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Neurodevelopment, Neurogenesis and Plasticity

Our interests range from neurogenesis in the aging brain through developmental plasticity and disorders of early development of the brain to the role of signaling and effects of drugs of abuse as well as in neuron transport processes associated with development and aging.

Aging and Neurodegenerative Disorders

Many of our faculty share broad interest in understanding neurodegeneration, with particular emphases on Alzheimer, Parkinson and Huntington's diseases and their underlying pathophysiologies.

Cerebral Vascular Function and Neuroinflammation

The role of the brain vasculature, the blood brain barrier and the impact of neuroinflammation in causation or acceleration of neurodegenerative disorders is increasingly recognized as a key factor. A number of our faculty have mature or growing research interests in this area, with interests immune cell infiltration of the nervous system, signaling in inflammatory responses of the brain and the impacts of these effects on neurodegenerative diseases.

Neurobiology of the Synapse

Synapses, and synaptic plasticity are key to brain function. The complexity of these extraordinary molecular and cellular machines is the principal area of research of many of our faculty, working on synapses of the mammalian CNS, from cortex to spinal cord, as well as accessible and specialized synapses that can lead to key insights into synaptic function.

Myelination and Demyelinating Disorders

DDemyelinating diseases are crippling disorders, whose origins may lie in genetic, immunological or development origins. Our faculty have interests in the origins and development of these disorders, from metabolism of oligodendrocytes to immune cell penetration of the brain and neuroinflammation.

Sensory and Motor Systems

Our faculty share interests from sensory synaptic mechanisms, through sensorimotor integration, to the microcircuits of motor control. We use molecular genetic, live imaging, immunocytochemical, electron microscopic end electrophysiogical approaches to understand synapse and circuits.