First name,Last name,Preferred title,Overview,Position,Department,Individual
Gregg,Allen,Associate Professor,"My primary research interest focuses on the unique properties of neurons that generate circadian rhythms and the interactions between them that mediate their ability to coordinate molecular and physiological rhythms in tissues and, ultimately, regulate rhythmic behaviors. Using a combination of molecular, cellular, and behavioral analyses in the mouse model my research aims to identify how cells within the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) of the anterior hypothalamus function as a biological clock in generating circadian output signals that synchronize rhythmic processes within diverse tissues throughout the body.",Associate Professor,Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n014c3d0f
Paul,Hicks,Professor,,Associate Dean||Professor,School of Medicine||Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n015eca10
James,Samuel,Regents Professor and Head,"Our laboratory works with the obligate intracellular bacterial pathogen, Coxiella burnetii, the etiologic agent of Q fever and a category B biothreat agent. The long-term goal of this research is to understand the molecular pathogenic mechanisms involved in the host-pathogen interaction. To accomplish this broad goal, project in the lab are designed to test the molecular mechanisms employed by both the host and pathogen. Current pathogen studies include 1) broad survey of proteins secreted via a type 4 secretion system (T4SS) followed by determination of essentiality of each substrate for virulence and detailed analysis of mechanism of host modulation 2) survey of essential virulence loci identified by specific mutant screens, and 3) definition of the relative virulence of phylogenetically distinct isolate groups.",Regents Professor and Head,Microbial Pathogenesis and Immunology,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n01c3216f
Madhav,Erraguntla,Associate Professor of the Practice,,Associate Professor of the Practice,Industrial and Systems Engineering,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n051dff75
John,Edwards,Professor,,Professor,Veterinary Pathobiology,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n09bbd732
Rajesh,Miranda,Professor,"My research is focused on fetal brain development, stem cells, microRNAs, and teratology. Our laboratory is interested in understanding the biological steps that transform uncommitted stem cells into neurons or a glial cells, and identifying key microRNAs that control the transformation of stem cells into neurons. We are also currently investigating what role teratogen-sensitive microRNAs play in fetal brain growth, and the spatial patterning of the emerging forebrain.",Professor,Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n0b271ea8
Annmarie,Macnamara,Associate Professor,"Dr. Annmarie MacNamara received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Stony Brook University in 2013. Dr. MacNamara joined the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at Texas A&M University as an Assistant Professor in 2016. Dr. MacNamara's research focuses on the cognitive and affective neuroscience of normative and disordered mental health, with a particular focus on anxiety, depression and trauma-related psychopathology. She has received more than $3.5 million in funding from the National Institutes of Health and her work is also supported by a Texas A&M X-Grant. Dr. MacNamara is an Associate Editor for Psychophysiology and the International Journal of Psychophysiology, winner of the 2022 Society for Psychophysiological Research Early Career Award and the 2021 Donald F. Klein Early Career Investigator Award from the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, recipient of a 2020 travel award from the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology and was designated a 2018 Rising Star by the Association for Psychological Science. She has served as a reviewer for NIH and the National Science Foundation and is Junior Councilor to the Society of Biological Psychiatry. Dr. MacNamara teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in psychopathology and statistics, and mentors undergraduate, post-baccalaureate and graduate students in her Multimethod Affect and Cognition (MAC) lab.",Associate Professor,,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n0b604d19
Wei-Jung,Chen,Professor and Associate Dean,"My research focuses on the effects of substance abuse (alcohol, cocaine, nicotine, etc.) on the developing brain; Polydrug interactions on brain and cognitive developments; Fetal alcohol syndrome; Use of 3-dimensional stereological cell counting techniques, immunohistochemistry, radioimmunoassay, high-performance liquid chromatograph, gas chromatograph and behavioral assessments in animal models such as rodent, ovine and zebrafish.",Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs and Curriculum Management||Professor,Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics||School of Medicine,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n10791258
Guoyao,Wu,Distinguished Professor,"Dr. Wu teaches graduate courses in protein metabolism and nutritional biochemistry. He conducts research in protein and amino acid metabolism at molecular, cellular, and whole body levels . The animal models used in his research include cattle, chicks, pigs, rats, sheep, fish, and shrimp. He has also conducted research on amino acid nutrition in humans.",Faculty Fellow||University Faculty Fellow||Distinguished Professor||Senior Faculty Fellow||Distinguished Professor,Veterinary Integrative Biosciences||Animal Science||Texas A&M AgriLife Research||Texas A&M AgriLife Research||Nutrition,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n169f9a74
Michael,Golding,Associate Professor,,Associate Professor,Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n19ac3c74
Hongbin,Wang,Professor and Co-Director,,Professor and Co-Director,Center For Biomedical Informatics,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n1e81bc0e
Jack,Smith,Professor,,Professor and Director,Center For Biomedical Informatics,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n225d0918
