Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences

Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience

Master
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Faculty Conducting Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience Research
Faculty MemberResearch Interests
Anne E. Anderson, M.D.Cellular mechanisms of developmental, genetic, and acquired epilepsy
Benjamin R. Arenkiel, Ph.D.Molecular genetic approaches to investigate neural circuit formation and function
Rachel N. Arey, Ph.D.Molecular mechanisms of learning, memory, and cognitive decline using C. elegans genetics and genomics.
Hugo J. Bellen, D.V.M., Ph.D.Genetic and molecular analysis of neurodegenerative disease in Drosophila
Steven Boeynaems, Ph.D.Biomolecular condensates and cellular stress responses in the etiology of neurodegenerative disease and brain cancer.
Shelly A. Buffington, Ph.D.Host-microbe interactions influencing neurodevelopment, brain function, and behavior.
Hsiao-Tuan Chao, M.D., Ph.D.Pathogenesis of neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders; Integrate mouse and fruit fly models with human genomics; Inhibitory neurons; HADD syndrome; New disease gene discovery
Jeannie Chin, Ph.D.Cellular and network mechanisms of cognitive deficits in Alzheimer’s disease
Edward C. Cooper, M.D., Ph.D.CNQ2 channels and interacting proteins in neurodevelopmental disorders
Benjamin Deneen, Ph.D.Development of glial cells and their role in neurological diseases
Herman A. Dierick, M.D.Genetic and neurobiological mechanisms of Drosophila aggression
Barna Dudok, Ph.D.Inhibitory cell types controlling neural circuit dynamics and epilepsy. In vivo multiphoton microscopy, optogenetics
Benjamin J. Frankfort, M.D., Ph.D.Mechanisms of glaucoma-related injury to the retina and optic nerve in mice and humans
Yingbin Fu, Ph.D.Sensory transduction, retinal degeneration, age-related diseases, gene therapy
Yudong Gao, Ph.D.Mechanisms of protein interaction in neurological and psychiatric conditions. Multi-omic target identification and protein engineering for phenotypic modulation.
Andrew K. Groves, Ph.D.Development and regeneration of the inner ear
Yang He, Ph.D.Neural regulation of systemic energy homeostasis, immune function, and body temperature homeostasis.
Frank Horrigan, Ph.D.Ion channel gating and pharmacology
Sarah R. Heilbronner, Ph.D.Associate Professor, Department of Neurosurgery. Neuroanatomy of motivational circuitry
Joanna L. Jankowsky, Ph.D.

 

Cellular mechanisms and genetic modifiers of Alzheimer's disease

Zheng Jiang, Ph.D.Phototransduction pathways in intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells
Thomas Kosten, M.D.Basic and clinical research of addiction causes and treatment; immunotherapy, pharmacogenetics
Hyun-Kyoung Lee, Ph.D.Developmental and regenerative mechanisms of glial cells and associated diseases
Justin Lee, M.D., Ph.D.Development of genetically modified stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles as a therapy for CNS injury
Hongjie Li, Ph.D.Combining multi-omics and fly genetics to study brain aging.
Wei Li, Ph.D.Ligandomics profiling of cell-cell communication, including neurovascular crosstalk, to systematically delineate disease mechanisms, discover drug targets and develop novel therapies
Jeffrey Magee, Ph.D.Cellular and circuit mechanisms of adaptive learning and memory through the use of a variety of electrical and optical recording methods as well as opto/chemogenetic circuit manipulations in both the hippocampus and neocortex
Mirjana Maletic-Savatic, M.D., Ph.D.Adult neurogenesis and metabo-genomics in mice and humans during aging, depression, epilepsy
Shailaja K. Mani, Ph.D.Molecular mechanisms of steroid hormone action in brain function
Kara Marshall, Ph.D.Interoception: how the nervous system senses stimuli inside the body, in particular mechanical forces, to govern physiology and disease.
David Nelson, Ph.D.Genetic models and mechanisms of intellectual disability and neurodegeneration, fragile X syndrome and related disorders
Jeffrey L. Noebels, M.D., Ph.D.Genes regulating cortical excitability and synchronization; mouse models of epilepsy
James Orengo, M.D., Ph.D.Use single gene mutation models in mice, zebrafish and human cell culture to determine the common underpinnings involved in motor neuron degeneration
Ronald J. Parchem, Ph.D.Development of the brain, stem cells, and regenerative medicine
Paul J. Pfaffinger, Ph.D.Assembly, structure, function and modulation of ion channels in excitable membranes
Matthew N. Rasband, Ph.D.The functional organization of axons in health and disease, neuron-glia signaling
Russell S. Ray, Ph.D.Mechanisms of aminergic circuit organization and function in behavior and mice
Jacob Robinson, Ph.D.Engineering new technologies to manipulate and record brain activity in humans and animal models
Melanie Samuel, Ph.D.Molecular mechanisms that wire circuits and reprogram connectivity
Joshua M. Shulman, M.D., Ph.D.Integrative genetic analyses of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s in humans and Drosophila
Roy V. Sillitoe, Ph.D.Cerebellar development, dysfunction, and deep brain stimulation in motor disease
Francois St-Pierre, Ph.D.Developing and deploying genetically encoded neural activity sensors
Zheng Sun, Ph.D.Circadian rhythm, neuroendocrinology, epigenome, hypothalamus, autism, Alzheimer's disease, metabolism, lifestyle.
Kimberley R. Tolias, Ph.D.Molecular and cellular mechanisms regulating neural circuit formation and plasticity
Nicholas Tran, Ph.D.Molecular mechanisms of retinal neurodevelopment, selective vulnerability in neurodegeneration, and axon regeneration.
Chunmei Wang, Ph.D.Neuroendocrine mechanisms for metabolic adaptations in female life stages.
Xander Wehrens, M.D., Ph.D.Neuronal control of cardiac function and arrhythmias
Theodore G. Wensel, Ph.D.Molecular mechanisms of signaling and neurodegeneration in retina and brain
Samuel M. Wu, Ph.D.Functional interactions of retinal microcircuitry
Yong Xu, M.D., Ph.D.Neuroendocrine mechanisms for energy and glucose homeostasis
Mingshan Xue, Ph.D.Cortical excitation-inhibition balance, neurodevelopmental disorders (epilepsy and autism)
Shinya Yamamoto, Ph.D.Integration of Drosophila genetics and human genomics to uncover novel mechanisms of neurological and psychiatric diseases
Hui Zheng, Ph.D.Autophagy-lysosomal pathway and neuron-immune interaction in Alzheimer’s disease
Huda Y. Zoghbi, M.D.Pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases; Rett syndrome; normal neurodevelopment
Elizabeth Zuniga-Sanchez, Ph.D.Deciphering the molecular code of neuronal wiring
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Dr. Huda Zoghbi discusses her study featuring a three-pronged approach used in animal models to help subdue early events that occur in the brain long before symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease are evident.

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Baylor College of Medicine
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Dr. David Dickman's lab is studying the mechanisms in the pigeon brains that help them navigate, with the hope of using that knowledge to better understand the human brain in diseases like Alzheimer’s, where people often lose their sense of orientation.