathology at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. In 1968 he joined the faculty of the University of Alabama Medical Center as Associate Professor of Comparative Medicine, and in 1974 he became Professor and Chairman. In 1986 he joined the faculty of the Bowman Gray School of Medicine as professor and Director of Comparative Medical Genetics. He was appointed Director of the Scott-Ritchey Research Center in 1991 where he has established a research program on molecular and medical genetics of lysosomal diseases, which has been the central focus of his research interest. He is an active participant in research training of postdoctoral scholars, graduate students, professional students and undergraduates.
334-844-5951 bakerhj@vetmed.auburn.edu
Research Interests For 20 years Dr. Baker’s research has been directed toward understanding the pathogenetic basis for neurological dysfunction in lysosomal diseases, characterizing the molecular defect in these fatal inherited diseases of children, dogs and cats, and developing therapeutic and preventative strategies for these incurable diseases. Diseases in cats which are being investigated include GM1 gangliosidosis, GM2 gangliosidosis, mannosidosis and mucopolysaccharidosis. Most of what is currently known about neuronal defects in these diseases has been learned through studying the cat diseases and this information is crucial for designing therapeutic strategies. The current hypothesis is that alterations in neuronal membrane structure and function due to excess glycosphingolipids results in defective transmembrane signal transduction and second messenger function. Therapeutic trials currently under way include bone marrow transplantation and gene therapy using viral vectors to replace the defective gene in target tissues. Recent Publications Baker HJ, Lindsey JR, McKhann GM, Farrell DF. Neuronal GM1 gangliosidosisin a Siamese cat with -galactosidase deficiency. Science 1971;174:838-839. Purpura DP, Baker HJ. Neurite induction in mature cortical neurons infeline GM1 ganglioside storage disease. Nature 1977;266:553-554. Baker HJ, Walkley SU, Rattazzi MC, Singer HS, Watson HL, Wood PA. Felinegangliosidoses as models of human lysosomal storage diseases. In DesnickRJ, Patterson DF, and Scarpelli DG (eds.) Animal Models of InheritedMetabolic Diseases. Alan R. Liss: 1982;203-212. Baker HJ, Jope RS. Increased metabolism of acetylcholine in brain of catswith GM1 gangliosidosis. Brain Res 1985;343:363-365.