Christen,Boudreau,Clinical Assistant Professor,,Clinical Assistant Professor,Small Animal Clinical Sciences,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n264cd9da
Christopher,Marshall,Professor,"My research focuses on the functional, ecological, & evolutionary aspects of how vertebrates detect, acquire, ingest and digest food. My program is integrative and comparative in nature. This work falls within the conceptual framework of ecological morphology & physiology and is conducted at the functional organismal level (morphology and physiology), behavioral, and ecological levels. The central concept of this field is that morphology and physiology influences an organism's ecology through constraints of behavioral performance, which is the capacity of an animal to exploit its natural resources, and explore its environment. Although investigations of morphology, physiology, and behavior stand on their own, ultimately the integration of these studies can explain how organisms interact with their environment, the evolution of functional complexes, and the pressure selections involved in driving adaptations.",Professor||Professor,"Rangeland, Wildlife and Fisheries Management||Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences||Marine Biology",https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n27bd8535
William,Dees,Senior Professor,,Senior Professor,Veterinary Integrative Biosciences,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n27f7a2f5
Jeffrey,Savell,Distinguished Professor,,Distinguished Professor,Animal Science,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n2a814ea8
Amanda,Mahnke,ACES Assistant Professor,,,,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n2b404c97
Keila,Ida,Clinical Assistant Professor,,Clinical Assistant Professor,Small Animal Clinical Sciences,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n36ce5081
Jianrong,Li,"Professor, Neurobiology and Neuroimmunology, Veterinary Integrative Biosciences","The central goal of our research is to understand how oligodendroglial development and function in the mammalian central nervous system is regulated in health and disease. Specifically, we are interested in molecular and cellular mechanisms involved in oligodendrocyte damage/dysfunction in white matter injuries such as multiple sclerosis and cerebral palsy and in aging-related neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease. Because in most CNS diseases, multiple cell types including neurons, glial cells and vascular cells are involved via complex interactions, we investigate, at the cellular and molecular level, the role of microglia and astrocytes in the process of oligodendrocyte development, differentiation and damage. We use a variety of methods including primary cell cultures and transgenic and knockout animals to elucidate cellular pathways mediating oligodendrocyte injury.
The second focus of our laboratory is to elucidate the signals that promote oligodendrocyte survival and regeneration/remyelination after injury, and to study cell-cell interactions that regulate remyelination. These studies should contribute significantly to our understanding of mechanisms of oligodendrocyte development and injury, and provide new clues for potential prevention and treatment of human white matter diseases.",Professor,Veterinary Integrative Biosciences,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n3ef91dcf
Vani,Mathur,Assistant Professor,"My work focuses on understanding the sources of disparities in pain, and the specific mechanisms by which social and cultural factors alter pain experience and pain physiology. My research targets the problem of pain disparities from two directions - investigating the different ways social factors may influence one's own pain, and also alter pain perception and empathy for others. To tackle these problems, my lab utilizes behavioral, psychophysical, and neuroimaging methodologies. I am also interested in individual differences in chronic pain and pain modulation, cross-cultural examinations of pain and empathy, and social environmental effects on health broadly defined.",Faculty Fellow||Assistant Professor||Faculty Affiliate||Training Faculty,Center for Health Systems and Design||Center for Population Health and Aging||Texas A&M Institute for Neuroscience||Psychological and Brain Sciences,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n40fc0470
Heather,Burte,Research Assistant Professor,"Dr. Burte researches individual differences in spatial thinking and how those differences impact STEM learning. Within spatial thinking, she develops psychometric and self-report measures of spatial thinking. Using those measures, Dr. Burte researches individual differences in perspective-taking, sense-of-direction, and strategies when navigating in real-world environments. Within STEM learning, she collaborates with subject-matter experts to understand the role of spatial thinking in how college students learn physics, elementary students learn math, and college students learn algebra. Finally, Dr. Burte uses User Experience (UX) methods to help those subject-matter experts with iteratively developing learning interventions, such as the Augmented Reality (AR) classroom.",Research Assistant Professor,,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n49033478
Thomas,Kent,Professor,"Neurologist and clinician scientist with a basic, translational and clinical research program, focused mostly on stroke and other brain injuries. The laboratory utilizes a variety of cell free, tissue culture and in-vivo techniques to design and characterize a series of carbon nanomaterials that possess the ability to act as catalytic antioxidants as well as support key mitochondrial functions. This NIH-supported research is in collaboration with synthetic nano-chemists at Rice University (Tour Lab) and biochemists at University of Texas Health Science Center Houston (Tsai Lab). The group is testing a variety of engineered modifications of these versatile, non-toxic materials to address specific cell injury and death mechanisms including ferroptosis and interruption in electron transport and oxidative phosphorylation.
