Ann Rittenhouse

Ann Rittenhouse is an Associate Professor at UMass Chan Medical School's Department of Microbiology. Her research focuses on voltage-gated calcium channels (VGCCs) and their roles in neuronal plasticity, schizophrenia, and pancreatic β-cell function. She holds affiliations with T.H. Chan School of Medicine's Microbiology and NeuroNexus Institute departments, as well as the Morningside Graduate School's Interdisciplinary Graduate Program and Neuroscience Department. Rittenhouse earned an AB in Biology from Mount Holyoke College and a PhD in Biology from Boston University.

Her laboratory investigates how VGCC subunits influence calcium influx in neurons and pancreatic cells, linking these processes to learning, behavior, and disease. Key research themes include modulation of VGCCs by neurotransmitters, lipids, and cytoplasmic proteins, with implications for schizophrenia and metabolic disorders. Recent work includes studies on DISC1 mutations affecting calcium channel function and transgenic mouse models of lysosomal storage disorders.

Publications span topics like muscarinic receptor signaling, β-cell dysfunction, and potassium channel regulation. Her work integrates electrophysiology, imaging, and genetic approaches to understand molecular mechanisms underlying neurological and metabolic diseases. The lab collaborates widely, including with co-authors like Greiner, Melikian, and Bortell, and maintains an active presence in neurobiology and physiology fields.