First name,Last name,Preferred title,Overview,Position,Department,Individual
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
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
Rahul,Srinivasan,Associate Professor,"My research focuses on developing a mechanistic understanding of neurodegeneration, with the goal of discovering novel strategies to treat neurodegenerative disorders. In this regard, I am interested in two primary areas: (1) Understanding the role of astrocytes in neurodegeneration and (2) Elucidating molecular mechanisms underlying the known neuroprotective effects of nicotine in Parkinson's disease.
We utilize a broad range of techniques spanning the spectrum from molecules to mice. Our methods include stereotaxic injections of adeno-associated viruses (AAVs) into the mouse brain, advanced imaging techniques such as Ca2+ imaging in live brain slices using genetically encoded calcium sensors (GCaMPs), in vitro and slice electrophysiology, advanced molecular biology, including creation of transgenic mice and tissue culture.",Assistant Professor,Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n233b562f
Katherine,Brakora,Instructional Associate Professor,,Instructional Associate Professor,Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n2f4bb1bf
Douglas,Baxter,Instructional Professor,,Instructional Professor,Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n3e6ac00a
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
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
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
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
William,Griffith,Regents Professor Emeritus,"Our long term research goals are to identify the cellular and molecular mechanisms responsible for age-related changes in cellular function that contribute to detrimental aging, and to develop targeted therapies to reverse age-related deficits. We utilize electrophyiological, optogenetic and calcium imaging techniques in animal models of aging and disease. Our research has focused on the basic idea that compensatory changes occur in in brain function during aging and identification of this brain activity will provide an important first step in identifying potential targets for future drug therapies.",Regents Professor and Department Head,Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n7e147316
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
Mendell,Rimer,Associate Professor,"Research in our lab centers on the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying the formation, maintenance and pathology of synapses, the connections between nerve cells and their targets. Because of its simplicity and experimental accessibility we have used the vertebrate neuromuscular junction (NMJ) as our model system. The NMJ is the synapse between a motor neuron and a skeletal muscle fiber. We address these problems using state-of-the-art mouse molecular genetic techniques in combination with standard molecular, cellular, and immunological approaches.",Associate Professor,Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/na1f9d3fe
Xin,Wu,Research Assistant Professor,"Mechanical forces are known to stimulate a number of cell signaling pathways, including those initiated by or resulting in ion channel activation. My recent research in cardiovascular and neuronal systems focuses on: (1) Which ion channels are activated by mechanical stress; (2) Which ion channels are modulated by integrins; (3) How integrin-mediated signaling pathways modulate ion channel function and mechanotransduction in physiological and pathological conditions; (4) Epilepsy study, Neurosteroids and New Drug Development.",Research Assistant Professor,Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/na48dc2f9
Robert,Carpenter,Clinical Associate Professor,,Clinical Associate Professor,Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/na502b590
Laura,Smith,Assistant Professor,"I am interested in the molecular and circuit mechanisms of complex behavior and how alterations in synaptic connectivity between neurons lead to the maladaptive features of neuropsychiatric illnesses. Impairments in synaptic pruning are observed in autism spectrum disorders and may contribute to symptoms such as sensory hypersensitivity and social overstimulation. Repeated exposure to drugs of abuse also alters synapses in brain reward regions, and addiction-related synaptic and behavioral changes, similar to learning and memory, require the synthesis, or translation, of proteins in their local vicinity. Together these findings suggest that addiction is promoted and sustained through the coercion of normal plasticity mechanisms. Thus, investigating the function of developmental proteins in the adult brain, with regard to psychiatric and substance-related disorders, may reveal novel therapeutic and preventative strategies.",Assistant Professor,Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/na60823cc
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
Gary,Mccord,Professor,"I am primarily a teaching faculty member and also a board certified radiologist. In the past I have spent some time researching the use of computerized applications for detection of calcifications on mammograms, but I am currently devoting all of my time in the neuroscience department to teaching. I am a full time participant and senior faculty member in the medical gross anatomy and neuroscience courses. I also maintain some private practice time in radiology and work in the Office of Student Affairs at the medical school. My current research interests are in the domain of medical education, especially looking at determinants of licensure exam performance.",Professor||Associate Dean,Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics||School of Medicine,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/nbccd1f64
Karienn,Souza (Montgomery),Research Assistant Professor,"My research focuses on developing neuronal and behavioral models of mild cognitive impairment and early stages of Alzheimer's' Disease. AD is complex and multifaceted, and my goal is to uncover early aspects of the disease pathway in hopes of achieving prevention of further decline.
One aspect of the pathway that is promising in terms of resulting in a successful treatment for AD is to treat the loss of functional synapses. Loss of plasticity and synaptic transmission is one of the earliest hallmarks of AD and one of the best correlates of cognitive dysfunction in aging. It is virtually impossible for this to be studied in humans, and thus little progress has been made in developing therapeutics to resurrect synaptic function. We have developed a mouse model of age-related cognitive impairment in which we can use light (optogenetics) in order to uncover the faulty synaptic mechanisms that promote cognitive dysfunction observed in aging and early AD.",Postdoctoral Research Associate||Research Assistant Professor||Director of NExT Behavior Core,The Texas A&M University System||Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics||Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/nc5b013b5
Diane,Chico,Instructional Professor,"My primary interests are in medical education.I serve as teaching faculty in gross anatomy, histology, and neuroscience in the first year curriculum of the College of Medicine. My current scholarly pursuits explore the design, implementation, and evaluation of instructional models that emphasize knowledge application/synthesis and self-directed student learning. My research focuses on measuring whether student learning and knowledge retention of basic sciences improve with the use of these instructional modalities. My past research included structure-function studies of peptide-delivery vehicles and the mechanisms of posttranslational modifications on protein function.",Department Head||Instructional Professor,Medical Education||Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/nc68c8f85
Lee,Shapiro,Associate Professor,,Associate Professor,Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/ncd3ac332
Paul,Brandt,Associate Professor,"Understanding how the target cells ""interpret"" hormonal signals is the primary focus of our laboratory.Most of our research centers on regulation of steroid hormone-transduced signals. One area of study is the calcium-dependent regulation of glucocorticoid and androgen receptor-mediated transcription. A second major area of interest concerns glucocorticoid and steroid sex hormone regulation of nitric oxide (NO) production. Other areas of interest in our laboratory are: development of androgen-independence in prostate cancer; stress responses in PMCA1(-) cell lines; and the involvement of NO in dry eye syndrome.",Associate Dean for Academic Technology and Curriculum Innovation||Associate Professor,Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics||School of Medicine,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/nd24a6df6
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