A major interest of ours is the role of diabetes in worsening outcome from stroke, a condition that affects minority and rural Texans disproportionally. With a range of research from molecular interactions to whole animal and clinical studies, the work in this lab is deeply translational, leveraging the group's clinical training and experience to insure that conclusions have direct relevance to the disease state, with the ultimate goal of facilitating the identification of new therapies for these major contributors to disability and mortality.",Professor,Institute of Biosciences and Technology,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n4acd1da6
Israel,Liberzon,Professor and Department Head,,Professor and Department Head,Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n5a37dec0
Scott,Dindot,Associate Professor,,Associate Professor,Veterinary Pathobiology,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n5a986b57
Stephen,Maren,University Distinguished Professor,"My research focuses on the neural mechanisms underlying emotional learning and memory in animals and the relevance of these mechanisms to clinical disorders of fear and anxiety, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).",Professor,Psychological and Brain Sciences,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n606b4fd1
David,Earnest,Professor,"Research in my laboratory employs multidisciplinary approaches to study the cellular and molecular neurobiology of cell-autonomous circadian clocks and the signal transduction pathway responsible for circadian photoentrainment. The aims of current projects are to study: 1) the role of microRNAs (miRNAs) and other signaling molecules in the local temporal coordination of cell- and tissue-specific circadian clocks; 2) mutual interactions between the circadian clock mechanism, inflammatory signaling and metabolism; and 3) the mechanisms linking circadian rhythm disruption with metabolic disorders such as obesity and diabetes, and with pathological changes in neuroprotective responses to stroke.",Professor,Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n640c528f
Mary,Mcdougall,Associate Professor,,Associate Professor,Biomedical Engineering,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n64af6396
Paul,Wellman,Professor,I maintain several research areas within behavioral pharmacology. My current research focus is on the interactions between feeding control systems (i.e. ghrelin) and the reinforcing actions of drugs such as cocaine and amphetamine. My research has been funded by NIDA and by corporate sponsors such as Thompson Medical Company and Knoll Pharmaceutical.,Professor,Psychological and Brain Sciences,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n67571474
Jun,Wang,Associate Professor,"Our research focuses on identifying the neurobiological basis of neuropsychiatric disorders, such as drug alcohol use disorders. We investigate the cellular and circuit alterations that occur in areas of the brain in response to excessive, pathological alcohol consumption. We are particularly interested in changes that occur in specific populations of neurons and in specific afferent projections to these neurons. We are also interested in contributions of these changes to excessive, pathological alcohol consumption. The result of the research will guide future efforts toward the development of more effective therapeutics for alcohol use disorders.",Associate Professor,School of Medicine,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n6b43e031
Shameena,Bake,Assistant Professor,"I have developed an independent line of research to investigate effects of maternal ethanol consumption on adult health, with particular emphasis on cerebral blood flow and stroke severity in adults.",Assistant Professor,Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n6ff53f10
Robert,Burghardt,Professor,"Research in the laboratory is focused on investigating mechanisms by which a variety of biological response modifiers ranging from mechanical signals, hormones and growth factors to environmental chemicals alter cellular signaling pathways and cellular homeostasis.","Professor||Director, Image Analysis Laboratory",School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences||Veterinary Integrative Biosciences,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n70a3d026
Shuiwang,Ji,Professor,"Shuiwang Ji is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Computer Science & Engineering, Texas A&M University, leading the Data Integration, Visualization, and Exploration (DIVE) Laboratory. Ji received the Ph.D. degree in Computer Science from Arizona State University in 2010, advised by Prof. Jieping Ye. His research interests include machine learning, data mining, and computational neuroscience. Ji received the National Science Foundation CAREER Award in 2014. He has authored over 80 research articles and has coauthored a book. Currently, Ji serves as an Action Editor for Data Mining and Knowledge Discovery, and an Associate Editor for ACM Transactions on Knowledge Discovery from Data, IEEE Transactions on Neural Networks and Learning Systems, and BMC Bioinformatics. Ji is a Program Chair for the 2017 Bioimage Informatics Conference and a senior member of IEEE.",Professor,Computer Science and Engineering,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n731c9f84
Anthony,Mcdonald,Assistant Professor - Term Appoint,Dr. McDonald's research focuses on applying machine learning to relevant problems in human factors in the transportation and healthcare domains. Specifically he is interested in using knowledge generated from machine learning algorithms to improve existing models of human behavior and improving machine learning algorithm performance by combining traditional approaches with novel data analysis and domain expertise.,Assistant Professor - Term Appoint,Industrial and Systems Engineering,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n734725fa
A. Phillip,West,Assistant Professor,"Mitochondria are complex and dynamic organelles integral to many processes including energy generation, programmed cell death, signal transduction, and immunity. Research in my laboratory centers on understanding how mitochondria regulate innate immunity and inflammatory processes to influence human health and disease.",Assistant Professor,Microbial Pathogenesis and Immunology,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n739a434b
Farida,Sohrabji,University Distinguished Professor and Department Head,"My research interests lie at the intersection of neuroendocrinology, neuroinflammation and aging. For the last 10 years, my work has focused on ischemic stroke, specifically, to understand how the aging brain copes with stroke. In North America, stroke risk increases with age and in this aging demographic, women are more likely to sustain a stroke and more likely to have long term disability, poor quality of life and have more neuropsychiatric problems after stroke such as depression and cognitive impairment. This problem is compounded by the fact that few stroke therapies are available. Most stroke neuroprotectants have not been successfully translated from the bench to bedside. Using preclinical models, we have focused on acute pathological changes at the blood brain barrier and central and peripheral inflammation as well as long-term consequences, such as changes to reward pathways and post-stroke depression and dementia. I am also interested in developing novel stroke therapies for stroke in this population and our studies on epigenetic modifications such as histone methylation and non-coding (mi)RNA due to aging/stroke have provided several candidate molecules. Our recent work focuses on the role of the gut microbiome and gut metabolites on stroke recovery, and its potential for understanding the pathophysiology of stroke.
Related to my research goals, I am actively interested in promoting the inclusion of sex as a biological variable and attention to sex differences in medicine. Through medical and graduate coursework, research seminars and community talks, I am a vocal advocate for recognizing sex and gender differences in disease processes and drug therapies. I founded the Women's Health in Neuroscience program at Texas A&M University College of Medicine to create a community of researchers and foster collaboration on gender medicine and women's health, and to train new scholars in this area.",University Distinguished Professor and Department Headd,Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n772c9962
Xu,Peng,Associate Professor,"Our long-term goal is to explore and define novel genetic mechanisms that are involved in cardiovascular disease which can ultimately translate into potential strategies for its treatment. To achieve this goal, we will use a comprehensive approach including mouse genetics and molecular and cellular biology methods to explore the mechanisms involved in the regulation of cardiovascular development and disease.",Associate Professor,Medical Physiology,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n78b50f7c
Isabella,Farhy,Assistant Professor,"The Farhy lab studies the cross talk of two major cell types in the brain, neurons and astrocytes, focusing on how they shape synapse development and activity. Correct formation of synapses is crucial for normal brain function and synapse deficits have been implicated in most brain disorders, including autism, schizophrenia, major depression and Alzheimer's disease.
To investigate these interactions, we use rodents as model system, combining in vitro pure cell cultures with in vivo transgenic and knockout mice. These are analyzed using cutting-edge omics approaches such as mass-spectrometry, bulk and single cell RNAseq, as well as histology and functional assays.
We aim to uncover the cellular pathways activated in both neurons and astrocytes following their interaction at the synapse, leading to identification of novel therapeutic targets for the treatment of synaptic dysfunctions in brain disorders.",Assistant Professor,Biology,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n7a18a20a
Jyotsna,Vaid,Professor,"I have three lines of research: 1) cognitive and brain bases of knowing multiple languages, 2) the processing of creative language, e.g., jokes, proverbs, metaphors, idioms, and 3) gender and race in relation to indicators of professional recognition and visibility in academia.",Professor,Psychological and Brain Sciences,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n7b74aa66
Ursula,Winzer-Serhan,Associate Professor,"I am interested in studying how gene environmental interactions shape the brain during development. In particular, I am interested in how early life exposure to psychoactive drugs, like nicotine and alcohol, permanently shape the brain which could result in long-term cognitive impairments, anxiety, and anti-social behavior. My lab is currently focused on the effects of nicotine. Nicotine interacts with nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChR) which are ligand-gated, pentameric cation channels.",Associate Professor,Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n7c166c20
Ulisses,Braga Neto,Professor,"My research interests focus on statistical signal processing and control, and pattern recognition and machine learning, with applications in bioinformatics, materials informatics, and epidemiological models.",Professor,Electrical and Computer Engineering,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n7cac0956
Joohyun,Rhee,Assistant Lecturer,,Assistant Lecturer,Environmental and Occupational Health,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n7dfab857
J Timothy,Lightfoot,Professor,"My research focuses on on the genetics of daily physical activity and exercise endurance, as well as the physiological response to high-G exposure and hemorrhage, and the genetics of physical activity. My lab also has a unique interest in the physiological responses of athletes in a variety of non-traditional venues such as auto racing and in musicians.",Professor,Kinesiology and Sport Management,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n7ec5bc99
Gustavo,Tafet,Clinical Associate Professor,,Clinical Associate Professor,Psychiatry Bryan College Station Campus,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n7ee7b9ac
Michelle,Hook,Associate Professor,The primary focus of my current research is examining the effects of morphine on recovery of function after spinal cord injury. This research includes examination of the potential for addiction after SCI as well as the behavioral and molecular changes associated with administration of morphine in a rodent model of spinal cord injury.,Associate Professor,Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n86d28e76
Steven,Smith,Professor,"I have broad interests in the study of memory, metacognition and creative cognition.
I have studied the retrieval blocking & recovery, context-dependent memory, reminiscence & hypermnesia, eyewitness memory, false & recovered memories. I also have research focus in Tip-Of-the-Tongue states, metamemory, fixation & mental blocks, incubation, insight, and creative idea generation.",Professor,,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n8d1ad3b4
James,Cai,Professor,"Dr. Cai's research lies at the interface of single-cell biology, computational statistics, and data science. Current research focuses on using machine learning, network science and quantum computing to better understand the diverse behaviors of cells. Dr. Cai's group develops novel algorithms and analytical frameworks to study single-cell omics data from various types of cells, and the genetic basis of phenotypic variability to identify genetic variants that modulate complex phenotypic traits and susceptibility of genetic disorders.",Professor||Professor||Faculty,Veterinary Integrative Biosciences||Center for Statistical Bioinformatics||Electrical and Computer Engineering,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n8d287cea
Mary,Meagher,Professor,,"Professor||Faculty Fellow||Claude H. Everett, Jr. ’47 Chair of Liberal Arts||Professor",Center for Health Systems and Design||Texas A&M Institute for Neuroscience,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n8fa87422
Ken,Muneoka,Professor,My lab is focused on understanding epimorphic and tissue regeneration in mammals.,Professor,Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n9156816d
Chia Shan,Wu,Research Assistant Professor,,Research Assistant Professor,Nutrition,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n954c969e
Jill,Hiney,Research Assistant Professor,"Current Research: Analysis of Mercury and trace element toxins in marine mammals and fish in areas of Alaska, Mexico and California.
Former Research areas: Toxicology of Alcohol on Female puberty and neuroendocrine pathways.
Pb (Lead) effects on female reproduction and puberty
Manganese effects on female reproduction and puberty.",Research Assistant Professor,Veterinary Integrative Biosciences,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n96892f3f
Jennifer,Dulin,Assistant Professor,"My research focuses on identifying novel cellular and molecular approaches to reconstruct spinal cord neural circuits and restore neurological function after spinal cord injury. We seek to answer fundamental biological questions about how transplanted neural progenitor cells interact with, and integrate into, the injured host nervous system. Our long-term goal is to generate knowledge that will be applied toward the engineering of therapeutically effective human cell therapies.",Assistant Professor,Biology,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n97940050
Nicholas,Jeffery,Professor,,Professor,Small Animal Clinical Sciences,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n989eab0c
James,Grau,Professor,,Professor,,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n99939828
Coran,Watanabe,Associate Professor,"Our research group is actively characterizing the biosynthetic genes of this pathway, which involves a variety of techniques and strategies including: cloning and overexpression of genes, disruption/knockout of genes, enzymology, as well as chemical synthesis/isotopic labeling studies. Functional characterization of the genes of the pathway will not only shed light on the mechanism of azabicycle formation but will also pave the way for genetic engineering of the pathway and the development of new therapeutic methodologies.
We have also been investigating the biosynthesis and cellular effects of cycloterpenals and their derivatives. Cycloretinal (all-trans retinal dimer), a representative member of this family of natural products is attributed to causing age-related macular degeneration (AMD). AMD is the leading cause of blindness in adults over the age of 50 that can lead to the loss of central vision. One of the most common early characteristic features of AMD (the dry form) is the accumulation of yellow deposits in the eye called drusen. A more severe form of the disease, the wet form, is characterized by neovascularization (abnormal blood vessel formation). Our research group aims to study the role of beta-lactoglobulin in cycloretinal synthesis in the eye as an environmental (dietary), non-genetic contributor of AMD. This involves tracking BLG in the eye, monitoring the formation of cycloretinal, and elucidating the mechanism of cycloretinal formation. Research strategies include: chemical synthesis, enzymology, fluorescence/confocal microscopy, PET imaging, dual modality OCT/fluorescence lifetime imaging.",Associate Professor,Chemistry,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n9a83891f
Chaodong,Wu,Professor and Presidential Impact Fellow,"The long-term goal of Dr. Wu's research program is to elucidate the mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of obesity and overnutrition-associated metabolic diseases including insulin resistance, diabetes, and fatty liver disease so that novel dietary and/or pharmacological approaches can be developed for preventing and/or treating metabolic diseases. Using molecular, cellular, and integrative approaches, the Wu lab is focused on investigating the interaction between metabolism and inflammation.",Professor||Professor,Texas A&M AgriLife Research||Nutrition,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/na24a9d43
Jessica,Bernard,Associate Professor,,Associate Professor,,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/na3c42ffb
Joseph,Orr,Associate Professor,"My work aims to understand how internal goals and external environments influence voluntary task selection. The primary goal of my research is to understand the mechanisms underlying cognitive flexibility, the ability to switch between tasks or behaviors quickly and efficiently. Cognitive flexibility is disrupted in several mental health disorders such as psychosis, addiction, and autism. Most studies of cognitive flexibility rely on external cues to determine when and which task to perform, but in the real world this choice is under our voluntary control. While external influences may make these decisions difficult, e.g., seeing ads for junk food when we are trying to make healthy choices, they are nevertheless under a degree of internal control. My work takes the unique perspective of focusing on voluntary control in cognitive flexibility. I take a multimodal approach, using brain imaging (fMRI) and measures of electrical brain activity (EEG) to examine the dynamics of the underlying neural mechanisms, and electrical brain stimulation to better understand brain-behavior causal links. More recently, I've been applying computational modeling to determine the exact components underlying task selection. The long-term objective of my research is to understand the factors that limit flexibility to better inform treatments for psychopathology and to maximize flexibility in healthy individuals.",Associate Professor||Associate Professor,Texas A&M Institute for Neuroscience,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/na5b2b1b2
Samba,Reddy,Professor,"My major research goals are to understand the molecular pathophysiology and develop novel therapeutic strategies for epilepsy, with an emphasis on neurosteroids and GABA inhibition in the brain. Neurosteroids are steroids synthesized locally within the brain that rapidly change neural excitability by non-genomic mechanisms, principally via postsynaptic GABAA receptors that play critical role in epilepsy. Current work in his lab is focused on uncovering molecular mechanisms of neurosteroids in epilepsy and brain disorders, and testing the efficacy of mechanism-based, rationale therapeutic strategies for epilepsy and epileptogenesis. Reddy lab is utilizing multidisciplinary approaches such as pharmacological, molecular, electrophysiological (patch-clamp), mass spectrometry, and transgenic mouse models in research projects.",Professor,Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/na96b32aa
Stephen,Safe,Distinguished Professor,The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is a nuclear helix-loop-helix transcription factor which forms a ligand-induced nuclear heterodimer with the AhR nuclear translocator (Arnt) protein. Research in this laboratory is focused on the molecular mechanism of crosstalk between the AhR and estrogen receptor (ER) signaling pathways in which the AhR inhibits estrogen-induced gene expression. The antiestrogenic activities of some AhR agonists are also being developed as drugs for clinical treatment of breast and endometrial cancers in women. Research on estrogen-dependent gene expression in various cancer cell lines is focused on analysis of several gene promoters to determine the mechanisms of ERa and ERb action. This includes several genes that are activated through interactions of the ER with Sp1 protein and other DNA-bound transcription factors.,Distinguished Professor||Distinguished Professor||Syd Kyle Chair,School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences||Biochemistry and Biophysics||Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/nb20fdbd9
Gregg,Wells,Associate Professor,"The general theme of the research in my laboratory is the role of protein structure in disease, particularly in neurological disease. One area of study is the structure and function of the superfamily of neurotransmitter-gated ion channels that includes nicotinic acetylcholine, serotonin 5HT3, glycine, and GABAA receptors. Members of this superfamily are involved in drug addiction and alcoholism, neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer disease and Parkinson disease, genetic forms of epilepsy, and neuropsychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia and depression. We are developing new approaches to elucidating the molecular structures of these ion channels from animals and bacteria. Cyclic nucleotide gated channels (CNGCs) are a second area of study. We are interpreting their electrophysiological properties in terms of structure and thermodynamics. Hearing is a third area of study. We are using computational models of calcium and potassium ion channels and mechanotransduction to explain electrophysiological function of cochlear hair cells. Fourth, analysis of genomes and tissue-specific transcriptomes of electrogenic animals (e.g., electric fish) is expected reveal new aspects of lifecycles of ion channels. Explaining neurological diseases in terms of protein structure is a theme linking our neuroscience research with neuropathology, my medical specialty.",Associate Professor,Cell Biology and Genetics,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/nb25f91ff
Mark,Zoran,Professor and Associate Dean,"Cellular and Developmental Neurobiology
Research Summary My laboratory studies cellular mechanisms governing the formation of specific synaptic connections between neurons and their targets. These mechanisms include cell-cell recognition and target-dependent induction of the presynaptic secretion machinery. Some of our studies investigate synapse formation of identified motoneurons of the American pond snail, Helisoma trivolvis , following nerve injury in vivo and in cell culture. Since the synapse is the site of most interneuronal communication within the nervous system, an understanding of the development, regeneration and plasticity of these connections is crucial to an ultimate appreciation of neural integration and brain function.
Neural Morphallaxis
We also study a rare form of regeneration called neural morphallaxis in the annelid worm, Lumbriculus variegatus. This organism is ideal for examining behavioral, physiological, cellular and molecular mechanisms of development, regeneration and systems-level plasticity. We have defined the neural correlates of escape reflexes, which are reconfigured during morphallaxis. Recently we have begun investigations of synaptic molecules up-regulated specifically during morphallaxis. This model system is emerging as a valuable educational tool in the science classroom.",Acting Associate Provost for Graduate & Professional Studies||Professor,Biology||Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/nb36a8003
Ashok,Shetty,Professor and Associate Director,"Dr. Ashok K. Shetty's laboratory is interested in developing clinically applicable strategies efficacious for enhancing brain function after injury, disease, or aging. The central areas of investigation are focused on:
o Mechanisms by which intranasally administered stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) promote neuroprotection, neuroregeneration, neural plasticity, and alleviate neuroinflammation. The sources of EVs include human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs), and human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neural stem cells (hiPSC-NSCs), astrocytes, and microglia. The model systems include traumatic brain injury (TBI), closed head injury (CHI), Aging, Alzheimer's disease (AD) and temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE).
o Mechanisms by which transplanted human neural stem cells or human GABA-ergic precursor cells derived from hiPSCs promote brain repair, and alleviate spontaneous seizures, and cognitive and mood impairments in prototypes of SE, TLE, and TBI.
o Elucidating mechanisms of brain dysfunction and chronic neuroinflammation in prototypes of Gulf War Illness. Developing therapeutic strategies to alleviate neuroinflammation, systemic inflammation, and cognitive and mood impairments in models of GWI.
o Developing clinically feasible strategies for improving brain function in aging and AD models via stimulation of endogenous neural stem cells using drugs and biologics.
Dr. Shetty has received continuous extramural research funding as PI for >25 years from sources such as the NIH, DOD, Dept of Veterans Affairs (VA), and industry. These include seven R01 grant awards and an R21 grant award from the NIH; seven CDMRP grant awards from the DOD; five Merit Grant awards and two Research Career Scientist Awards from the VA; and two industry grants. He has also served as Co-I of 8 other DOD grants. Grants from the NIH, DOD, and industry fund Dr. Shetty's current research. Dr. Shetty has authored 181 peer-reviewed publications (147 as senior/first author) and edited a book on Neural Stem Cells in Health and Disease. His work has appeared in many prestigious and high-impact journals. Dr. Shetty has received >17,000 citations for his publications with an h-index of 64. Dr. Shetty has the distinction of serving on two NIH Study Sections and one VA study section as a Chartered Member. Besides, he has served as a member of many other study section panels of the NIH, DOD, VA, and Maryland State Stem Cell Research Fund. Dr. Shetty is Co-Editor-in-Chief of the journal, Aging & Disease and Associate Editor of 6 Neuroscience journals. He is also a Member of the Editorial Board of many prestigious journals, including The Journal of Extracellular Vesicles, Aging Cell, and Stem Cells. Dr. Shetty is a Fellow of the American Society for Neural Transplantation and Repair. Dr. Shetty received the Senior Research Excellence Award in 2021 from the TAMU College of Medicine and is among the ""World's Top 2% Scientists"" across all scientific fields.","Associate Director, Institute for Regenerative Medicine||Professor",Cell Biology and Genetics||Cell Biology and Genetics,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/nba613a86
Christabel Jane,Welsh,Professor,Mechanisms of disease pathogenesis of neurotropic viruses. Immunological therapies for multiple sclerosis and epilepsy. Neuroimmunological changes in the injured CNS,Professor,Veterinary Integrative Biosciences,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/nbb081247
Roula,Mouneimne,Research Professor,"For the past 24 years my research focused on: 1- The development of methods in the fluorescence microscopy field that achieve data acquisition and analysis in real time, quantitative analysis, and mathematical modeling of cellular signaling. 2- The development of novel technological tools to decipher molecular and physiological events in cells and immunological tissues under normal toxin exposure and disease conditions.",Research Professor,Veterinary Integrative Biosciences,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/nbb6c8c2a
Ranjana,Mehta,Associate Professor,"Research in the NeuroErgonomics Lab utilizes theories, methods, and techniques from physiology, biomechanics, neuroscience, psychology, and public health to better understand operator behavior and capabilities when interacting with simple and complex work systems. HF/E investigations involve examining multifactorial causes and consequences of operator stress and fatigue, brain-behavior relationships with changing workforce demographics (aging, obesity), and development of HF/E tools to assess operator health and performance in hazardous work environments.",Graduate Faculty||Associate Professor,Center for Remote Health Technologies and Systems||Industrial and Systems Engineering,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/nbc6000ff
Nicolaas,Deutz,Professor,"My research background and expertise focus on nutrition, metabolism, and physiology studies involving the use of stable isotope methodologies, both in humans and animals. I also have extensive experience with isotopic calculations, validation and data interpretation.",Professor,Primary Care and Rural Medicine,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/nbd596655
Yoonsuck,Choe,Professor,,Professor - Term Appointment,Computer Science and Engineering,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/nc0edb3ea
Vernon,Tesh,Professor,,Professor,Microbial Pathogenesis and Immunology,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/nc2165f28
Kevin,Burgess,Professor,"We use novel strategies Exploring Key Orientations (EKO) that feature datamining to compare simulated preferred conformers of chemotypes we design with key features at protein-protein interfaces. Many chemotype candidates can be screened against one PPI, or one chemotype can be screened against all the PPI interfaces in the PDB. Virtual hit chemotypes are prepared in my lab, then tested against protein-protein interactions of biomedicinal interest using an array of biophysical and cellular assays.
We also design small molecules to target cell surface receptors that are selectively overexpressed in cancer cells. Much or our work has been focused on the TrkC receptor that is particularly important to metastatic breast cancer and melanoma. Going forwards we are interested in expanding the targets to include cell surface receptors that are overexpressed when cancer cells undergo aberrant epithelial to mesenchymal transitions (EMT) to produce circulating tumor cells and cancer stem cells. Much of this work involves design and synthesis of the small molecules for this targeting.",Professor,Chemistry,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/nc4a5cad4
Ian,Murray,Instructional Associate Professor,,Instructional Associate Professor,Medical Physiology,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/nc97a73f1
Reza,Tafreshi,Professor,,Professor,Mechanical Engineering (Qatar),https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/ncbaa347d
Lee,Shapiro,Associate Professor,,Associate Professor,Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/ncd3ac332
David,Wright,Professor,"Recent research in my lab has focused on the how practice context mediates efficient planning of movement timing. The contribution of a variety of practice factors (e.g., schedule, composition, and environmental characteristics) for effective organization of both the structural and scaling properties of movement timing have been investigated.",Professor||Faculty Fellow,Center for Health Systems and Design||Kinesiology and Sport Management,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/nce97a826
Brian,Anderson,Assistant Professor,,Assistant Professor,Psychological and Brain Sciences,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/nd469b920
Steven,Wright,Professor,"My research focuses on magnetic resonance imaging, particularly instrumentation and methodology. I also have research interests in antenna theory - numerical methods, and phased arrays electromagnetics.",Professor,Electrical and Computer Engineering,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/nd4e8f968
Yun,Huang,Associate Professor,"Dr. Huang is currently an Assistant Professor at the Center for Epigenetics and Disease Prevention, Institute of Biosciences & Technology, Texas A&M University. Her long-term goal is to elucidate the molecular basis of epigenetic changes in the human genome and to develop novel therapies by targeting aberrant DNA methylation and demethylation associated with human diseases, including cancer, immunoinflammatory and cardiovascular diseases.
Dr. Huang's laboratory is focused on elucidating the physiological and pathophysiological functions of TET2 protein and its 5-methylcytosine oxidation products (5hmC, 5fC and 5caC) in cancer and development (Nature Genet 2014; Trends in Genetics 2014).",Associate Professor,Institute of Biosciences and Technology,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/nd7ed0926
Rebecca,Brooker,Associate Professor,,Associate Professor||Associate Professor,Educational Psychology,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/ndb56001a
Utpal,Bhalala,Clinical Associate Professor,,Clinical Associate Professor,School of Medicine,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/ndcfddb61
Keith,Young,Research Professor,,Research Professor,Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/nde753d2d
Aart,Verhoef,Assistant Professor,,Assistant Professor,Soil and Crop Sciences,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/ndea550a0
Julian,Leibowitz,Professor,We have two projects in my lab. The first project is focused on identifying evolutionarily conserved RNA secondary structures in the coronavirus RNA genome and functionally examining their role in viral replication through reverse genetic and biochemical approaches. We have previously done this for a number of RNA secondary structures contained within the 5? and 3? regions of the genome and shown that they function as cis-acting elements in replication. Studies in my laboratory have identified a structurally dynamic region of the 5'UTR that interacts with the 3'UTR to facilitate transcription.
A second project in my laboratory has been to develop a reverse genetic system for MHV-1. In collaboration with investigators in Toronto and Pennsylvania my laboratory has demonstrated that MHV-1 infection of susceptible mice provides a safe and convenient rodent model for severe coronavirus infections such as SARS and MERS. The development of a reverse genetic system will allow us to investigate the contributions of individual viral genes to the pathogenesis of the severe pulmonary disease caused by this virus.,Professor||Professor,Microbial Pathogenesis and Immunology||Veterinary Pathobiology,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/ne2185aa0
Cedric,Geoffroy,Assistant Professor,"The main focus of the laboratory is to better understand the molecular, cellular and physiological changes occurring after neurotrauma, in particular after spinal cord injury (SCI). Indeed, SCI is the second cause of paralysis, following close behind stroke. But besides the direct locomotor impairments, SCI also leads to numerous health complications, including metabolic syndrome, respiratory and cardiovascular problems. These health complications not only threaten patients' lives, but also impact their quality of life. Therefore, one major aim in my lab is to better understand the physiopathology of the SCI and health complications occurring after chronic SCI (in mouse models of SCI). Using genetic and pharmacological approaches, we aim at finding targets that can reduce incidence of these health issues as well as reverse them in more chronic models.
The second goal of my lab is to understand how age impacts SCI. Indeed, SCI increasingly afflicts the middle-aged population, as a result of both later average incidence (from ~29 in the 1970s to ~42 since 2010) and aging of SCI-paralyzed patients (~75% of people with SCI are over 40 years old). Recently, we demonstrated that axon regeneration is impaired after injury in older animals. This decline in axon growth can be controlled by both neuronal intrinsic and extrinsic factors. By better understanding the players involved in this age-dependent growth decline, we aim at finding targets to promote axon growth after SCI and ultimately promote locomotor function recovery in the middle-aged population.",Assistant Professor,Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/ne49dfc75
Feng,Tao,Professor,,Professor,Biomedical Sciences,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/ne510bbd3
Steven,Woltering,Associate Professor,"My interest, broadly put, is to better understand the role of self-regulation in our behavior and apply this to the field of education. Self-regulation refers to the ability to control your attention and emotions and this capacity is considered crucial for developing a cognitive and emotional competence.",Associate Professor,Educational Psychology,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/nee2a887b
Louise,Abbott,Professor,,Professor,Veterinary Integrative Biosciences,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/nf56a7148